The Israeli organizers of a controversial gay and lesbian festival that was scheduled for August in Jerusalem have decided to postpone the event for a year. Sponsors of the WorldPride international festival rescheduled the event for Aug. 6-12, 2006, so…
Heritage Center releases publication on polity
Baptist polity is the subject of a new publication by the Center for Baptist Heritage & Studies. Walking Together: The Struggle of Baptists with Polity in the 21st Century is an examination of how Baptists govern their churches and includes…
Ron Hall named president of Virginia Baptist Foundation
Ronald C. Hall has been named president and chief executive officer of the Virginia Baptist Foundation Inc. Hall was elected, effectively immediately, by the Foundation's board of trustees at its semi-annual meeting May 5. He succeeds Timothy K. Norman, who…
A year later, views vary on gay marriage law
A year after Massachusetts became the first-and so far only-state in the country to legalize gay marriage, conservative groups said marriage still “faces grave threats,” while gay marriage advocates say their progress has been slow but steady. May 17 marked…
Bluefield students lead music ministry in Europe
Bluefield College has sent 25 students to Europe this month for a music mission project with the Virginia Baptist Mission Board. Twenty-five BC students who are members of two music ensembles are traveling in Italy, Austria and the Czech Republic,…
Church & People News for May 26, 2005
Staff Changes Alan Stanley, to Christ Church, Manassas, as pastor. Todd Higginson, resigning as pastor of Boulevard Church, Richmond, to accept the call as resident minister intern at Franklin Church, Franklin. Steven R. Gibson, to Franklin Church, Franklin, as…
The spiritual ‘Vietnam Syndrome’
Another View for May 19, 2005 By Erich Bridges The 30th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War brought countless replays of the news footage showing American helicopters lifting off from the roof of the U.S. Embassy in Saigon…
Health insurance is great – when you’ve got it
Guest Editorial for May 19, 2005 By Robert Parham “How much do you think this bottle of pills costs?” asked my wife, several days after I had returned home from a month in the hospital for the treatment of acute…
Some megapulpits face transition, while others struggle
Analysis for May 26, 2005 By Greg Warner Two more Baptist megachurches are venturing into mostly uncharted waters-replacing legendary preachers-where success has proven rare. Jerry Vines announced May 1 he will retire next February as pastor of the 28,000-member First…
Is it really a Holy Bible for Christians?
Another View for May 26, 2005 By Dale Hanson Bourke The boys were about 10 years old as I recall, but youth was no excuse, according to my grandmother. During a skirmish after Sunday school, one boy hit the other…
Only the beginning
Guest Editorial for May 26, 2005 By David Gushee It seems the mixing of conservative politics and religion reached its breaking point in the person of 33-year-old Chan Chandler, the North Carolina Baptist pastor who resigned May 10 after apparently…
Coming back home
Heritage Column for May 19, 2005 By Fred Anderson Recently this columnist presented in the same weekend two portrayals of Elder John Leland, the noted 18th-century Virginia Baptist minister and spokesman for religious liberty. One was for the new First…