An evangelical Christian group planning a prayer vigil and demonstration near the inaugural parade has criticized a U.S. Secret Service ruling prohibiting crosses and other structures along the route. The Christian Defense Coalition sent a letter Jan. 6 to officials…
Hungarian Baptist Aid carves unique disaster-relief niche
Americans might not think of Hungarians as being in the forefront of international relief efforts, but a relatively young Hungarian organization is a pacesetter in worldwide disaster relief. Hungarian Baptist Aid was founded in 1996 by Sandor Szenczy, a Baptist…
Americans go to church more than Canadians
Americans attend church more regularly and interpret the Bible more literally than Canadians, according to a recent Gallup Poll, reinforcing earlier surveys that consistently showed higher levels of religious observance in the United States than in Canada. In surveys of…
Relief team in Sri Lanka helps restore wells in stricken village
By Tony Cartledge On a map, the small island nation of Sri Lanka looks like a giant teardrop. It's an appropriate image. When a 9.0 earthquake off the faraway coast of Sumatra sent a tsunami speeding across the Indian Ocean…
SBC leaders to meet in July with others seeking new worldwide Baptist group
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Southern Baptist Convention leaders will meet with international Baptists leaders in July to create an alternative to the Baptist World Alliance, according to an SBC agency head. Richard Land, president of the SBC Ethics and Religious Liberty…
Louisiana College elects Aguillard as president amid campus turmoil
PINEVILLE, La. (ABP) — Joe Aguillard, 47, was elected president of Louisiana College Jan. 17 after a marathon trustee meeting that included protesters and a last-minute alternate nominee. Aguillard, assistant professor and chair of the education division at the Louisiana…
Conservative leaders criticize Bush for comments on marriage law
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Despite clarifications from the White House, some socially conservative groups are criticizing President Bush for comments suggesting he will not pressure senators to pass a constitutional amendment outlawing same-sex marriage. The comments, first published in a Jan….
Arthur Walker, retired director of Education Commission, dies
BIRMINGHAM, Ala (ABP) — Longtime Southern Baptist educator and denominational leader Arthur Walker died January 14 at his home in Birmingham, Ala. He was 78. Walker held a unique position in Southern Baptist Convention life. He served as the executive…
Author looks for character lessons from Superman, other superheroes
CHICAGO (ABP) — When David Zimmerman talks about comic book character development, he doesn't mean Clark Kent's progression from Superboy to Superman. Zimmerman refers to development of moral character, and he believes superheroes offer a larger-than-life canvas for exploring questions…
Mainstream Baptists will meet to consider ‘A New Day in Baptist Life’
ATLANTA (ABP) — What might be called the “Baptist diaspora” — a wide array of Baptists dispersed by a quarter century of denominational discord — will come together in downtown Atlanta Feb. 25-26 to consider “A New Day in Baptist…
Sri Lanka’s homeless tsunami survivors wonder if there is a future for them
GALLE, Sri Lanka (ABP) — On the waterfront in Galle City, a road runs parallel to the beach, but there are no cabanas and beach chairs to be seen. Large, colorful shrimp boats lean together on the curb, ripped from…
Relief team in Sri Lanka helps restore water to tsunami-stricken villages
DODANDUWA, Sri Lanka (ABP) — On a map, the small, island nation of Sri Lanka looks like a giant teardrop. It's an appropriate image. When a 9.0 earthquake off the faraway coast of Sumatra sent a tsunami speeding across the…