WASHINGTON (ABP) — One of President Bush's most controversial appeals-court nominees announced Dec. 9 he will retire rather than face another battle over his confirmation. Judge Charles Pickering announced in Mississippi that he will retire from the federal bench rather…
Former Southern Baptist leaders rally to support Baptist World Alliance
ATLANTA (ABP) — About 20 former Southern Baptist leaders met in Atlanta Dec. 4 to try to find ways to rebuild financial support for the Baptist World Alliance, which lost its largest member and funding source in October. The leaders,…
White House ‘faith-based’ director says Bush will continue agenda
WASHINGTON (ABP) — The man spearheading President Bush's effort to increase government grants to religious social-service agencies said the initiative will continue in Bush's second term, although he offered few specifics as to how that will happen. Speaking during a…
Scalia’s comments on Holocaust, church and state earn rebuke
WASHINGTON (ABP) — The man who may be the next chief justice of the United States reportedly gave a speech in which he suggested church-state separation did nothing to prevent the Holocaust. According to news reports of a Nov. 22…
Lilly awards $2 million grants to McAfee School, BTSR
INDIANAPOLIS (ABP) — Two moderate Baptist theology schools have received $2 million grants from the Lilly Endowment to work with churches to promote “ministerial excellence.” McAfee School of Theology, Mercer University’s theology school in Atlanta, will use the funds to…
Widowed Alabama pastor learns to ‘truly trust God’
STEVENSON, Ala. (ABP) — With joy in his voice, Derek Boyd talked about picking up his sons from school. It is one of the highlights of his day. Full of thoughtful reflections and humorous anecdotes, his conversation naturally flowed back…
Herod’s slaughter aside, Christians too familiar with genocide, author says
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (ABP) — Christians reading the biblical accounts of Jesus' birth are often jolted by King Herod's act of genocide. When told by the wise men of the birth of a Jewish king, Herod ordered all the Jewish infants…
UCC officials file FCC complaints against network TV affiliates
WASHINGTON (ABP) — The United Church of Christ has filed Federal Communications Commission complaints against two television stations in Florida over their parent networks' refusals to air a controversial church advertisement. Church officials, acting on behalf of UCC members in…
Virginia chaplain given Legion of Honor award
The Chapel of the Four Chaplains recently awarded its 2004 Legion of Honor distinction to Keith Ethridge of Hampton. Ethridge, a chaplain endorsed by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, is acting deputy director for the National Chaplains Center for the Department…
Tommy Deal chosen as Florida CBF associate
LAKELAND, Fla. (ABP) – Tommy Deal, 49, has been hired as associate coordinator for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Florida. The Orlando resident is currently director of operations and volunteers for Christian Service Center for Central Florida, a non-profit social-service…
GUEST EDITORIAL: Glocal trends impacting Virginia Baptists
Guest Editorial for Dec. 9, 2004 By John Upton John Upton, executive director of the Virginia Baptist Mission Board, gave this address during his report to the board at its meeting last week. Given the current global trends of people…
Daylilies
Heritage column for Dec. 9, 2004 Becky Jarrett McKinney, the newly-elected president of Woman's Missionary Union of Virginia, enjoys rearing sons and raising daylilies. She also is passionate about the various helping ministries of WMUV. In many ways the three…