WASHINGTON (ABP) — A federal appeals court has ruled that a Virginia county can exclude a member of a minority religion from offering prayers at county board meetings — even though adherents of “Judeo-Christian” religions are allowed to lead invocations….
President to retire from Samford after 22 years at Baptist college
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (ABP) — Samford University President Thomas Corts, who has led Alabama's largest private university for 22 years, will retire in May 2006, or earlier if a presidential search committee identifies his successor before then. Corts announced his retirement…
Gay-union proponents get two wins, one loss
(Editor's note: This updates the April 13 ABP story titled “Connecticut, Maryland legislators pass domestic-partner bills.”) WASHINGTON (ABP) — Proponents of legal recognition for same-sex couples have taken two steps forward and one step back, thanks to votes in Connecticut…
Baptist Joint Committee hires staffers for legal, communications positions
WASHINGTON (ABP) — The Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty has recently acquired two new professional staffers. The BJC has hired Stephen Reeves as staff attorney and Emilee Simmons as associate director of communications. Reeves served last fall as a…
Virginia Baptists’ response to tsunami relief in India
Contributions from Virginia Baptists for the Indian relief project through March 31 with the following designations: • Southern Baptist Convention (IMB): $96,197 • Baptist World Alliance (BWAid): $39,261 • Cooperative Baptist Fellowship: $77,444 • Virginia Baptist Mission Board: $226,275 General…
Mission Board allocates funds to church, mission initiatives
During its meeting last week, the Virginia Baptist Mission Board allocated funds for a variety of church grants and for a number of mission projects around the world. Three churches received grants for start-up expenses: • Beacon Hill Missionary Baptist…
CBF receives anonymous $5 million donation
For the fourth year in a row, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship has received a multimillion-dollar anonymous gift for global missions-this time $5 million. The majority of the gift will go to field personnel salaries, benefits, equipment and training, with additional…
Food and fellowship aids Christians’ faith
Having friendship and food at church leads to greater satisfaction among Christians, according to a study by the Gallup Organization. A survey of churchgoers showed people who report having strong friendships at church are 26 percent more likely to describe…
Lutheran denominations disagree about gay leaders
The president of the country's second-largest Lutheran denomination says the larger Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has taken an unbiblical approach in a report that recommends gays be allowed to serve in church leadership. At an annual meeting with ELCA…
Southwestern elects former Muslim as dean
Trustees of Southwestern Theological Seminary elected a controversial Muslim convert to Christianity as dean of the seminary's new undergraduate school, the College at Southwestern. Emir Caner, 34, was brought up to be a devout Sunni Muslim. His father, a leader…
Virginia Baptists, Averett University agree to ‘walk separate paths’
Virginia Baptists have approved a joint statement developed with Averett University leaders that will end their 145-year-old ties to the school. The Virginia Baptist Mission Board adopted the statement during its spring meeting April 6. Averett's trustees are set to…
Gay pride festival draws Jerusalem protests
Leaders of three major world religions are uniting in Jerusalem against a homosexual pride festival expected to draw thousands of people from around the world in August. Christians, Jews and Muslims are speaking out against the festival, which is set…