After President Trump’s executive orders, the future of U.S. refugee resettlement programs is uncertain. This is the last in a series on what that might mean for Syrians fleeing their war-torn country.
Protestors at D.C. church encounter unexpected response
A demonstration at a Baptist church in the nation’s capital Jan. 22 had an effect the protestors may not have expected — a strengthening of the congregation’s long commitment to social justice. A small group stormed through Calvary Baptist Church…
On fourth anniversary of massacre, the slaughter at Newtown remains constant memory
At memorial services for the victims of Sandy Hook Elementary School, it is common for a bell to toll 26 times — once for each of the 20 children and six teachers who died beneath Adam Lanza’s withering onslaught four…
Taking on the gun madness: it’s time to stop it, say faith leaders
Christian clergy are tired, they say, of wringing their hands, of changing their Sunday morning sermon after another Saturday night shooting, of gun advocates’ clichés and — worse — of expecting it to happen again soon.
Clergy repudiate ‘doctrine of discovery’ as hundreds support indigenous rights at Standing Rock
From around the country 524 clergy responded to the call of North Dakota priest John Floberg to gather in support of the Sioux Nation’s attempts to stop construction of an encroaching oil pipeline near Standing Rock. Floberg, leader of three…
Clergy from across U.S. to stand in solidarity with indigenous ‘water protectors’ at Standing Rock
More than 350 clergy from across the nation have said they will stand with the “water protectors” blocking construction of an oil pipeline adjacent to the Standing Rock Reservation in North Dakota during a “unified action” Nov. 3. John Floberg,…
Culture warriors wave white flag, get down to business
What if Christians in America have lost the war against cultural changes they feel do not reflect their biblical standards? They might look to Christians in Canada who realized a decade ago that they lost the culture war there and…
Victims trying to put flood picture in a different frame
In North Carolina, Hurricanes Fran in 1996 and Floyd in 1999 sat atop the honor roll of calamity for 20 years. Flooding from Hurricane Matthew has knocked them off the mountain, leaving tens of thousands of residents shaking their heads and digging through mud looking for a morsel of hope.
Bridging divides in post-election season will be challenging for churches
While sociologists slice the population into thinner and thinner samples for examination, columnist and radio host Byron Williams says the most neglected — and dangerous — segment is “the Bob Dylan demographic.” Quoting a famous Bob Dylan song, Byron said,…
In Baton Rouge, devastating flood temporarily supplants racial tensions
In a strange irony, the floodwaters spreading misery without regard to race have at least temporarily calmed the racial tensions in Baton Rouge, La. The city has been wracked by tensions caused by multiple shootings in July.
Covering nudity in art reflects Church’s unwillingness to discuss important issues, say pastors
When Convergence, a congregation with Baptist ties in Alexandria, Va., hosted Edward Knippers’ massive paintings in an exhibition called “Violent Grace,” it had to cover the works during worship services of the Anglican congregation that shares its space. Why? Not…
Delta-bred Coker returns home from New England to lead Mississippi CBF
The thermometer offered a 103-degree “Welcome Home” recently to Mississippi native Jason Coker, returning to his roots after 14 years of church leadership in Wilton, Conn. A Baptist from the South with a drawl, Coker arrived in the affluent Connecticut…