ATLANTA (ABP) — While it remained unclear the afternoon of Sept. 10 whether a tiny fringe church in Gainesville, Fla., would go ahead the next day with plans to host an incendiary protest against the Islamic holy book, Baptists across…
Fear not, Jesus said — but some Christians still do
(ABP) — Perfect love, wrote the Apostle John, casts out fear. No caption submitted For Christians, that simple maxim would seem to be an easy formula for stress-free living. But 2,000 years after those words were written, many disciples of…
Faith, fear clash in middle Tennessee over proposed mosque
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (ABP) — Mike Smith, pastor of First Baptist Church in Murfreesboro, Tenn., received an anonymous letter this summer asking him to warn his congregation that a proposed new mosque near the city was part of “a long-range plan…
Living in the midst of fear challenging but possible, church leaders insist
RICHMOND, Va. (ABP) — Peaceful living in a fear-provoking environment is challenging, even — maybe especially — for Christians. The unpredictable 21st century isn’t likely to settle down any time soon. Church leaders suggested several ways Christians can confront fear….
Fear not, Jesus said — but some Christians still do
Perfect love, wrote the Apostle John, casts out fear. For Christians, that simple maxim would seem to be an easy formula for stress-free living. But 2,000 years after those words were written, many disciples of Christ still find their lives…
Faith, fear clash in middle Tennessee over proposed mosque
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (ABP) — Mike Smith, pastor of First Baptist Church in Murfreesboro, Tenn., received an anonymous letter this summer asking him to warn his congregation that a proposed new mosque near the city was part of “a long-range plan…
Living in the midst of fear is challenging but possible, church leaders insist
RICHMOND, Va. — Peaceful living in a fear-provoking environment is challenging, even — maybe especially — for Christians. The unpredictable 21st century isn’t likely to settle down any time soon. Church leaders suggested several ways Christians can confront fear. Evaluate…
FAITH DIGEST
Happiness found in church, not shopping mall. Protestant and Catholic women in the United States have grown unhappier since stores have stayed open on Sundays, according to a study by economists from Israel’s Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and Chicago’s…
Christian counselors say they encounter discrimination over views on homosexuality
WASHINGTON (RNS) — When are religious views on homosexuality an issue of religious and academic freedom, and when are they discrimination? That’s a question raised by counselors and educators across the country. Recently, a federal judge ruled against Jennifer Keeton,…
RIGHT or WRONG? Oil-spill outrage
As crude oil began to gush into the Gulf of Mexico, everyone seemed to focus more on finger-pointing than on taking responsibility and finding solutions to the disaster. Where can a citizen lodge a legal complaint that would bring damage-control…
ANALYSIS: Does gay debate mirror church dispute on slavery?
WASHINGTON (RNS) — One group of Christians confidently proclaims that a plain reading of the Bible is a slam-dunk in their favor. The other side appeals to Scripture’s grand narrative toward freedom and inclusive love. The argument boils over and ripples…
La. Baptist Convention exec challenges Ezell pick at NAMB
ALEXANDRIA, La. (ABP) — In an unprecedented open letter to trustees of the Southern Baptist Convention’s North American Mission Board, the head of an SBC-affiliated state convention called Sept. 9 for NAMB trustees not to endorse a search committee’s recommendation…