WACO, Texas (ABP) — A former Texas Baptist minister charged with the 2006 murder of his wife was released from jail April 10 on $250,000 bond. A Waco judge on April 9 agreed to reduce bail from $500,000. Determined to…
Alliance of Baptists streamlines staff
WASHINGTON (ABP) — The Alliance of Baptists has restructured its staff to cut costs and adjust to a leadership change. The Alliance's April 17-19 convocation in Charlotte, N.C., will feature a farewell banquet for Stan Hastey, who retires June 30…
As WMUV’s youngest trustee, Gray finds outlet for transformational leadership
BLUEFIELD – The youngest person ever named to the board of trustees of Woman’s Missionary Union of Virginia says the appointment takes her a step closer to one of her goals – to “grow up to be Miss Alma Hunt.”…
Alabama Baptist pastor found dead in church
Pastor Rodney Bowling (center) celebrated paying off money borrowed for church property with a note-burning ceremony. (Gracepointbaptist.org)SOMERVILLE, Ala. (ABP) — A Southern Baptist pastor was found dead April 7 in his Alabama church, apparently after suffering a heart attack. According…
Rick Warren says he did not campaign for Proposition 8
{youtube}7o4QqGbQmU0{/youtube} LAKE FOREST, Calif. (ABP) — Rick Warren is drawing heat for telling CNN's Larry King in an April 7 broadcast that he did not endorse Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage that California voters approved last year. The appearance was…
Rick Warren says he did not campaign for Proposition 8
{youtube}7o4QqGbQmU0{/youtube} LAKE FOREST, Calif. (ABP) — Rick Warren is drawing heat for telling CNN's Larry King in an April 7 broadcast that he did not endorse Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage that California voters approved last year. The appearance was…
Reconciliation, justice among Baptist Border Crossing themes
LIBERTY — Speakers challenged nearly 1,000 ministers and laypeople from several Baptist denominations and midwestern states to become agents of reconciliation, collaboration and justice during the Baptist Border Crossing, April 2-4 at Pleasant Valley Baptist Church in Liberty. David Coffey,…
Vermont first state to approve gay marriage legislatively
MONTPELIER, Vt. (ABP) — On April 7, Vermont became the first jurisdiction in the United States to legalize same-sex marriage through legislative means. The decision comes less than five days after the Iowa Supreme Court unanimously overturned a law banning…
FAITH DIGEST
Court rules against Christian legal student group. A federal appeals court has upheld an “open membership” rule for student organizations at a University of California law school, making a Christian student group ineligible for recognition because the group requires adherence…
Smorgasbord religion on the rise throughout United States
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Friday afternoons find Ann Holmes Redding at the Al-Islam Center in Seattle, reciting Muslim prayers. Come Sunday, she heads about two miles south to kneel in the pews of St. Clement’s of Rome Episcopal Church. “My experience…
Religious groups mobilize to keep alleviating poverty a priority in D.C.
The group, The Mobilization to End Poverty, plans to bring thousands of religious and community activists to Washington later this month to urge President Obama to make the poor a priority and continue his goal of reducing domestic poverty by…
Will proposed tax plan hurt churches? Maybe; maybe not
WASHINGTON (RNS) — President Obama’s proposed 2010 federal budget contains a 7 percent cut in charitable tax deductions for the nation’s wealthiest taxpayers. Some religious groups are asking how that will affect their bottom line. The answer: It depends who…