The United States Supreme Court has denied a request by the Southern Baptist Convention’s North American Mission Board to end a case brought against it by the former leader of a Baptist state convention. Among a long list of cases…
What the Critical Race Theory debate has to do with Professor Harold Hill
I’m not an expert on Critical Race Theory, and neither are you. So let’s all stop pretending we know so much more than we do. This term, which refers to an academic construct that originated in law schools, has become…
BJC general counsel sees little future guidance in Supreme Court’s latest religious liberty ruling
As with a 2018 ruling involving a baker who refused to make a cake for a same-sex wedding, the U.S. Supreme Court’s latest foray into a free exercise of religion claim is so narrowly written as to offer little future…
Baptist-Catholic dialogue resumes despite challenges of pandemic
Despite the travel limitations imposed by COVID-19, a group of Baptist and Catholic scholars have continued their historic dialogue on ecumenical relationships. Conversations between the Baptist World Alliance and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity were put on hold…
New court ruling shielding Trump officials who cleared Lafayette Square for the Bible photo op renews debate about ‘qualified immunity’
A federal judge’s June 21 ruling to protect former Trump administration officials from lawsuits stemming from their actions to forcibly clear Lafayette Square on June 1, 2020, illustrates the near-impossibility of any government official being held responsible for acting in…
Churches and vaccination clinics have this in common: Young adults are staying away
It’s not just church that young adults in America are staying away from. New data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control indicate adults ages 18 to 29 are the least likely to be vaccinated against coronavirus. On a national…
Southern Baptists are still obsessed with Critical Race Theory
The specter of Critical Race Theory loomed large over the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting June 15-16, yet no concrete actions to address it by name were taken. That delighted Southern Baptist pastors and leaders who believe months of debate…
In narrow ruling, unanimous Supreme Court supports Catholic Social Services in Philadelphia foster care case
The United States Supreme Court unanimously sided with Catholic Social Services in its claim against the City of Philadelphia, saying the city cannot exclude the faith-based agency from a foster care contract merely because it does not serve LGBTQ clients….
SBC calls for ‘immediate abolition of abortion without exception or compromise’
One resolution against abortion wasn’t enough for this year’s Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting. After messengers (voting members) to the SBC gathering in Nashville on June 15 adopted a strongly worded resolution opposing abortion and calling for continuation of the…