Religious perspectives play a major role in determining how Americans view climate change, according to a survey conducted by PRRI, the Public Religion Research Institute. Among all Americans, 61% indicated they believe “climate change is caused mostly by human activity,…
Law firm representing Rollins against Pressler comments on the abuse case
The Texas law firm Baker Botts devoted more than $6 million in billable hours on the set of interconnected lawsuits based upon Paul Pressler’s alleged abuse of minor boys and young men, according to an article published by Law.com. The…
Churches discover solar power delivers spiritual and financial benefits
Woodland Baptist Church in San Antonio will save thousands of dollars a month in electricity costs — multiplied many times annually — after covering most of its roof with solar panels in 2023. But saving money wasn’t what Senior Pastor…
LGBTQ students at Samford say they face harassment without protection
LGBTQ students at Samford University say they receive frequent harassment, but they receive “no layer of protection” from the Baptist school in Homewood, Ala., near Birmingham, according to a recent investigation by the online news website Alabama.com. It’s part of…
Florida GOP ousts chairman under investigation for alleged rape
The Republican Party of Florida has removed Chairman Christian Ziegler from his job as lawmakers attempt to move past a sexual assault probe ensnaring a GOP power couple. The party booted Ziegler in a vote behind closed doors, Republican state Sen….
Interfaith vigil promotes prayer for power of democracy to bind Americans
People of faith must promote a vision of peace if American democracy is to be protected from the forces that stormed the U.S. Capitol in 2021, urged Jeffrey Haggray, executive director of the American Baptist Home Mission Societies. “We…
Invested Faith selects six fellows to receive social innovation grants
Invested Faith, a fund that supports faith-rooted social innovators, has announced its ninth class of fellows, or grant recipients. Six people representing five causes will receive fellowships to help them address systemic issues of injustice in their communities while building…
Religious freedom commission criticizes failure to name Nigeria and India as Countries of Particular Concern
The U.S. State Department should have included India and Nigeria in its annual list of countries that fail to protect religious liberty, according to a key religious freedom watchdog. The State Department annually assesses countries based on their levels of…
New study documents how race influenced congregational reactions to COVID challenges
COVID hit Black congregations especially hard in the pocketbook, pew and pulpit. But they have managed to outdo white churches in promoting wellness and vaccines, according to a new report by the Hartford Institute for Religion Research. Black congregations also…
More Baptist leaders cite pattern of bullying from Ezell and NAMB
Bobby Gilstrap seemed to model what Southern Baptists would want in a denominational leader. Educated at two Southern Baptist Convention seminaries, he served as a pastor, then served 10 years as an associational director of missions in Michigan, where he…
BJC essay contest expands to allow TikTok submissions
Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty will expand its annual scholarship contest this year to include TikTok-style video submissions in addition to traditional written essays that explore the link between Christian nationalism and book bans. “It’s critical for us to…
Florida surgeon general spreads more doubts about COVID vaccines
Florida’s controversial surgeon general — who has said his religious faith inspires his opposition to COVID vaccines — began the new year by warning mRNA coronavirus vaccines could contaminate patients’ DNA. That conspiracy theory has been roundly debunked by the…