A federal court granted a preliminary injunction preventing the Trump administration from establishing a nearly $1.8 billion slush fund for the president’s political allies as a lawsuit against the account moves ahead. District Judge Leonie Brinkema in Virginia issued the…
Pastors announce formation of The Baptist Network
A group of Baptist pastors announced formation of The Baptist Network to foster collaboration and encouragement between minsters and congregations in a time of intense social and political conflict in the American church. “While affirming historic Baptist convictions, the Network…
Professor draws connection between immigration and testimony
“Something that gets lost in the process is we don’t often get to hear the voices of the very communities that are experiencing the most hardship in the midst of the situation,” Jonathan Calvillo told Baptist scholars, historians and ministry…
‘Show the love of God,’ immigrant pastor urges
“Immigrants are not numbers, not statistics,” Pablo Juarez told Baptist scholars, historians and ministry educators gathered at Smoke Rise Baptist Church in Stone Mountain, Ga. “They are human beings that are running for their life, begging for some people to…
‘All we do is believe the Bible,’ Baptist scholars summarize
“All we do is just believe the Bible,” Marcus Jerkins said, recalling a familiar claim from his childhood church. “And I came to find out that is a Baptist way of thinking. We just believe the Bible.” That simple phrase…
US Supreme Court won’t allow Alabama to use nitrogen gas
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to overrule two lower courts that prohibited Alabama from executing a prisoner using nitrogen gas. The state was set to execute Jeffrey Lee June 11 until a federal appeals court and a U.S. district judge…
Texas Lt. Gov. Patrick says Talarico will ‘go to hell’ for his beliefs
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick says James Talarico will “go to hell” for his beliefs about the Bible. Talarico is an ordained Presbyterian minister and seminarian who is the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Texas. He will face erstwhile…
How anti-vaxxers and evangelicals found common cause
The COVID-19 outbreak helped unite the nation’s anti-vax movement, with evangelical Christians convinced that vaccine mandates, masking requirements and social distancing violated religious freedoms, religion scholar Kira Ganga Kieffer said. The two communities already shared a distrust of government when…
Republicans push through more unregulated funding for ICE and CBP
Immigrant and civil rights advocates condemned the $70 billion immigration bill President Donald Trump signed into law June 10. The “Secure America Act” passed by Congress a day earlier provides funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Border Patrol…
Trump admin defying court order on immigration access
The Trump administration continues to deny legal benefits to some immigrants based on national origin and in direct violation of a federal judge’s June 5 ruling to halt the practice. In response, an emergency motion was filed June 10 asking…
All sanctions against Southwestern Seminary lifted
All sanctions against Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary have been lifted by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Seminary President David Dockery announced the action June 11, ending a difficult saga in the history of what once…
Judge bans Alabama’s use of nitrogen gas for executions
A federal judge permanently blocked Alabama from putting inmate Jeffrey Lee to death with nitrogen gas two days before his June 11 execution date. District Judge Emily Marks in Montgomery ruled June 9 that nitrogen hypoxia executions violate the constitutional…