By Bob Allen Officials in Memphis, Tenn., will trade gasoline for guns Sept. 15 at an inner-city Baptist church with no questions asked in a program aimed at reducing the number of weapons on the street. The mayor’s office is…
Profs probe ‘Mormon moment’
By Bob Allen Evangelicals going to the polls this November aren’t voting on whether Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney is a Christian, but if he would make a better president than Barack Obama, a panel of Baptist seminary professors said…
Mercer launches journalism experiment
By Bob Allen A historically Baptist college in Georgia is launching a cutting-edge experiment that industry experts say could provide a model to help save local journalism in America. This week the New York Times business section profiled the new…
Pioneer church celebrates 30 years
By Bob Allen The last church led by a woman pastor to receive salary assistance from the Southern Baptist Convention celebrates its 30th anniversary this month with community-service projects including neighborhood landscaping with Habitat for Humanity. Broadneck Baptist Mission in Annapolis,…
Expert: Ryan wrong about school prayer
By Bob Allen An expert in church-state issues says recent remarks by vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan show that even after 50 years, many Americans misunderstand a landmark Supreme Court ruling that banned the mandatory recitation of prayers in public…
Ethicist skeptical of DNC platform change
By Bob Allen A moderate Baptist ethicist said Wednesday’s Democratic Party vote to put “God” back in its platform appeared to be more about politics than an authentic profession of faith. “The Democrats’ flip-flop on faith looks more like politics…
Ethicist unmoved by DNC platform change
By Bob Allen A moderate Baptist ethicist said Wednesday’s Democratic Party vote to put “God” back in its platform appeared to be more about politics than an authentic profession of faith. “The Democrats’ flip-flop on faith looks more like politics…
Ethicist unmoved by DNC platform change
By Bob Allen A moderate Baptist ethicist said Wednesday’s Democratic Party vote to put “God” back in its platform appeared to be more about politics than an authentic profession of faith. “The Democrats’ flip-flop on faith looks more like politics…
Dems chided for taking God from platform
By Bob Allen Religious observers questioned the message sent by Democrats omitting any mention of God in their 2012 party platform adopted by delegates to the Democratic National Convention. “Guess what? God’s name has been removed from the Democratic National…
Black Baptists seek to mobilize voters
By Bob Allen The presidents of six historically African-American Baptist denominations announced a partnership Sept. 5 to mobilize their combined 12 million members to vote in the November election. The “This is My Vote” campaign, announced from the stage at…
Romney’s faith on display at RNC
By Thomas Whitley If you’ve followed the election coverage much over the past year you may have realized how absent Mitt Romney’s faith was from the national conversation. This marked a big shift from his 2008 bid when his Republican…
Challenge to clergy tax break clears hurdle
By Bob Allen A Wisconsin judge has given a green light to a lawsuit challenging a federal law that exempts clergy from paying income taxes on the fair rental value of their homes. U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb ruled Aug….