DALLAS (ABP) — For some, Tammy Faye Messner's death July 20 stirred fond memories of a joyful Christian TV personality, and for others, painful memories of the sex-and-money scandal that destroyed her former husband's popular Christian television network. Her death…
Baugh family challenge nets BJC nearly $1.2 million in two weeks
WASHINGTON (ABP) — A Texas Baptist family's spontaneous challenge to jump-start a Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty capital campaign netted the organization nearly $1.2 million dollars in just a couple of weeks. Brent Walker, executive director of the Washington-based…
Baylor gets $4M estate gift to benefit religion department
WACO, Texas (ABP) — Baylor University announced June 20 an approximately $4 million gift from the estate of Allene Hubler, which will establish an endowed chair, an endowed professorship and an endowed scholarship in Baylor's religion department. Hubler's gift will…
Barnes Named Dean of College of Visual and Performing Arts at UMHB
UNEDITED NEWS RELEASLE — Belton, Texas — Ted Barnes has been named dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts. Barnes most recently served at Ouachita Baptist University teaching in the area of graphic design. Prior to OBU, he…
Congregational-health expert Odom to head Duke leadership initiative
DURHAM, N.C. (ABP) – A Baptist expert in encouraging congregational health is moving from a company he founded to a new initiative at Duke University Divinity School. David Odom, who founded the Center for Congregational Health, will become executive director…
Guest Opinion: Creeds, chaos, and the Holy Spirit
I have enjoyed reading Beth Newman's thought provoking editorials on the Baptist identity. Her most recent opinion piece, “Historical Amnesia and the Christian Creeds,” stirred memories of conversations I have had with other Baptist theologians. Lately, there has been a…
Baptist morality activist arrested on sex-for-hire charges in N.C.
RALEIGH, N.C. (ABP) — Coy Privette, the president of a Christian morality group and a former state legislator and Southern Baptist Convention leader, has been arrested on prostitution-related charges in North Carolina. Privette, the president of the Christian Action League…
Affluent pastors use wealth differently: Some give back; others buy yachts
DALLAS (ABP) — There's a rare breed of creature often spotted in exotic locations leading a large pack. No, it's not a yellow-tailed wooly monkey. It's a wealthy pastor, and its very existence is controversial. Success in many professions is…
Hate-crimes bill delayed in Senate; some criticize opponents’ tactics
WASHINGTON (ABP) — The Senate stalemate over the Iraq war claimed another victim July 18: a hate-crimes statute that supporters had hoped to attach to a defense bill. But although the attempt to add gender, sexual orientation and disability to…
Vatican’s claim of link to apostles has parallels in Baptist successionism
RICHMOND, Va. (ABP) – The Vatican's recent reaffirmation that the “true church” lies in an unbroken line of succession all the way back to Christ and his apostles might resonate in an unlikely place – among conservative Baptists who trace…
Bottled water craze may find way into late Jerry Falwell’s legacy
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Move over, Perrier. The next designer bottled water may come out of Lynchburg, Va., courtesy of the late Jerry Falwell. Liberty University, the school founded by the fundamentalist Baptist evangelist who died May 15, has announced that…
Bloggers consolidate efforts to create ‘premier site’ for discussion of SBC
ARLINGTON, Texas — Reforming bloggers who have challenged the Southern Baptist Convention establishment for the past two years are consolidating their efforts to create a new Internet presence they say will be the “premier site for Southern Baptist news and…