Humanizing the poor and hungry is a vital first step for individuals and churches called to combat poverty and hunger, a group of Cooperative Baptist Fellowship ministers and lay leaders learned during a recent webinar hosted by CBF Heartland. “It’s…
Ryan Burge sifts the data to paint an evolving portrait of the ‘nones’
There was a time, not all that long ago, when no minister, denominational leader or seminary administrator ever heard of — or worried about — a “none.” That’s partly because there wasn’t yet a name for religiously unaffiliated Americans, partly…
Less than half of Americans now claim a formal congregational membership
The exodus from formal affiliation with U.S. houses of worship continued its relentless pace in 2020 as congregational membership hit an all-time low in the 80 years Gallup has tracked it. The practice of “belonging” to a church, mosque or…
Virginia interfaith leaders explain how other states could abolish death penalty just as Virginia has done
Connecting legislation with spirituality and supporters with tangible social justice actions propelled death penalty opponents to victory in Virginia, two organizers of the movement said during a March 29 Baptist News Global webinar. LaKeisha Cook and Roberta Oster of the…
Georgia mom is an advocate for organ donation because her son is one of the longest-living heart transplant recipients in the nation
Statistics about organ donation just roll off the tongue for Cartersville, Ga., resident Susan Carlisle May. She can easily recall that someone is added to a transplant list every 10 minutes and that a lack of donors results in thousands…
New devotional book asks what it means to follow God in a time of global pandemic
Greg Funderburk’s first book followed the survivors of the Great Storm that killed 8,000 people in Galveston, Texas, in 1900. His second book, released this month, is a devotional born from the COVID-19 pandemic that has killed nearly 3 million…
It’s official now: Death penalty no more in Virginia
Virginia became the first Southern state to eliminate the death penalty on March 24, and faith-based groups were among those credited with leading the campaign for abolition. Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam signed legislation abolishing the state’s use of capital punishment…
Americans slowly returning to in-person church but many still cautious about Easter
Americans are cautiously returning to in-person religious services as vaccination rates rise and COVID-19 deaths decline, according to a survey conducted this month. But the Pew Research Center study also found that attendance at weekly services remains lower than pre-pandemic…
In 90-page report, Baylor commission documents the university’s racist history and recommends changes
Baylor University will retain the name of its slave-holding founder along with the prominent statue dedicated to its namesake, the Baptist-affiliated institution said March 23 in releasing a much-anticipated report detailing with its historic ties to slavery and the Confederacy….