WASHINGTON (ABP) — The Supreme Court has turned away a chance to decide whether Chicago's zoning laws unfairly discriminate against “storefront” churches. On June 7, the court declined, without comment, to hear an appeal from a group of five Chicago…
LifeWay VP leaving for pastorate; Draper mulls retirement date
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (ABP) — Gene Mims, a key vice president at the Southern Baptist Convention's publishing house for 12 years, said June 10 he is leaving to return to the pastorate. Mims, 54, vice president of church resources at LifeWay…
Doctors daunted by insurance rates affecting Christian-based health care
WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (ABP) — High-priced malpractice insurance, which is prompting many physicians across the country to reduce their practices or leave the field, is also limiting health care for patients who use free and Christian-operated clinics. In Kentucky, a free…
Reagan’s battle with Alzheimer’s turns spotlight to stem-cell research
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Despite the sudden national attention directed to stem-cell research following the death of former President Ronald Reagan, researchers say Alzheimer's disease may not be a candidate for stem-cell treatment. “I think the chance of doing repairs to…
Federal court upholds Tennessee decision to ban Bible classes in public schools
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., (ABP) — The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a lower-court ruling Monday that it is unconstitutional for a Tennessee school district to allow devotional Bible education in the classroom. Sue Porter, superintendent for the Rhea County…
Ronald Reagan’s ascent to office paralleled rise of Religious Right
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Ronald Reagan is dead, but his influence on Christian politics in this country will be felt for years to come. The 40th president died at his California home June 5 at 93 after a lengthy battle with…
Roy Moore squares off with advocates of church-state separation on Capitol Hill
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Former judge Roy Moore and church-state expert Brent Walker squared off in a lively debate about religious expression and the First Amendment June 8 during testimony before a congressional subcommittee. Moore, Walker and others testified before the…
Annual Southern Baptist meeting to consider BWA withdrawal, mark conservative anniversary
INDIANAPOLIS (ABP) — Messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention June 15-16 in Indianapolis will vote on a proposal to withdraw money and membership from the Baptist World Alliance — and possibly a call to withdraw children from public schools. The…
Denying communion over abortion ignites moral, legal debates
(ABP) — Can a church leader withhold sacraments as an attempt to steer his parishioners' votes? Because Democratic presidential hopeful John Kerry supports abortion rights, many U.S. Catholic bishops have said they would deny him communion, a sacrament integral to…
CBF projects to commemorate 9-11, focus on rebuilding, peacemaking
ATLANTA (ABP) — In memory of the victims of the 9-11 terrorist attacks, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship will sponsor a day of mission projects Sept. 11, 2004. The Fellowship's young leaders network will organize 11 projects in 11 different states…
Ugandan nursing student left witch-doctor training for Christ
DALLAS (ABP) — Rose Nanyonga's faith pilgrimage has been a journey of transformation — from an African witch doctor-in-training to a nursing student in Dallas. She now attends nursing classes and works as intensive-care nurse, a striking departure from her…
SBC stats show little change since beginning of ‘resurgence’
WASHINGTON (ABP) — While the Southern Baptist Convention has experienced a “conservative resurgence” in the past 25 years, it hasn't experienced much of a surge. June marks the 25th anniversary of the “resurgence,” a term SBC leaders employ to describe…