BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. (ABP) — Gardner-Webb University, a Baptist school in North Carolina, is mourning the loss of two members of its development staff who died within a week. David Boan, the school's vice president for development, died after a…
‘Information integrity’ essential to world citizenship, Nash tells ABP audience
Rob Nash, one day after being elected global missions coordinator of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, urged about 300 Baptists at an Associated Baptist Press banquet to pursue “information integrity” on their way to becoming “citizens of the world.” In his…
Hispanic university joins 3 groups in church-starting partnership
ARLINGTON, Texas (ABP) — The Baptist University of the Americas has joined a 3-year-old partnership with other Baptist groups to start Spanish-language churches across the United States. The San Antonio, Texas, school signed on to the partnership with the Hispanic…
Leave ‘Christendom’ thinking behind, says BWA’s Lotz
Western Baptists need to leave Christendom behind and become more like the early church, Denton Lotz told about 150 persons attending a Baptist World Alliance dinner June 23. Lotz, who is general secretary of the BWA, said many Westerners still…
Anti-poverty reformers seek consensus among political, religious groups
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Christian anti-poverty advocates are promoting a “Covenant for a New America” that calls for policy changes to build consensus across the political aisle and across denominations. The document outlines three “fundamental commitments”: — “Work must work and…
Baptist politics ‘wreaking havoc’ on universities, warns Godsey
Baptist higher education faces a monumental crisis, due in large part to abuses of control and financial dependence, longtime university president Kirby Godsey told participants at the Whitsitt Baptist Heritage Society's annual meeting June 22 in Atlanta. Godsey will retire…
Don’t be afraid of evangelicals, Obama tells other progressives
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Speaking to a group of Christians rallying in Washington, a possible contender for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination said it's time for progressives and liberals to talk about faith, but only if they can speak authentically. “Nothing's…
Methodist numbers drop below 8 million
(RNS) — A United Methodist Church report says church membership dipped to a new low last year, dropping to under 8 million in the United States for the first time in nearly 80 years. The church's General Council on Finance…
Leland Center receives accreditation; faculty lauded for ‘notable scholarship’
ARLINGTON, Va. (ABP) — The John Leland Center for Theological Studies received full accreditation status from the Association of Theological Schools June 15. It now offers diploma, master of divinity, and master of theological studies classes to roughly 150 students…
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…