European Baptists are throwing a huge party in July in Amsterdam to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the church founded by John Smyth and Thomas Helwys in 1609. If Amsterdam is not on your summer itinerary, there are places closer…
Jimmy Carter: Christians have duty to pursue peace in Holy Land
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Former President Jimmy Carter’s recent book, We Can Have Peace in the Holy Land: A Plan that Will Work, reviews the contributions of past U.S. presidents toward peace in Israel and Palestine, and advances his hopes that…
OUT LOUD
“Darwin was right about natural selection, right about different species forming and species changing, but wrong that such changes are a mechanism to change one kind of animal into a totally different kind."Ken HamThe founder of Answers in Genesis, which…
Religious broadcasters brace for uncertain future
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Digital podcasts and streaming video might bring Christian audiences inspirational messages in the future, but they aren’t bringing in the cash that broadcast ministries need to weather a painful economy. To make ends meet, religious broadcasters are…
SECOND OPINION: Babyboomers, volunteerism and the future of church leadership
It is not a stretch to realize that churches are probably the longest standing user of volunteer services. From teaching Sunday school classes and staffing committees to operating the various mission efforts, churches are almost completely dependent upon unpaid volunteers….
State Dept. reveals predecessors’ designations of freedom violators
WASHINGTON (ABP) — More than two months after George W. Bush left the White House and Condoleezza Rice left the State Department, the agency has revealed its list of the world’s worst religious-freedom violators. The big news is that nothing…
Arizona high court declares state’s voucher program unconstitutional
PHOENIX (ABP) — The Arizona Supreme Court March 25 delivered the latest in a string of blows to the movement to provide tax funding for tuition at private and religious schools. A unanimous five-member court said a plain reading of…
Alabama Baptists headed to court over property dispute
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (ABP) — Alabama Baptists are going to court to resolve a dispute with Montgomery, Ala., homeowners whom Baptist leaders claim are unreasonably hindering development of land the state convention is trying to sell The Alabama Baptist newspaper reported…
Southern Baptist activist organizes confab on church and environment
ATLANTA (ABP) — An upcoming national conference on churches and the environment features several well-known evangelical speakers, including some prominent Southern Baptist leaders who will be speaking for first time on the increasingly high-profile theological issue known as "creation care."…
Southern Baptist ethics head lobbies for coal, against cap and trade
Southern Baptist leader Richard Land says cap-and-trade legislation would most hurt working people in states that rely heavily on coal for their energy. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (ABP) — Coal-fired power plants have received the blessing of the Southern Baptist Convention's top…
Southern Baptist activist organizes confab on church and environment
ATLANTA (ABP) — An upcoming national conference on churches and the environment features several well-known evangelical speakers, including some prominent Southern Baptist leaders who will be speaking for first time on the increasingly high-profile theological issue known as "creation care."…
Mercer conference focuses on ending modern slavery
Participants listen to anti-human-trafficking activists during a recent Mercer University conference. (PHOTO/Mercer) MACON, Ga. (ABP) — In the face of the world’s fastest-growing crime — the enslavement of an estimated million people every year — Lauran Bethell had some profoundly…