The United States can help alleviate the suffering of persecuted Christians worldwide by restoring its refugee resettlement program to pre-Trump levels and restoring due process to its asylum system, World Relief and Open Doors US said in a new report….
SoConCon links Focus on the Family with secular politics of Heritage Foundation and Koch groups
Focus on the Family helped form a network of conservative political groups that includes the Heritage Foundation and Americans for Prosperity, two influential secular groups that share Focus on the Family’s opposition to taxes, government regulation, environmental protections and labor…
Together for Hope names Appalachia director
Sebrena Williamson has been named director of programs and partnerships for Together for Hope’s work in Appalachia. Together for Hope is a rural development coalition engaging the 301 counties of persistent rural poverty in America. Launched 20 years ago by…
Remembering BNG columnist Terry Austin
BNG columnist Terry Austin, 72, died unexpectedly Sept. 22, according to a statement from the family. Raised the son of a Southern Baptist pastor in Colorado, Austin went on to become a Baptist minister himself, serving in both congregational ministry…
Are Americans ‘spiritual’ or ‘religious’ or both or neither?
Only 2% of Americans describe themselves as both “religious” and “spiritual,” while most others claim to be one or the other, according to a new study that examines how U.S. adults envision their faith identities. “Nearly half of Americans (47%)…
Chi Alpha campus ministry leaders indicted in Texas
Two leaders of an Assemblies of God campus ministry network have been indicted in Texas on charges of indecency with a child and trafficking of persons. One of the indicted, Chris Hundl, previously led a chapter of Chi Alpha World…
This week’s BNG webinar: Amy Butler
“Pastor Amy” will be the guest on this week’s BNG webinar with Executive Director Mark Wingfield. Amy Butler has written a new book, Beautiful and Terrible Things. This Thursday at 3 p.m. Central time, she’ll discuss the book and her…
A former victim of Boko Haram terrorism finds love in America; meanwhile, others remain in captivity
Over the past two months, two reports brought into focus the contrasting fortunes of victims of terror relating to Nigeria. One was the story of Joy Bishara, a former victim of the terrorist group Boko Haram, now living in the…
Falwell accuses Liberty University of financial and sexual irregularities in legal filing
The ugly legal battle between Jerry Falwell Jr. and Liberty University, the school he led and his father founded, grew uglier this week when Falwell leveled charges of financial and sexual impropriety against the school’s leaders. According to Religion News…
Samford students mark one-year anniversary with another silent protest for LGBTQ inclusion
One year after Samford University made headlines for its exclusion of LGBTQ-affirming campus ministries, a group of about 100 students, alumni and community supporters held another silent protest outside a campuswide assembly. The Sept. 19 protest outside Wright Center during…
Most Americans see immigration as a good thing, but Republicans disagree
Most Americans say immigration is a benefit to the nation and prefer it be kept at current levels or even increased, research by Gallup shows. “Two-thirds of Americans consider immigration a good thing for the country, while 27% consider it…
United Methodist court exonerates suspended Latina bishop on four charges
A United Methodist Church court composed of 13 clergy cleared suspended Bishop Minerva G. Carcaño of four charges after a three-day trial marked by complicated allegations of misconduct and often emotionally fraught testimony from clergy and laypeople from the California-Nevada…