ATLANTA (ABP) — For centuries, the olive branch has been a symbol of peace in Judeo-Christian cultures — and now olive wood is bringing prosperity through a Cooperative Baptist Fellowship-sponsored microenterprise project in the Middle East. “Elizabeth” is one of…
Corrections
Please make the following corrections in the April 22 ABP release. In the opinion column “Discipleship and the ‘outside world,'” please change “dean of the University of Chicago Divinity School” in the 4th paragraph to “president of the Chicago Theological…
Catholics, other religious voters propel Clinton to victory in Pa.
PHILADELPHIA (ABP) — Religious voters — especially the state’s all-important Catholic population — appear to have given New York Sen. Hillary Clinton a big boost in the crucial April 22 Pennsylvania primary. But most religious Catholics and most religious Protestants…
Opinion: Our theology of ecology should place us within creation
(ABP) — During the most recent Earth Day April 22, Al Gore's Alliance for Climate Protection ran high-profile TV ads in which Newt Gingrich and Nancy Pelosi, and then Al Sharpton and Pat Robertson, sat together on couches telling the…
Rival Mo. conservative groups agree to ‘peace committee’
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (ABP) — Seven members of rival conservative groups in the Missouri Baptist Convention will go to mediation in an effort to bring about peace within the battle-torn statewide group. The MBC Executive Board voted on April 15…
Opinion: Discipleship and the ‘outside world’
(ABP) — Quite by coincidence, I had just finished reading Carolyn Jessup's Escape when the news stories broke about the raids on the Texas ranch of the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints. The “escape” of the book's title is…
Sudanese Baptists reunite after years-long division
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (ABP) — After years of division precipitated by one of history's deadliest civil wars, Sudanese Baptists have finally — like their nation — reunited. The reunification of the Sudan Interior Church North and the Sudan Interior Church…
N.C. college receives donation of 1686 Luther Bible translation
MARS HILL, N.C. (ABP) — Across the centuries, across the ocean, through bombings and world wars, a sacred bit of history has emerged from the distant past to find a home at Mars Hill College. The North Carolina Baptist school…
Pope, in first visit to United States, praises freedom, dings secularism
WASHINGTON (ABP) — In his first visit to the United States since ascending to the Throne of St. Peter, Pope Benedict XVI hailed America’s religious freedom and pluralism while simultaneously denouncing secularism’s influence. The pontiff’s tour of the United States…
ABP honors Texas convention, announces $100,000 challenge
SAN ANTONIO (ABP) — Directors of Associated Baptist Press honored the Baptist General Convention of Texas and announced a $100,000 matching-funds challenge from a Texas Baptist family during their semi-annual meeting, held April 14-15 in San Antonio. “Every year, since…
Texas church, mired in controversy over gays in directory, loses pastor
FORT WORTH, Texas (ABP) – Brett Younger, pastor of Broadway Baptist Church index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=113 Fort Worth, Texas, survived a vote to fire him last month but is leavindex.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=113g the church anyway – to become associate professor of preachindex.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=113g at Mercer University's…
Theologian urges greater sensitivity to suicide
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (RNS) — Churches can be a major factor in preventing suicide if they are willing to learn about the problem and reach out with compassion, said a theologian who specializes in pastoral care related to suicide. “People who…