WASHINGTON (ABP) — Few other figures in the second half of the 20th century have proved as polarizing in American popular and political culture as Jerry Falwell, who died May 15 at the age of 73. But the outspoken preacher…
European conservatives say acceptance of gay marriage renders it meaningless
Yolanda King, oldest child of Martin Luther King Jr., dies
NEW YORK (ABP) — Yolanda King, the oldest child of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., died in Santa Monica, Calif., May 15. She was 51. Spokesmen have said the family thinks the cause of death was a heart…
Women caught in the crosshairs of global debate over families
WARSAW (ABP) — Critics of the World Congress on Families have called it homophobic and unrealistic. Fans, meanwhile, saluted the recent congress — the fourth such global gathering, which played to a sympathetic audience in conservative Poland — for proclaiming…
Falwell, symbol of Religious Right’s influence and excesses, dead at 73
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Jerry Falwell, the pastor, university founder and media impresario who received both credit and blame for making the Religious Right a political force in American politics, is dead at age 73. According to multiple news reports, Falwell…
Carol Seeley commissioned as Venturer to South Africa
When Carol Seeley heard Pastor Cheryl Allen's vision for the Touch Life Centre at Troyeville Baptist Church in Johannesburg, South Africa, Seeley knew that this ministry was where God was calling her to serve. Since last fall, Seeley had been…
Opinion: The best way to a full Baptist remembrance
The 400th anniversary of the Jamestown colony is big news, at least here in Virginia. The visit of Queen Elizabeth II excited a flurry of comments on proper protocol, and at least one TV reporter wondered aloud why Governor Kaine…
Competing state conventions challenge associations, Baptists say
DALLAS (ABP) — Dual — and sometimes dueling — state conventions often present a challenge for associations of churches. So when Baptists in a state form a second convention, associations find themselves walking a fine line, especially if significant numbers…
Drive to weave ties among local churches runs deep in Baptist DNA
RICHMOND, Va. (ABP) — The drive to weave ties among local churches is housed deep in the Baptist DNA. It's an instinct almost as visceral as another, often competing, Baptist characteristic — a fierce independence of thought and practice. For…
Networks: New label or new way for Baptist churches to relate?
DALLAS (ABP) — Some associations of churches now call themselves “networks.” And their directors of missions insist it's more than just a trendy change in terminology. As missions director for a West Texas area that included both the Midland and…
European conservatives: Preserving traditional marriage best for society
WARSAW, Poland (ABP) — Healthy traditional marriages inevitably create healthy societies, psychologist Patrick Fagen told a global gathering of social conservatives May 12, and European Christians must model that enterprise for their continent. Fagen, who spoke on the second day…
Giuliani tries to explain views on abortion, gays at HBU
HOUSTON (ABP) — In a highly publicized May 11 speech at a Texas Baptist college, the current front-runner among potential Republican presidential nominees attempted to explain his views on abortion rights and other controversial social issues. But the moderately pro-choice,…