WASHINGTON (ABP) — A battle over President Bush's judicial nominees that threatened to destroy what little comity is left in the United States Senate has been defused — at least temporarily. And many of the religious conservative leaders who pushed…
Evolution references in IMAX film churn controversy
By Alexander Lane Rutgers University professor Richard Lutz goes looking for undersea volcanoes, not controversy. So the soft-spoken scientist is surprised to find himself on the front lines of the culture wars. Lutz was the chief scientist for Volcanoes of…
Brazilian pastor to lead BWA evangelism division
Brazilian pastor Fausto Aguiar de Vasconcelos has been nominated to lead the evangelism effort of the Baptist World Alliance, succeeding Australian Tony Cupit, who is retiring. If elected to the BWA's executive staff by its general council in July, he…
House approves stem-cell bill despite Bush’s veto threat
WASHINGTON (ABP) — A large, bipartisan majority in the House of Representatives has defied President Bush, Republican leaders and some conservative interest groups by passing a bill that would expand federal funding of embryonic stem-cell research. But Bush promised to…
Muslims praise new film on Crusades
By Helena Andrews Despite initial controversy surrounding The Kingdom of Heaven, Ridley Scott's new film about the Crusades, it is getting generally positive reviews from Muslims in the United States and in Arab countries. “It was really nice to go…
Monument finds home in Alabama church foyer
The 5,280-pound granite Ten Commandments monument that cost Roy Moore his job as Alabama's chief justice has found a permanent home at his church in Gadsden, Ala. The monument ended its nationwide tour and was installed last month in the…
From people to technology, ‘migration’ escalating change, says missions strategist
DALLAS (ABP) – Christians must minister in a world where escalating change is speeded up by the “migration” of everything from people to technology, missions strategist Bill O'Brien insisted. “We live in a world where accelerating change is the norm,”…
Panel to study discrimination by evangelicals at Air Force Academy
A top Pentagon official has ordered the appointment of a special task force to investigate “lingering allegations” about religious discrimination at the Air Force Academy toward cadets who are not evangelical Christians. The announcement, following several months of allegations about…
Eastern Baptist Seminary to be renamed for Palmer
To honor the legacy of former president Gordon Palmer, Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary will change its name to Palmer Theological Seminary July 1. Eastern, located in suburban Philadelphia, is one of 10 seminaries related to American Baptist Churches USA. Palmer,…
Judge says sex-ed program violates First Amendment
A federal judge has temporarily halted a sex-education program in a suburban Washington, D.C, school district, saying it violates the First Amendment's free-speech and religion clauses by promoting only one view of homosexuality. On May 5, United States District Judge…
Congress likely to address immigration system
Expect to see change in United States immigration policy during this congressional session. Three types of legislation are being considered in Congress-an agriculture jobs bill, new guest-worker legislation and the Dream Act, which would help non-citizen students fund a college…
N.C. pastor resigns after conflict over national politics
By Tony Cartledge Embattled pastor Chan Chandler announced his resignation during a business meeting May 10, surprising both supporters and detractors at East Waynesville Baptist Church in Waynesville N.C. Chandler, 33, had been pastor of the church for two and…