NEW YORK (ABP) — The foundational symbol of God's ancient covenant with his people is getting a lot less common in the United States, but medical and theological debates still rage about the propriety of circumcision. Recent legal battles over…
March 9: A significant Sunday for three Virginia Baptist churches
RICHMOND — On the same day, First Baptist Church of Richmond called Jim Somerville as pastor, Second Baptist Church of Richmond installed Craig Sherouse as its pastor, and First Baptist of Newport News said good-bye to its pastor, Randel Everett,…
Methodist group targets Israeli violence in Gaza
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) — Several groups within the United Methodist Church have responded to Israel's clampdown on the Gaza Strip by urging divestment in companies that do business with Israel and publishing media critical of the Jewish state. The United…
Kidnapped in Guatemala: Mission trip turns harrowing
It was dark, and they were running behind schedule due to road construction in Guatemala City, but little did a group of eight mission-minded Christians from Grace Baptist Church in Halifax know that would be the least of their worries…
Human rights activists urge pressure on China
(BP) — A group of 26 prominent human rights activists have signed an open letter urging the international community to exert pressure on the People's Republic of China to improve its human rights practices before the Summer Olympics open in…
Kessler called to head empowering leaders team
RICHMOND — After the executive committee of the Virginia Baptist Mission Board approved the action, executive director John Upton announced that Kenneth Kessler will join the mission board staff as the team leader of the empowering leaders team. In 2004,…
Ethicist describes recipe for global warming skepticism
SAN ANTONIO — Conservative Christians generally have turned a cold shoulder to concerns about global warming, but ethicist David Gushee believes he understands why. “Climate change is among the most heavily reported stories — and in my view, one of…
EDITORIAL: Seeing myself in the Bible
It isn't my practice, and I suspect it isn't your desire, for me to offer in this editorial section a pastoral pontification of some kind. I have ordinarily resisted the temptation to do so. But, during Holy Week, in preparation…
Some Southern Baptists decry timidity on environmental issues
WASHINGTON (RNS) — A group of Southern Baptists has launched a new initiative on the environment, saying that their denomination's past declarations on the issue have been “too timid.” “We believe our current denominational engagement with these issues have often…
Opinion: The utilitarian temptation
A few weeks ago, I was reminded in a news article that Judge Paul Pressler had actually said, at the beginning of the Southern Baptist controversy, that his side must “go for the jugular.” This is an image of slaying…
British Baptist leader to head U.S. seminary
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…
Jim Smith named CBF head of global-missions field teams
ATLANTA (ABP) — Jim Smith has been named the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship's director of field team ministries for CBF global missions. The position was previously held by Jack Snell, who died in October after a six-month battle with pancreatic cancer….