WASHINGTON (ABP) — More than 50 religious leaders signed an open letter to Congress urging a time of national "soul searching" following the recent tragedy in Tucson that included an attack on a member of the House of Representatives. Prominent…
RIGHT or WRONG? Leave Christianity in the name of Christ
Novelist Anne Rice recently said, “I leave Christianity in the name of Christ.” Is it possible to remain faithful to Christ while leaving Christianity? Rice’s proclamation generated tremendous buzz, partially because of her notoriety and partially because such a statement…
Line between inspiration and insanity may be narrow, say professionals
SALT LAKE CITY (RNS) — A teenager says God appeared to him in a grove and told him to start a new Christian church. Another person claims the Almighty talks to him through the radio. A French girl gets messages…
Mentoring offers ministry students an important support system
BROWNWOOD, Texas — While a seminary degree can be an important component of a pastor’s toolbox, relationships with other pastors can be just as important — if not more so, according to some Texas Baptists who work with students preparing…
Seminary gives association six months to vacate property
FORT WORTH — Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary notified Tarrant Baptist Association before Christmas it had six months to vacate its offices on the edge of the seminary campus. The seminary asserted the association was in violation of its affiliation agreement…
FAITH DIGEST
Beliefs about human origins hold steady. Four in 10 Americans believe God created humans in something like their present form within the last 10,000 years, a recent Gallup Poll revealed. While that percentage represents a slight dip from 2008, when…
Academy for Spiritual Formation blends learning, discipline, community
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (ABP) — Growing up in a Baptist church and later working part-time as a youth minister, Johnny Sears always believed his faith had to go deeper than a set of beliefs or activities. “How do we take prayer…
Life coaching makes its way into churches
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (ABP) — Career coaching has been around in the business field for decades. More recently, it spun off a concept of life coaching. Now, the coaching concept is starting to make its impact in churches. Most experts credit…
Westboro Baptist Church changes picket plans
NEW YORK (ABP) — Westboro Baptist Church has dropped plans to picket the funerals of six victims gunned down Jan. 8 in Tucson, Ariz., in exchange for air time on a nationally syndicated radio show. The small, family church from…
Mohler takes on ‘theistic evolution’
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (ABP) — A Southern Baptist seminary president and evolution opponent has turned sights on "theistic evolution," the idea that evolutionary forces are somehow guided by God. Albert Mohler Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, wrote an…
African-American Baptists increase Haiti aid to $1 million
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Five historically African-American Baptist denominations that collaborated last year for Haiti relief made a second grant of $500,000 Jan. 12 to build homes through Habitat for Humanity International. Announced on the one-year anniversary of the Haiti quake,…
One year after quake, Haiti faces long road to recovery
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (ABP) — Despite unprecedented generosity by religious charities, the progress of recovery efforts remains slow on the one-year anniversary of a devastating 7.1 magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti last Jan. 12. "The progress is slow, maybe not as…