MONTGOMERY, Ala. (ABP) — Old racial wounds in Alabama are being dredged up as election officials across the state recount votes on a Nov. 2 ballot proposal that, if passed, would remove antiquated racist language from the state Constitution. According…
India surprises
Think you know India? If your impressions come from old National Geographics, you need to update your mental file about a country that produces more films than Hollywood and whose middle class is larger than the entire U.S. population. By…
Shall we gather at the river? Millions seek cleansing at Kumbh Mela
Dawn came almost unnoticed to the sacred river Shipra. Even the waking sun seemed overwhelmed by the scene unfolding at the water's edge. Hours before, drum-led processions of Hindu monks and mystics had arrived in the sweltering darkness, zealously…
Supreme Court declines to intervene in Massachusetts marriage case
WASHINGTON (ABP) — The Supreme Court has denied a request to review a Massachusetts court's decision that legalized gay marriage in that state. Returning to the bench Nov. 29 after their Thanksgiving break, the justices declined without comment a request…
Black, white Memphis congregations confront barriers on World AIDS Day
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (ABP) — Motorists in Memphis are getting a prominent reminder of the AIDS pandemic's human toll — and the grace that God offers — from two Baptist churches situated on one of the city's busiest corners. For the…
New Yorker shares hope, forgiveness with others in HIV/AIDS community
NEW YORK (ABP) — “Peace be with you,” says Frank Tomaselli as he ends a conversation. But these words are more than a greeting to Tomaselli. They're a way of life. Growing up in a household where his parents used…
State Baptist meetings offer mixed results for supporters of Baptist World Alliance
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (ABP) — If the Baptist World Alliance, which lost its largest member and funder earlier this year, hoped to recoup some of that funding from state Baptist conventions, the organization got little encouragement during the recent round…
Louisiana College board responds to accrediting agency study
PINEVILLE, La. (ABP) — The trustees of Louisiana College have responded to criticisms from the school's accreditation agency Nov. 14, but the response may not be sufficient to overcome a special study committee's concerns about recent academic freedom and goverance….
Conventions vocal about gay marriage, cautious about public education
(ABP) — As “values voters” in 11 states sent a political message rejecting same-sex marriage, Baptist conventions in at least seven states offered a resounding “Amen” by adopting resolutions against the practice. Most of the statements voiced support for constitutional…