Americans want religious presidents. A majority of Americans (56 percent) say it's important for a candidate to have strong beliefs, even if those beliefs differ from their own, according to the poll conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute in partnership…
Missional education seeks to train church leaders contextally
Call it a buzz word, a euphemism for the emergent movement or a description of profound shifts in ecclesiology — the term "missional" is entrenched in the vocabulary of 21st century Christianity. Although the concept is subject to wide-ranging and…
RIGHT or WRONG: Prisoner organ donation
An Oregon death-row inmate has offered to donate his organs after his execution. So far, his offer has been rejected. What are the legal and ethical barriers for such a donation? No real legal barrier exists. The state has refused…
Seminaries adapt to changing religious landscape
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (ABP) — Six years after starting as a pilot project, Central Baptist Theological Seminary's center in Murfreesboro, Tenn., recently became fully accredited to award the master of divinity degree and diploma in theology. Students take a major portion…
Traditional divinity program aids ministry in nontraditional contexts
Students who serve in nontraditional ministry settings — whether a postmodern congregation, a cowboy church or something in-between — benefit from the foundation provided in a traditional seminary curriculum, some educators and ministry practitioners insist. Baylor University's Truett Theological Seminary…
Texas Baptists send $25,000 for East Africa famine relief
DALLAS (ABP) –Texas Baptists are giving $25,000 through a group of churches to help victims of the East Africa famine. The convention is giving $20,000 from its disaster relief funds and $5,000 from the Texas Baptist Offering for World Hunger…
Mark Hatfield remembered as champion for religious liberty
WASHINGTON (ABP) – Former Sen. Mark Hatfield -– an Oregon Republican whose Baptist faith helped shape his political views during nearly half a century in public office -– died Aug. 7 after several years of declining health. Mark Hatfield A…
New president believes in strong role for women’s college
RALEIGH, N.C. (ABP) — Two weeks after Jo Allen took office as the eighth president of Meredith College, the shrinking pool of women’s colleges blew drier as Peace College across town decided to admit males to stem its enrollment drop….
New Meredith president believes in strong role for women’s college
RALEIGH, N.C. (ABP) — Two weeks after Jo Allen took office as the eighth president of Meredith College, the shrinking pool of women’s colleges blew drier as Peace College across town decided to admit males to stem its enrollment drop….
Abuse confession raises questions of cover-up by Baptist mega-church
PLANO, Texas (ABP) – A Southern Baptist mega-church held up as an example for taking a hard line three years ago against a staff member arrested for soliciting sex from a police officer posing as a 13-year-old girl now stands…
‘Send Me, O Lord, Send Me’ author Ross Coggins dies
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (ABP) – Ross Coggins, a missionary and denominational worker before switching careers to U.S. foreign aid, died Aug. 1 at his home in Annapolis, Md., after an illness. Ross Coggins Coggins, 83, was a graduate of Baylor University…
Pastor doesn’t want to perform weddings until all can wed
RALEIGH, N.C. (ABP) – A lesbian Baptist pastor told her congregation July 24 that she doesn’t want to perform any more weddings until her state legalizes gay marriage. Nancy Petty Nancy Petty, pastor of Pullen Memorial Baptist Church in Raleigh,…