WASHINGTON (ABP) — Religious conservatives are raising loud objections to the elevation of a pro-choice Republican to the chairmanship of the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee. Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter is in line to become the committee's new chairman when the…
Arkansas Baptists endorse ban on gay marriage for state, nation
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (ABP) — Messengers to the 151st annual meeting of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention Nov. 9-10 endorsed the Federal Marriage Amendment, approved a $19.7 million budget and re-elected a slate of officers. The marriage resolution expressed gratitude…
Mississippi Baptists elect first Hispanic, endorse gay-union ban
JACKSON, Miss. (ABP) — For the first time in its 169-year history, the Mississippi Baptist Convention elected an Hispanic as an officer. Messengers also threw their support behind state and national bans on gay marriage. Joel Medina, bivocational pastor of…
Missouri Baptists set stage to exclude churches that fund moderate causes
RAYTOWN, Mo. (ABP) — The conservative-oriented Missouri Baptist Convention took the first step toward limiting membership to “Southern Baptist” churches and excluding churches that support moderate organizations, including the state and national Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and the Baptist General Convention…
Langford joins CBF of Missouri as associate coordinator
LIBERTY, Mo. (ABP) — The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Missouri has named Jeff Langford as its new associate coordinator. Langford, 35, previously was general manager of the International Publishing Management Association in Liberty. He received a bachelor of arts degree…
Falwell forms new political group to cash in on ‘values vote’
LYNCHBURG, Va. (ABP) — Jerry Falwell will “resurrect” his Morality Majority with a new name in order to turn conservative momentum from the recent national elections into an “evangelical revolution.” The Southern Baptist pastor and political activist announced the formation…
BGCT supports biblical marriage, public schools in resolutions
SAN ANTONIO (ABP) — The Baptist General Convention of Texas passed resolutions Nov. 9 supporting traditional marriage and public schools, but messengers avoided controversy over gay marriage and a proposed “exodus” from public education. Many state Baptist conventions this fall…
BGCT avoids Baylor dispute, declines motion to escrow funds
SAN ANTONIO (ABP) — Messengers to the Baptist General Convention of Texas sidestepped the controversy over leadership at Baylor University when convention president Ken Hall ruled a motion to escrow funds for Baylor was out of order. Hall, president of…
Florida Baptists denounce gay unions, tighten church theological standards
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (ABP) — Florida Baptists voted to back amendments to the state and federal constitutions to ban gay marriage and to work with other denominations for their passage. The motion passed apparently without opposition during the annual meeting of…