Two-and-a-half years after Jane Roe filed suit in federal court against Paige Patterson and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, the trial date has been delayed yet again. On Sept. 2, Sean Jordan, U.S. district judge for the Eastern District of Texas,…
Pandemic is putting the nail in the decline of church construction
Decades-long declines in faith affiliation coupled with the pandemic-inspired evolution of online church services are contributing to a huge downturn in religious facility construction in the United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, total spending on the construction of…
An interview with a Cameroonian pastor who fled persecution but has high hopes for his side to win the war at home
Cameroon is at war because God did not approve the union between the French and English-speaking people. — Taku-Ayuk Moses One of the world’s worst conflicts in recent years is the crisis in Cameroon, where separatist groups in the southern…
It’s easy to be overwhelmed by tragic world events, but faith demands action, speakers say
Bewilderment and apathy are predicable responses to the news of one global disaster after another, but they are no excuse for inaction on the part of Christians and church communities, a series of speakers said during a call to action…
Gallup documents a 34-point gap between Republicans and Democrats on trusting science
A new Gallup survey documents a significant decline in the trust of science among Republicans over the past four decades, a downward trend matched by religious conservatives’ embrace of creationism and rejection of climate change. And all this has been…
Research documents how fundamentalists view LGBTQ inclusion as a zero-sum game they are losing
Fundamentalist Christians are more likely than the rest of Americans to see advances by the LGBTQ community as a zero-sum game that proportionately erodes religious liberty for Christians, according to a new set of academic studies. While many previous national…
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…
Conversation growing about COVID vaccine ‘religious exemptions’
The most-read article on Baptist News Global’s website for the month of August was about religious exemptions to employer and school mandates on COVID-19 vaccines. That article was accessed nearly 50,000 times in two weeks and continues to be read…
Supporting the influx of Afghan refugees is bringing divided Americans together
American religious groups, civic associations, businesses and even neighborhoods are enthusiastically responding to pleas to aid tens of thousands of Afghan refugees in need of rapid resettlement across the nation. Officials who oversee refugee resettlement agencies and the leaders of…
As Boys Scouts of America bankruptcy plan proceeds, UMC urges its congregations to consider their legal liability
Should churches that charter Boy Scouts of America packs or troops continue their affiliation with the organization in light of its current bankruptcy proceedings? The answer for United Methodist congregations is “no,” according to an announcement from UMC officials. This…
Reading good literature can develop skills in empathy and compassion, professor says
Reading literature can help Christians develop the Christ-like empathy needed to bring more compassion and healing to a divided world, according to author and scholar Karen Swallow Prior. The Southern Baptist seminary professor spoke during a Sept. 1 webinar examining…
Transitions for the week of 9-3-21
Please submit transitions — including staff changes, ordinations, anniversaries or deaths — to Barbara Francis. This page will be updated bi-weekly. STAFF CHANGES Timothy Tee Boddie, to National Conference of Black Churches, as project executive. Marc Boswell, to St. Charles Avenue…