By Bob Allen A lawyer representing two Baptist General Convention of Texas-affiliated Christian universities asked a federal appeals court April 7 to affirm a lower court ruling that mandated contraceptive coverage in employee insurance plans violates the Religious Freedom Restoration…
Liberian Baptists oppose ‘Christian nation’ label
By Bob Allen Baptist leaders in Liberia have spoken in opposition to a proposed constitutional amendment declaring the West African republic a Christian state. A committee charged with reviewing Liberia’s 1986 constitution recommended 19 changes during a five-day conference March…
Southern Baptists urged to pray as Supreme Court weighs gay-marriage arguments
By Bob Allen The Southern Baptist Convention went online April 7 urging people in the pews to pray when the U.S. Supreme Court hears oral arguments about whether state gay-marriage bans are constitutional. The SBC Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission…
Obama honors Gardner Taylor at Easter prayer breakfast
By Bob Allen President Obama paid tribute to an African-American Baptist pastor and civil-rights leader who died Easter Sunday at age 96 in remarks at the White House Easter prayer breakfast April 7. “This morning, we also remember a man of…
Baptists, others, fear legal gay marriage will censor free speech
By Bob Allen A Supreme Court decision this summer to legalize same-sex marriage in America would exacerbate a pattern of restrictions on the free speech of individuals who say publicly they believe homosexuality is a sin, according to a legal…
Catholics, Baptists join in religious liberty battle over gay marriage
By Bob Allen Southern Baptist and Roman Catholic leaders issued a joint statement April 3 concerning acrimony over religious liberty and same-sex marriage going on in Indiana and other states. Philadelphia archbishop Charles Chaput and William Lori of the Roman…
Gardner Taylor, preacher and civil rights leader, dies
By Bob Allen Gardner Taylor, an African-American Baptist pastor and civil rights leader dubbed the “prince of preachers,” died Easter Sunday, April 5, at age 96. Taylor, pastor emeritus at Concord Baptist Church of Christ in Brooklyn, N.Y., was a…
Georgia tables controversial religious liberty bill
By Bob Allen As lawmakers fought over religious freedom legislation in Arkansas and Indiana, time ran out in Georgia on a similar measure that divided opinion among the state’s Baptists. The 2015 General Assembly of Georgia adjourned April 2 without…
Judge dismisses Glorieta lawsuit; appeal expected
By Bob Allen A federal judge has dismissed a $12.4 million lawsuit challenging the 2013 sale of Glorieta Conference Center for $1, finding that the homeowners who sued without representation by a lawyer failed to meet the legal standard required…