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…
Clarification
In the Feb. 21 ABP story, “Supreme Court upholds RFRA in saying OK to sacramental drug,” a lack of clarity in the 16th paragraph could cause some readers to misunderstand a source's statement. Please replace that paragraph with the following:…
Portland archdiocese files bankruptcy, halts civil suits on molestation claims
PORTLAND, Ore. (ABP) — The archdiocese of Portland, Ore., filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the wake of civil lawsuits accusing two parish priests of child molestation. The bankruptcy claim forestalls the trials, which were set to begin June 13….
Leader who warned of Islamic takeover hired to aid SBC’s world mission effort
RICHMOND, Va. (ABP) — David Clippard, the former Missouri Baptist Convention executive who earned national headlines when he said Islam has a plan to “conquer and occupy” the United States, was hired Dec. 10 by the Southern Baptist Convention's world…