A Puerto Rican pastor has been named coordinator of Global Missions for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, signaling a series of firsts. Laura Ayala is the first person of color and the first person from outside the continental United States to…
Jews and Christians unite to call for a better way than capital punishment
Jewish and Christian Scripture could play significant roles in the anti-death penalty movement if Americans would embrace their teachings on repentance and forgiveness, a panel of faith leaders said during a Nov. 7 webinar hosted by Uri L’Tzedek, a social…
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…
Passport gives nine seminary scholarships to summer staffers
Passport Camps has awarded nine scholarships to members of the summer staff, the largest number to date of annual recipients of the Chester Phelps Passport Seminary Scholarship. All nine recipients are pursuing careers in ministry through seminary training. The $1,000…
Fetterman-Oz Senate debate brought attention to auditory processing disorder; here’s what you need to know
Prior to the 2022 Pennsylvania Senate debate between John Fetterman and Mehmet Oz, many Americans never had heard of auditory processing disorder, known as APD for short. Now the disability is front and center in a race that may determine…
United Methodists elect married gay clergyman among 13 new bishops who represent many other firsts
A married gay clergyman from California was among 13 new bishops elected by United Methodist delegates to five regional U.S. conferences Nov. 2-5. And that was only one of several first-ever results of this year’s elections. The election of Cedrick…
Southern Baptist support for Israel has traveled a winding road, scholar explains
The staunch theological and political support for the state of Israel that the Southern Baptist Convention is known for today was preceded by decades of diverse opinions among Baptists about the Zionist movement that eventually birthed the Jewish nation in…
Former RNC head calls new DeSantis ad ‘ass-backwards blasphemy’
A new video ad released by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is “some of the most ass-backwards blasphemy I’ve ever heard in my life, and one of the dumbest political ads you could ever make,” a seminary educated former head of…
Despite faculty vote of ‘no confidence’ in president, Hardin-Simmons trustees express ‘great confidence’
In response to a 76% faculty vote of no confidence — the second of its kind — in President Eric Bruntmyer, the trustee chairman of Hardin-Simmons University has assured students all is well. In an email addressed to “dear students”…
Next up: Abortion rights cases based on religious liberty claims
Expect a proliferation of religious liberty cases for abortion access as the issue of reproductive rights moves to the states, predicts Holly Hollman, general counsel and associate executive director of Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty. While legal claims that…
‘Let the messengers decide,’ two SBC leaders say of debate about expelling churches with female pastors
Determining whether to exclude churches with women serving in any way as pastors should be determined by messengers to next summer’s Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting, according to the two men with the most influence over that process. SBC President…
Faith Commons becomes first organization and first interfaith work to receive T.B. Maston Ethics Award
Successful interfaith work is not seeking the lowest common denominator and watering down differences in beliefs, George Mason told supporters of the T.B. Maston Foundation Oct. 27 as he and colleague Nancy Kasten received the Maston Christian Ethics Award. The…