WASHINGTON (ABP) — As the Supreme Court took up its first major abortion case in five years Nov. 30, attention focused on the body's shifting membership and what that might mean for abortion rights in the future. During oral arguments…
Fellowship adds associate for congregational life
ATLANTA (ABP) — Rick Bennett of Orangeburg, S.C., has been hired as associate coordinator for faith formation for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. Bennett was most recently pastoral educator for First Baptist Church in Orangeburg, S.C., where he worked since 2001….
Joint meeting of American Baptists, CBF models newfound cooperation
WASHINGTON (ABP)—Worship infused with music and missions, cooperation and communion, and doses of laughter marked a historic reunion of Baptists in the nation's capital city. The American Baptist Churches USA and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship held their first national joint…
Court sidesteps campaign-finance case brought by Wisconsin pro-life group
WASHINGTON (ABP) — The Supreme Court on Jan. 23 sidestepped a challenge brought by an anti-abortion group against a federal campaign-finance law. The court, in an unsigned opinion without recorded dissent, directed a lower federal court to reconsider its decision…
Swedish lawmakers expected to legalize gay marriage; Lutheran body assents
STOCKHOLM, Sweden (ABP) — Sweden is likely to become the world's sixth nation to offer gay couples full marriage rights. Lawmakers there are expected to approve a gay-marriage recommendation offered by a special government commission March 21. Sweden's state-established Lutheran…
Roanoke pastor named strategist
RICHMOND — Tom Stocks has been named the Virginia Baptist Mission Board's field strategist for the Valley Region, effective Feb. 4. Stocks has served since 1989 as the pastor of Rosalind Hills Baptist Church in Roanoke. He has a bachelor…
Corrections
Please replace the fourth paragraph in the Feb. 7 story, “Fires damage four more churches in rural Alabama – all Baptist” with the following: Austin Banks, a senior special agent for the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, said…
Gay-marriage opponents pledge to continue fight — so do supporters
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Despite a first-round defeat for the Federal Marriage Amendment July 14, proponents vowed to continue fighting and say they expect to win. Matt Daniels, president of the Alliance for Marriage, a coalition of Christian and other groups…
Churches hesitant to sue NFL
CHARLOTTESVILLE (BP) — John Whitehead is aching to take the National Football League to court but can't find a church willing to take on the influential pro football colossus. “You go to any bar on Super Bowl Sunday and they'll…