By Bob Allen Leaders of the Baptist World Alliance offered congratulations to Pope Francis, elected the 266th head of the Catholic Church March 13, and announced plans to attend the new pope’s inauguration March 19 at the Vatican. “The BWA…
School adding transgender policy
By Bob Allen A Califorinia Christian college is updating its sexuality policies to include issues of gender identity as a sister school in the state faces a discrimination lawsuit. Biola University’s work on a policy regarding transgender individuals coinciides with former CBU…
SBC leader denounces papacy
By Bob Allen A Southern Baptist seminary president urged evangelicals not to get too caught up in all the excitement surrounding the naming of a new pope. “Evangelical Christians simply cannot accept the legitimacy of the papacy and must resist…
Baptist named to White House post
By Bob Allen The White House announced March 13 that Melissa Rogers, a Baptist church-state specialist who formerly worked at the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, will serve as special assistant to the president and director of the Office…
CJ Mahaney leaving SGM post
By Bob Allen A leader in a resurgent Calvinism movement popular among Southern Baptists is resigning from a church-planting network he helped launch 30 years ago amid reports of internal strife and a lawsuit alleging a cover-up of sexual and…
Poll: Gay-marriage right not absolute
By Bob Allen A majority of American adults view same-sex marriage as a civil-rights issue and nearly two-thirds believe it is inevitable that it will become legal throughout the United States, but opinions vary about what those rights should entail,…
Clergy press for assault-weapon ban
By Bob Allen More than 4,000 congregational leaders have signed an open letter to U.S. senators urging them to pass comprehensive gun violence prevention legislation. The letter calls for legislation that includes a ban on assault weapons and high capacity…
Church calls cops on inquiring member
By Bob Allen A Southern Baptist megachurch reportedly filed a police report on a church member who raised questions about news stories alleging that nearly 25 years ago leaders of the congregation failed to alert authorities about credible accusations of…
Woman named pastor of historic church
By Bob Allen The 222-year-old Hampton Baptist Church has called Elizabeth “Betty” Pugh Mills as senior pastor, making it likely the largest Baptist church in Virginia led by a woman pastor. The 1,100-member church (about 500 active) voted March 3…