JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (ABP) — Already embroiled in legal action against five of its agencies, the Missouri Baptist Convention now faces litigation by a former employee. Former controller Carol Kaylor filed a lawsuit against the Missouri Baptist Convention, its executive…
Mohler appoints Moore, Scroggins as deans at Southern Seminary
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (ABP) — Russell Moore, 32, has been named dean of the school of theology and senior vice president of academic administration at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, the Southern Baptist Convention's oldest seminary. Moore, appointed to the post by…
Alabama pastors ask Bush to withdraw Pryor nomination
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (ABP) — A group of supporters of ousted Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore asked President Bush to withdraw a nominee for a federal judgeship because of his role in Moore's removal. A group of Alabama pastors and an…
Supreme Court to review juvenile death penalty
WASHINGTON (ABP) — The Supreme Court has agreed to consider whether it is constitutional to apply the death penalty to convicts who were teens at the time of their crimes. The justices agreed Jan. 26 to review a case in…
News briefs from ABP’s Washington bureau
Thousands mark Roe anniversary WASHINGTON — Thousands of anti-abortion-rights activists marked the anniversary of the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion across the country Jan. 22. As they have every year since the Roe vs. Wade ruling in 1973, the…
N.C. moderates discuss options, but most staying put for now
GREENSBORO, N.C. (ABP) — Moderate Baptists in North Carolina began Jan. 23 what they admit could be a slow and messy process of rethinking their participation in the traditional state convention, which some say no longer represents them. “The days…
North Carolina CBF coordinator to step down amid changes
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (ABP) — Bob Patterson, coordinator of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina, has announced plans to step down “sometime during 2004.” Patterson, hired in February 1999 as the state organization's first coordinator, made the announcement Jan. 20…
Senators approve DC vouchers; opponents vow legal responses
WASHINGTON (ABP) — The Senate gave final approval Jan. 22 to a bill that includes the nation's first federally funded school-voucher program. Senators voted 65-28 to approve the massive appropriations package, which comes four months late and includes funding for…
Women’s group affirms BWA despite planned SBC withdrawal
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (ABP) — Woman's Missionary Union, the women's auxiliary to the Southern Baptist Convention, came out in support of the Baptist World Alliance Jan. 12, breaking ranks with the Southern Baptist leaders who want to withdraw SBC membership and…
Bush touts faith, charity, abstinence in third State of the Union address
WASHINGTON (ABP) — President Bush delivered a confident and combative State of the Union address Jan. 20 that included calls for Congress to expand the government's ability to fund social services through churches and an appeal for more abstinence-based sex…
Filibuster continues on bill containing DC vouchers
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Disputes over several issues Jan. 20 stalled final passage of a massive appropriations package that includes what would become the nation's first federally funded school-voucher program. However, most observers said the bill will probably pass within the…
IMB opens sex-abuse hotline for missionaries
RICHMOND, Va. (ABP) — The International Mission Board has set up a toll-free telephone line for missionaries and their families to report incidents of sexual abuse. The Southern Baptist agency, which has 5,600 active missionaries, has sent the phone number…