BIRMINGHAM, England — An estimated 12,000 Baptist Christians from around the world celebrated a century of togetherness July 27, opening their five-day meeting in Birmingham, England, with vibrant music, vivid pageantry and stirring stories of faith. The Baptist World Centenary…
BWA council OKs larger budget, Virginia, Texas groups as members
BIRMINGHAM, England (ABP) — Two state Baptist conventions became full-fledged members of the Baptist World Alliance following election by the BWA's General Council July 27. The Baptist General Convention of Texas and the Baptist General Association of Virginia join 211…
Rick Warren: Global Baptists ‘are all in this together’
BIRMINGHAM, England (ABP) — Affirming that Baptists from around the world can “have unity without uniformity,” Rick Warren told reporters at the Baptist World Alliance's centenary congress that the withdrawal of Southern Baptists from BWA was a “silly” mistake. “God…
Baptist women choose first African president
BIRMINGHAM, England (ABP) – South African Dorothy Selebano was elected president of the Baptist World Alliance's women's department, the first woman from Africa to be named to that post. Selebano was election to the five-year term in office during the…
Persecution the norm for Baptists in some parts of world, panel says
BIRMINGHAM, England (ABP) – Yanis Smits, bishop of the Latvian Baptist Union, said his countrymen encounter “difficulties” spreading the gospel within his home nation. Those troubles would be regular pressure from groups that are out to halt the work of…
Asian Baptist seminary consortium elects first female president
BANGKOK, Thailand (ABP) — A consortium of Asian Baptist seminaries has elected a Singaporean woman as its president and admitted a Japanese seminary to its membership. The board of the Asian Baptist Graduate Theological Seminary elected Lilian Lim president and…
Religious-freedom watchdogs dismayed by proposals for Iraq Constitution
WASHINGTON (ABP) — The drafting process for Iraq's permanent constitution is raising serious concerns among United States officials who monitor religious freedom. Reported July 27 comments from the Shiite Muslim who heads the nation's constitutional drafting committee — as well…
Prominent congressmen offer measure criticizing Russia on religious freedom
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Two prominent members of Congress have introduced a resolution criticizing one of the United States' largest allies for its handling of religious freedom. Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) and Rep. Christopher Smith (R-N.J.) have introduced versions of a…
Second attack on London won’t keep Baptists away, BWA says
DIDCOT, England (ABP) — “The congress proceeds as planned and our watchword is: 'In God we trust.'” With those words, David Coffey, general secretary of the Baptist Union of Great Britain and incoming president of the Baptist World Alliance, tried…
Disaffected American Baptist groups see little resolution after meeting
VALLEY FORGE, Pa. (ABP) — Leaders on all sides of the debate over homosexuality in the American Baptist Churches – USA see little resolution to concerns raised during the denomination's recent biennial meeting. “I don't think the biennial solved anything,…
House reauthorizes Patriot Act with only minor alterations
WASHINGTON (ABP) — The House of Representatives has voted to reauthorize a law that a diverse array of civil-liberties groups decry but President Bush says is essential to fighting the war on terror. House members voted 257-171 to renew and…
Canadian Senate OKs gay marriage, making it legal across nation
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Canada is now the fourth nation in the world — and the first outside of Europe — to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide. Canada's Senate gave approval July 19 to a gay-marriage bill on a 47-21 vote. The…