NEW YORK (RNS)—Religious opponents of the death penalty hope a new book about a Texas death row case by a best-selling author can help their efforts to end the practice of state-sanctioned executions. Thomas Cahill’s just-published book, A Saint on…
The future of American Christianity
By David Gushee Trinity College’s American Religious Identification Survey was releasedMarch 9. Its headline finding, assummarized by USA Today: “Faith is shifting, drifting or vanishing outright.” The news that “almost all denominations are losing ground” is sobering indeed. It helps…
Freeman: For women, proper question not ‘ordination,’ but ‘calling’
MOUNT OLIVE, N.C. (ABP) — Asking whether women should be ordained to the ministry is the wrong question, according to Baptist professor Curtis Freeman. “The question is, ‘Who is being gifted in the church?’” said Freeman, research professor of theology…
Bill to permit guns in churches revived in wake of pastor’s shooting
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (ABP) — An Arkansas lawmaker says she will reintroduce a bill to allow concealed weapons in churches after a deadly Illinois church shooting March 8. State Rep. Beverly Pyle (R-Cedarville) originally introduced a measure Jan. 29 to remove "any…
Obama ends restrictions on embryonic stem-cell study
WASHINGTON (ABP)—With a March 9 executive order, President Obama made official what many scientists had long anticipated—and many religious conservatives had long feared—lifting his predecessor’s ban on federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research. “In recent years, when it comes to…
Baptists getting older, study says
HARTFORD, Conn. (ABP) — Baptists may be the grayest of any major religious group in America, according to a study released March 9 by Trinity College of connecticut. The 2008 American Religious Identification Survey, the third set of data in…
Fairness Doctrine still dead, but groups worry about possible return
WASHINGTON—A move to require broadcasters to provide equal time to all sides of controversial issues has religious radio programs worried, even though no formal proposal has been introduced and the White House likely wouldn’t support it. At issue is the…
A Christian rationale for a truth commission
By David Gushee Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) has begun hearings exploring the possibility of establishing a “Truth Commission” to investigate Bush policies in several areas related to national security. I want to comment here in favor of an inquiry on…
Bill Leonard stepping down as dean of Wake Forest divinity school
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (ABP) — The founding dean of the Wake Forest University Divinity School is stepping down next year, school officials announced March 5. Bill Leonard Bill Leonard will retire from that post June 30, 2010. But he will continue…