Easter Faith and “Establishment” of Religion Matt Cook It was April Fool’s Day when I first heard about the bill that some North Carolina representative authored asserting “that the Constitution of the United States of America does not prohibit states…
HeraldBeat: Tracking Baptists across the Mid-Atlantic
Accepted a new call? Been ordained? Church celebrating an anniversary? Mission trip or project that you would like highlighted on the HeraldBeat page? Send info to HeraldBeat editor Barbara Francis at [email protected]. Transitions ON THE MOVE Todd Bradbury, to Bethel…
EDITORIAL: It’s not easy being the church
Last week a federal judge ruled that the Pittsylvania County (Va.) board of supervisors could no longer begin their meetings with prayers that reflect a specific religious point of view. Citing the faith of our nation’s founders, the judge was…
For parents of children with autism, camp provides spiritual respite
HARTFIELD, Va. — “Every family needs a break now and then — especially families raising a special needs child,” said Niki Gourley, retreats director at Piankatank Camp and Conference Center near Hartfield, Va. The natural setting of the Virginia Baptist…
Resolution asserting North Carolina can establish official religion won’t be brought up for vote
RALEIGH — A resolution in the North Carolina House of Representative asserting the state isn’t prohibited from establishing an official religion was effectively killed April 4 when Speaker Thom Tillis said it would not come up for a vote. The…
OPINION: Church cats and starter kids
It was a cold late afternoon in downtown Winston-Salem, and I was sitting down for a late lunch meeting at a local Irish pub, Finnegan’s Wake. As I was waiting for my lunch companion, I pulled out my computer and…
OPINION: Easter faith and ‘establishment’ of religion
It was April Fool’s Day when I first heard about the bill that some North Carolina representatives authored asserting “that the Constitution of the United States of America does not prohibit states or their subsidiaries from making laws respecting an…
OPINION: The day the world became Catholic
A few weeks ago my wife and I, along with a good friend and fellow North Carolina Baptist minister, traveled together for a much needed vacation along the Atlantic. When ministers get together, the conversation rarely leaves the genre of…
Christian faith compels support for comprehensive immigration reform, say ministers at N.C. rally
WINSTON-SALEM — As Congress grapples to craft legislation that would overhaul the nation’s immigration laws, a group of Baptist ministers in North Carolina called on their state’s representatives April 2 to support “comprehensive, fair immigration reform” which “builds the common…
Shorthand written by religious liberty icon Roger Williams decoded after 300 years, revealing essay
DURHAM, N.C. — A team of scholars that helped translate an original theological essay written in shorthand by early American Baptist Roger Williams and interpret its significance presented its findings during a seminar at Duke Divinity School’s Baptist House of…
BTSR announces new location in office park four miles north of current campus
RICHMOND — Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond will move this summer to a new location in an office complex about four miles north of its current campus, seminary officials announced April 2. The nearly 17,000-square foot building in Villa Park,…
OPINION: Marriage is back?
Last week my husband and I had dinner with a couple we hadn’t seen in two years. We spent the evening catching up, having heated debate and laughing loudly. At one point the wife leaned over to me and whispered,…