CLYDE, N.C. (ABP) — A map on a wall at First Baptist Church said it all. Thin lines representing the Pigeon River were marked on either side with sprawling black areas — the parts of the town where a fierce…
Supreme Court will hear case on inmates’ religious freedom
WASHINGTON (ABP) — The Supreme Court will consider for the first time the constitutionality of a law intended to protect the religious freedom of prison inmates. The justices agreed Oct. 12 to hear arguments in Cutter vs. Wilkinson, which involves…
Giving beyond local congregations lower than 1968, study says
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (ABP) — Church members are giving less of their income to churches today than 35 years ago, and even less of those contributions are put to work outside the local congregation, according to a new study. Giving as…
President Carter’s pastor announces plans to retire from Plains church
PLAINS, Ga. (ABP) — After 22 years as pastor of a small Baptist congregation that includes former President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn, Dan Ariail plans to retire next year. The 135-member Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Ga., is…
Habitat leaders compromise on leadership transition
AMERICUS, Ga. (ABP) — Millard Fuller, who founded Habitat for Humanity International with his wife, Linda, in 1976, will relinquish the title of chief executive officer but continue as “founding president” of the worldwide housing ministry. Fuller has been in…
Anti-schools resolution expected to surface in 10 state conventions
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (ABP) — Although a resolution urging Christians to pull their children from public schools failed to gain approval of the Southern Baptist Convention last summer, the issue is expected to come to a vote in as many as…
Religious-Right pioneer Ed McAteer dead at 78
WASHINGTON (ABP) — A Southern Baptist layman credited with being the “godfather” of the modern Religious Right is dead at age 78. Ed McAteer died after a long battle with myeloma, a form of cancer, on the morning of Oct….
Louisiana judge overturns recent gay marriage ban
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Just three weeks after Louisiana voters overwhelmingly approved a provision banning gay marriage, a state judge has negated it, saying the amendment itself is written in a way that violates the state's constitution. Judge William Morvant of…
Vice presidential candidates show little difference on gay marriage
WASHINGTON (ABP) — To hear the vice presidential candidates talk, you'd think there was little difference between President Bush and Sen. John Kerry on the issue of same-sex marriage. Both Vice President Dick Cheney and his Democratic opponent, North Carolina…