CHICAGO (ABP) — The head of British Baptists' mission agency will become the head of an American Baptist seminary, according to the Baptist World Alliance. Alistair Brown, general director of BMS World Mission since 1996, has been selected to be…
No cancer found in Mohler surgery
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (ABP) — As expected, a tumor removed from the colon of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President Al Mohler proved not to be cancerous, according to a seminary news release. Mohler underwent surgery March 20 to remove the mass….
Alliance leaders approve development consultant
NEW ORLEANS (ABP) — The Alliance of Baptists has agreed to work with Hewett Consulting of Charlotte, N.C., to design a development strategy to help strengthen its financial situation as it moves forward with a new administrative structure. The progressive…
McCain’s faith: Pastor describes senator as devout, but low-key
PHOENIX (ABP) — John McCain has a deep and personal Christian commitment despite his reluctance to speak publicly about it, according to the man the presumptive GOP presidential nominee claims as his pastor. Dan Yeary, pastor of North Phoenix Baptist…
McCain’s faith: Pastor describes senator as devout, but low-key
Editor's note: This story corrects and updates one issued under the same headline April 8. PHOENIX (ABP) — John McCain has a deep and personal Christian commitment despite his reluctance to speak publicly about it, according to the man McCain…
Historic Wisconsin church destroyed in gas explosion
OCONOMOWOC, Wis. (ABP) — American Baptist Churches USA officials have sent aid in the aftermath of a gas blast that leveled the nearly century-old sanctuary of one of their churches. First Baptist Church of Oconomowoc, Wis., was destroyed in the…
Black liberation theology provides the doctrine behind fiery rhetoric
NEWARK, N.J. (RNS) — Jeremiah Wright's condemnation of the United States — particularly pronouncing damnation on America — looped hundreds of thousands of times on YouTube and news broadcasts. In the process, the pastor preached himself and his most famous…
Fundamentalism & militancy: Religious violence outside the Abrahamic faiths
(ABP) — The three Abrahamic faiths – Judaism, Christianity and Islam – are the most violent of the world's religions, scholars say. But all faiths can resort to violence on occasion, even the normally peaceful Hindus. A common characteristic of…
Obama pastor’s tough sermons just part of long, prophetic tradition
WASHINGTON (RNS) — The longtime pastor of Sen. Barack Obama's black megachurch in Chicago has come under fire for sermons that many have called racist, offensive — and even dangerous. Jeremiah Wright has called the federal government the “U.S. of…
Opinion: What Dr. King means to me
(ABP) — This week marks the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. In this column I want to honor Dr. King by offering reflections about what his life and work mean to me today. I aim…
FAITH DIGEST
ACU freshmen get cool gadgets. Abilene Christian University will be the first university in the nation to provide all incoming freshmen with an Apple iPhone or an iPod touch, according to school officials. ACU, which is affiliated with the Churches…
Fundamentalists of all stripes want to turn back the clock
Despite all their theological and cultural differences, fundamentalists of every faith share at least one common characteristic — resistance to modernity. That's the assessment of scholars and firsthand observers who have evaluated the varieties of religious expression. “Fundamentalism worldwide is…