ATLANTA (ABP) — Nearly two decades ago, Dianna Ortiz says, Guatemalan security forces abducted her and took her to a clandestine prison where she was gang-raped; burned more than 100 times with cigarettes; forced to cut another woman with a…
Disputed Iran dinner fails to deliver on dialogue
NEW YORK (RNS) — Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad dined with 300 religious and political leaders Sept. 26, but the event that drew condemnation and protest offered far less dialogue than advertised. What was promised as a discussion of how religion…
Virginia Baptist volunteers join Texas Baptists to provide assistance after Ike
LIBERTY, Texas — Less than 72 hours after Hurricane Ike made landfall, a convoy of Virginia Baptist disaster relief units pulled into the parking lot of First Baptist Church, Liberty, Texas. By the next afternoon, Sept. 16, almost 100 Virginia…
SBC leader protests
NEW YORK (BP) — Southern Baptist ethicist Richard Land was among those who rallied to protest Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's dinner meeting with members of the World Council of Churches in New York City Sept. 25. “You can put lipstick…
The why and the how
Virginia Baptist disaster relief ministries are able to respond to disasters such as Hurricane Ike because of the gifts of Virginia Baptist churches to Cooperative Missions, the Alma Hunt Offering for Virginia Missions and individual designated donations to the general…
Remembering 9-11
NORFOLK — The young adults at Freemason Street Baptist Church in Norfolk got their hands dirty for missions at a seamen's center. Virginia Intermont College in Bristol worked with a shelter for families facing homelessness and abuse. Gayton Baptist Church…
BGAV registration ends soon
RICHMOND — Preregistration for Connect:2008, the 185th annual meeting of the Baptist General Association of Virginia, will be closing in mid-October, say association officials. Connect:2008 will be held in Roanoke Nov. 11-12 at the Roanoke Civic Center and the Hotel…
Editor receives training in ‘Planned Gifts’
Last week, Religious Herald editor and business manager Jim White received a certificate of proficiency in planned giving from the School of Philanthropy in Indianapolis, Ind. The School of Philanthropy is operated in partnership by Indiana and Perdue universities. “In…
Palin terms sexuality ‘choice,’ sidesteps abortion in interview
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin described homosexuality as “a choice” while sidestepping policy questions about it and several other divisive social issues in a television interview aired Sept. 30. But the Alaska governor told Katie Couric of…
American Baptist history archives reunited at Mercer University
ATLANTA (ABP) — Scholars and history buffs who want to learn more about Baptist history now can do so in one place. The American Baptist Historical Society dedicated the Samuel Colgate Historical Library and Archives on Mercer University’s Atlanta campus…
Gay-rights ‘Equality Ride’ targets Baptist colleges
AUSTIN, Texas (ABP) — A group that promotes equal rights for gays in religious orgnaizations appears to be targeting Baptist colleges and universities in its third annual tour of faith-based educational institutions. Nine of the 15 stops scheduled on Soulforce…
Veteran journalist Bob Allen tapped as ABP senior writer
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (ABP) — Veteran Baptist journalist Bob Allen will return to Associated Baptist Press Oct. 1 to fill a newly created senior writer position. It will be Allen’s second stint with the independent news agency, which he had once…