WASHINGTON (RNS) — Hand sanitizer appears at the sanctuary entrance. Worshippers greet each other with a cautionary bow rather than a warm handshake or hug. Absences increase in Bible classes. The H1N1 flu pandemic is shaking up religious communities and…
FAITH DIGEST: American Christians dabble in New Age
Nearly one-fourth of the self-identified Christians in the United States delve into a range of Eastern or New Age beliefs, a new study shows. Asked about their supernatural experiences, significant minorities of American Christian respondents said they believe in astrology…
Obama’s Muslim outreach named top religion story of 2009
WASHINGTON (RNS) — The nation’s religion journalists named President Obama’s speech to the Muslim world as the top religion story of the year. Members of the Religion Newswriters Association ranked the June speech in Cairo, in which the president quoted…
Use the Quran to share Christ with Muslim, veteran missionary suggests
ANGLETON, Texas — Winning Muslim converts to Christianity is difficult, but veteran missionary Kevin Greeson knows a way—start with the Quran. Greeson, who has served 16 years with the Southern Baptist International Mission Board working to start Christian movements among…
2009: The year in quotes from Baptist newsmakers
(ABP) — A month-by-month summary of quotations from Baptist newsmakers over the past year: January "I humbly ask this in the name of the one who changed my life, Yeshua, Isa, Jesus, Jesus [pronounced hay-SOOS], who taught us to…
Most-read ABP stories of 2009
(ABP) — If there’s one thing that the 2009 Internet statistics for Associated Baptist Press stories show, it’s that Wiley Drake knows how to draw media attention. Three of the ten most-viewed articles on ABP’s website between Jan. 1 and…
Most-read ABP stories of 2009 feature controversies, tragedies — and Drake
(ABP) — If there’s one thing that the 2009 Internet statistics for Associated Baptist Press stories show, it’s that Wiley Drake knows how to draw media attention. Wiley Drake Three of the ten most-viewed articles on ABP’s website between Jan….
Grand jury clears police in shooting of Georgia Baptist pastor
TOCCOA, Ga. (ABP) — A grand jury has cleared police officers involved in a Sept. 1 shooting that killed a Southern Baptist pastor caught in the middle of a botched drug sting. An 18-member grand jury in Stephens County in…
Historic downtown D.C. church, once at death’s door, now thriving
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Moments before Sunday worship begins, Pastor Amy Butler and members of the Calvary Baptist Church choir gather in a small annex next to the sanctuary. Butler leads the group in a short prayer, then issues a warning….
Historic downtown D.C. church, once at death’s door, now thriving
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Moments before Sunday worship begins, Pastor Amy Butler and members of the Calvary Baptist Church choir gather in a small annex next to the sanctuary. Butler leads the group in a short prayer, then issues a warning….
Jimmy Carter apologizes to Jews for controversial past statements
ATLANTA (ABP) — Criticized in the past for remarks that upset many in America's Jewish community, former President Jimmy Carter apologized Dec. 21 for any of his words or actions that might have served to stigmatize Israel. Jimmy Carter photographed…
Ga. Baptist college to require faculty assent to SBC faith statement
Emir Caner, who converted from Islam to Christianity as a teenager, is best known for work, along with his brother Emir Caner, warning about purported evils of the Islamic faith. CLEVELAND, Ga. (ABP) — Truett-McConnell College in northeast Georgia…