LITTLE ROCK (ABP) — The Arkansas Supreme Court ruled unanimously June 29 that the state's child-welfare agency cannot ban gays from being foster parents. The ban had been the only one of its kind in the nation. The justices agreed…
ANALYSIS: Baptist history on alcohol not totally teetotaling
Question: Why do you always take two Baptists with you when you go fishing? Answer: Because if you only bring one, he'll drink all your beer. Most everybody who grew up in the South has a favorite Baptists-and-alcohol joke, usually…
ANALYSIS: SBC surprise not a coup, but maybe a course correction
With the election of an outsider president who had strong support from reform-minded pastors, the Southern Baptist Convention may be changing in tone. But substantive changes are still a ways off, say denominational observers. While there were surprises, messengers to…
At the front door
Hazel Mallory died Saturday, June 24, from cancer. Her funeral was on Wednesday, June 28, at Hatcher Memorial Baptist Church in Richmond. For 31 years Hazel Mallory sat at the front door of Virginia Baptist life. As the administrative assistant…
EDITORIAL: Aunt Ida’s witnessing technique
Dear Jimmy, Since its been a spell since I've written, and since your Uncle Orley ain't around to distract me, I figured I'd drop you a line or two. Orley has gone with some of his farmer friends over to…
Rejected
In the May 4 issue of the Herald there was an insert, Caring Times, from the Virginia Baptist Children's Homes and Family Services which I enjoyed very much. I am glad these homes exist for the children, both Baptist and…
CBF participants focus on future at 16th gathering
With a call to minister to “a world in need,” the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship began its 16th year by appointing 19 mission workers, welcoming a new missions coordinator, adopting a $17-million budget and contributing $32,801 to a special human rights…
Time will tell
Let me be among the first to congratulate you on the straight-talk editorial, “Time Will Tell.” in the June 22 issue of the Herald. You cited four significant lessons learned from the Southern Baptist Convention held in Greensboro: Don't mess…
Alito tips balance upholding Kansas’ death-penalty law
WASHINGTON (ABP) — New Justice Samuel Alito cast the deciding fifth vote in a June 26 Supreme Court decision upholding the constitutionality of Kansas' death-penalty law. The high court divided closely — and acrimoniously — in the case. On a…
Former Illinois Baptist exec Maurice Swinford dies
HERRIN, Ill. (ABP) – Maurice Swinford, who led the Illinois Baptist State Association for five years until his retirement in 1993, died Saturday. He was 78. An Illinois native born in Charleston, Swinford began working for the statewide association as…
Peaceful CBF meeting defines mission ‘in a world of need’
ATLANTA (ABP) — With a call to minister to “a world in need,” the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship began its 16th year by appointing 19 mission workers, welcoming a new missions coordinator, adopting a $17 million budget and contributing $32,801 to…
South African preacher, activist tells CBF to hear world’s ‘groans’
ATLANTA (ABP) — Maybe it takes a Methodist from South Africa to tell a bunch of Baptists in the American South that they need to wake up to reality and “step outside your own little bubble” in order to hear…