Christopher Hitchins has been barnstorming the country of late promoting his most recent book, god is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything, making an argument similar to Richard Dawkins in God is a Delusion. Like the Philistine champion of old,…
Tennessee Baptists gear up for struggle over trustees
KINGSPORT, Tenn. (ABP) — Tennessee Baptists are gearing up to fight a battle that most Southern Baptist state conventions finished a decade ago. Many of the state's moderates feel it is no longer worth fighting. Nonetheless, some conservatives and moderates…
Annual meeting of Baptists in Texas sees election of woman, budget approval
AMARILLO, Texas (ABP) — Messengers to the Baptist General Convention of Texas annual meeting narrowly elected the first woman president of the state convention — and continued a two-decade string of officers endorsed by the moderate Texas Baptists Committed organization….
Baptist convention in Texas elects first woman as president
AMARILLO, Texas (ABP) — Messengers to the Baptist General Convention of Texas annual meeting narrowly elected the state body's first female president and continued a two-decade string of officers endorsed by the moderate Texas Baptists Committed organization. Joy Fenner, a…
Texas Baptists introduce motion of ‘no confidence’ in board leaders
AMARILLO, Texas (ABP) — A motion expressing “no confidence” in the directors of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, as well as a competing motion objecting to it, were introduced during the Oct. 29 afternoon session at the group's annual…
Tennessee church helps Katrina survivor with MS rebuild home, life
ATLANTA (ABP) — When Sonia St. Cyr survived Hurricane Katrina, she called it lucky. When she was flown out of the city during its aftermath, she called it unbelievable. But when she arrived at a Maryville, Tenn., evacuee shelter and…
Criswell’s cupids, Roman gods make waves at legendary auction house
NEW YORK (ABP) — Scantily clad nymphs attended by flower-bearing maidens. Strapping young gallants gently bending over lovers' bosoms. Frolicking cupids surrounded by doves and gilt-edged arrows. The mythological figurines are not exactly the kind of art you'd expect a…
Correction
CORRECTION: In the Oct. 16 ABP stosry “CBF council OKs UN anti-poverty goals, hears of year-end budget shortfall,” an error occurred in the wording about undesignated giving. Replace the 15th paragraph with the following: In budget matters, CBF leaders reported…
OUTLOUD
“As a Christian I am completely opposed to the doctrines of Mormonism. But I'm not voting for a preacher. I'm voting for a president. It boils down to who can best represent conservative American beliefs, not religious beliefs. … This…
Stumbling blocks
Some time back, I read about stumbling blocks and little ones and being thrown into Hell with a millstone around my neck, and got very frightened. So I cried out to God, to explain to me what a stumbling block…
Young people see Christians as judgmental, study shows
WASHINGTON (RNS)—Young people have graded Christianity, and so far, the report card doesn't look good. Majorities of American young people describe modern-day Christianity as judgmental, hypocritical and anti-homosexual. What's more, many Christians don't even want to call themselves “Christian” because…
Scholars say evangelicals and their votes are shifting
WASHINGTON (RNS)—The face of evangelicalism is changing, two authors at the Pew Research Center said, and with that change comes uncertainty about who evangelicals will vote for in next year's presidential election. Using the AIDS crisis as an example, Michael…