By Bob Allen A little-known federal law enacted to bolster the rights of religious minorities is less popular but more needed now than when it became law 20 years ago, the head of a broad coalition that worked for passage…
Lawyer says religious liberty at risk
By Bob Allen Religious liberty is becoming a casualty of America’s culture wars, a leading expert on the separation of church and state told an audience Nov. 7 at the Newseum in Washington. “I certainly didn’t predict the last 20…
Ethicist says violence a moral option
By Ken Camp The use of deadly force can be justified in a broken world inhabited by “moral monsters,” Baptist ethicist Roger Olson told students at Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary Nov. 6. “The kingdom of God is…
LifeWay apologizes to Asian-Americans
By Bob Allen The head of the Southern Baptist Convention’s publishing arm apologized Nov. 6 for a 10-year-old Asian-themed vacation Bible school curriculum that critics said promoted racial stereotypes. “Ten years ago LifeWay’s Vacation Bible School material used racial stereotypes…
High court debates ‘legislative’ prayer
By Bob Allen A divided U.S. Supreme Court debated Nov. 6 whether explicitly Christian prayers at a New York town board’s meetings violate the constitutionally mandated separation of church and state. “What we heard this morning in the courtroom was…
Nadia Bolz-Weber speaks at Baptist church
By Bob Allen Trends like the waning influence of denominations and rise of the religious “nones” don’t mean that churches should abandon their denominational identity, author and Lutheran church planter Nadia Bolz-Weber said Tuesday evening at Calvary Baptist Church in…
Baptists regard nukes as moral issue
By Bob Allen Baptists worldwide will discuss nuclear power as a human rights issue when the Baptist World Alliance observes World Human Rights Day the weekend of Dec. 7-8. This year’s observance, timed to coincide with the anniversary of the…
Baptist home considers hiring gays
This story was edited after posting to correct an error in the third paragraph from last. By Bob Allen After a dozen years defending lawsuits stemming from the firing of a lesbian worker in 1998, a Kentucky Baptist child care…
Baylor keeps homosexuality ban
By Bob Allen Baylor University’s student body president has vetoed a resolution to drop a ban on homosexuality from the university’s code of conduct. Baylor’s Student Senate voted last week to drop “homosexual acts” from the university’s sexual misconduct code…