In a move likely unprecedented in modern American higher education, academic leadership of Bob Jones University demanded the resignation of the school’s trustee chair April 3, leading to his sudden resignation three days later. The independent, fundamentalist university has been…
With $2 million gift, Simmons College will create Jesse Jackson Center for Racial Justice
On the 55th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, Simmons College of Kentucky announced a new $2 million initiative on racial justice. College President Kevin Cosby announced the gift from the Eula Mae and John Baugh Foundation during a…
187 United Methodist churches sue North Georgia Conference to re-start exit process
A group of 186 churches and one individual church have filed separate lawsuits to get the North Georgia regional conference to re-start the process for leaving The United Methodist Church. The lawsuits stem from a December 2022 decision by North…
Those who say women cannot be pastors are ‘wrong,’ open letter asserts
Christians who insist God cannot call women to pastoral ministry are “wrong,” according to an open letter drafted by Baptist Women in Ministry and so far signed by 540 women who are pastors and almost 2,000 others. Unlike a letter…
Capital punishment continues America’s history of lynching, panelists say
Capital punishment in the United States continues a system of lynchings used to terrorize and subjugate Black people in the 19th and early 20th centuries, a panel of death penalty abolitionists said during a recent webinar. “The mistake people sometimes…
Northern Seminary students are writing letters to trustees
Students at Northern Seminary have begun a letter-writing campaign to communicate with trustees about their displeasure with how the board has handled recent events, including an investigation of former President Bill Shiell. “As a doctoral student at Northern Seminary, I…
SBC abuse task force gives in to anti-gay critics of Guidepost Solutions
Anti-gay critics of a single tweet published last summer by Guidepost Solutions appear to have won their campaign with the Southern Baptist Convention’s Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force. The task force assigned with enacting a series of reforms approved by…
Judge throws out Jane Roe’s defamation case against Patterson and Southwestern Seminary
A former student’s defamation case against Paige Patterson and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary was dismissed on summary judgment April 4. U.S. District Judge Sean Jordan granted a petition to dismiss the final charges remaining against the seminary and its former…
Fundamentalism and politics are hampering SBC’s moral witness, Leonard says
The Southern Baptist Convention’s continued embrace of fundamentalism and conservative politics is undermining its ability to “moralize to American culture,” church historian Bill Leonard said during a lecture at Baylor University. “How did a once engaging gospel of grace, repentance,…
Liberty University names former Air Force chief of chaplains president
After its last president left amid scandal, Liberty University turned to the Pentagon for its next leader. Dondi E. Costin, outgoing president at Charleston Southern University and a retired U.S. Air Force major general who served as chief of chaplains…
United Methodists protest anti-trans bills in state legislatures out of faith convictions
Amid this spring’s wave of anti-transgender bills in state legislatures, United Methodists across the United States are actively advocating on behalf of transgender children and youth. For some of them like Debbie Mallis of Boise, Idaho, and Heather Gee-Thomas of…
Ministry jobs and more
Baptist News Global provides a free listing of ministry-related jobs for Baptist churches, theological institutions and organizations across the United States. Each free posting is for 30 days and is limited to 150 words. Postings may be extended another 30…