INDIANAPOLIS (BP) — Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton May 6 continued to do well among churchgoers, according to exit polls, despite not having the kind of night her supporters felt she needed to shake up the race and catch frontrunner…
Bush envisions International Day of Prayer
WASHINGTON (BP) — In adversity, Americans can find comfort through prayer, President Bush said May 1 in a White House observance of the 57th National Day of Prayer. “Over the last seven years, our country has faced many trials. And…
Legal expert suggests how to manage mix of religion, politics
ABILENE, Texas — Religion and politics inevitably will mix — especially in the U.S. presidential campaign — but that does not mean Americans should sanction a free-for-all, church-state expert Melissa Rogers insisted. Rogers, director of the Center for Religion &…
FAITH DIGEST
Panel cites 11 religious freedom offenders. A federal watchdog panel an-nounced 11 countries should be named “countries of particular concern” for their records on religious freedom, including three not currently on the State Department's list. The U.S. Commission on International…
Baptists waiting to respond in Myanmar
YANGON, Myanmar — Days after a cyclone's widespread devastation in Myanmar, the first two planeloads of United Nations relief supplies landed in the capital, Yangon, May 8, and Baptist relief organizations are waiting to follow. Observers fear the death toll…
British Baptists urged to fight global warming
BLACKPOOL, England (ABP) — British Baptists heard warnings against overconsumption and further degradation of the environment during their annual meeting May 2-4 in Blackpool, Lancashire. Theologian Elaine Storkey told members of the British Union of Great Britain to reject “false…
SECOND OPINION: How are Christians accountable to each other?
One of the most vexing issues in Christian life is the question of accountability. At every level of Christian community, the question arises. We know that Christians are accountable to God for their lives and will one day actually give…
IMB leader resigns over policies
RICHMOND, Va. (BP) — Rodney Hammer, the International Mission Board's regional leader for Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) for the past eight years, resigned effective May 5 after challenging policies of the board of trustees with which he is in…
Methodists vote to retain policies on homosexuality
FORT WORTH, Texas (RNS) — The United Methodist Church at its General Conference in Fort Worth held to its traditional rules on homosexuality, refusing to support or celebrate same-sex unions and maintaining language that calls homosexual activity “incompatible with Christian…
News about Virginia Baptists and their ministries for May 15, 2008
STAFF CHANGES • Eric Durden, to Fairmount Memorial Church, Richmond, as pastor. • G. C. Hughes has concluded his ministry as pastor of Blackstone Church, Blackstone. • Don Williams, resigning as pastor of Calvary Church, Lynchburg, effective the end of…
Ground-rules recommended for dealing with religion in schools
ABILENE, Texas — Whatever the U.S. Supreme Court ultimately decides, communities should strive to have better conversations about the role of religion in public schools, Melissa Rogers told participants at the T.B. Maston Christian Ethics Lectures at Hardin-Simmons University's Logsdon…
Lawyers to challenge IRS
WASHINGTON (RNS) — A conservative Christian legal group has launched an initiative for pastors to challenge IRS rules that prevent them from discussing political candidates from the pulpit. The Alliance Defense Fund said May 9 that its “Pulpit Freedom Sunday,”…