By Bob Allen Two Southern Baptist Convention leaders issued a statement May 6 asking the military to clarify what it means by making “proselytizing” a punishable offense. Kevin Ezell, head of the SBC North American Mission Board, which oversees chaplains,…
Judge green-lights lawsuit settlement
By Bob Allen A federal judge ruled May 2 that a Baptist child-care agency at the center of a long-running legal dispute between Kentucky lawmakers and citizens represented by the ACLU and Americans United for Separation of Church and state…
Woman named to lead British Baptists
By Bob Allen Forty-eight-year-old Lynn Green was elected May 4 as general secretary of the Baptist Union of Great Britain. The first woman to hold the post, she replaces Jonathan Edwards, who steps down in July after seven years. Green…
Baptist historian Leon McBeth dies
By Bob Allen H. Leon McBeth, a Baptist historian and scholar who authored nine books, died April 29 at age 81. McBeth, retired chair of the history department at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, received numerous awards for his contributions to…
Assn. drops church with accused pastor
By Bob Allen A Southern Baptist church in Missouri whose pastor is awaiting trial on felony sex charges has been voted out of its local association for failure to report or contribute financially for the last two years. Lamine Baptist…
Historic church and black pastor part ways
By Bob Allen Jeffrey Haggray resigned April 8 as pastor of the 210-year-old First Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., three years after his election as the congregation’s first African-American pastor was hailed as a meaningful step toward racial reconciliation. The…
Louisiana College retains president
By Bob Allen Louisiana College trustees met all day April 30 before voting to retain Joe Aguillard as president of the private school affiliated with the Louisiana Baptist Convention. “After a long, thorough investigation, the board has exonerated Dr. Aguillard…
Jailed minister accused of abuse in UK
By Bob Allen A former British Baptist pastor serving time in prison in the United States for child sex crimes now faces similar allegations at home. London’s Daily Mirror reported April 28 that seven men claim they were raped as…
Pastor says Sandy Hook more than politics
By Bob Allen The atrocity of last December’s Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings transcends politics, raising gun violence to a moral issue that needs to be addressed from pulpits, a pastor said in a dialogue near the end of an…
Beeson celebrates 25 years
By Bob Allen An interdenominational divinity school connected to an Alabama Baptist university celebrated its 25th anniversary in a chapel service April 23. “In the history of an institution, 25 years is not that long,” Beeson Divinity School Dean Timothy…
Beeson celebrates 25 years
By Bob Allen An interdenominational divinity school connected to an Alabama Baptist university celebrated its 25th anniversary in a chapel service April 23. “In the history of an institution, 25 years is not that long,” Beeson Divinity School Dean Timothy…
Beeson celebrates 25 years
By Bob Allen An interdenominational divinity school connected to an Alabama Baptist university celebrated its 25th anniversary in a chapel service April 23. “In the history of an institution, 25 years is not that long,” Beeson Divinity School Dean Timothy…