Will McRaney is taking one last stab at suing the Southern Baptist Convention North American Mission Board after a legal setback last fall. McRaney, who was fired as executive director of the Baptist Convention of Maryland and Delaware in 2015…
160 faith leaders urge Texas schools to reject forced prayer
State-organized school prayer undermines religious freedom by taking the responsibility for religious instruction from congregations and families and giving it to government instead, more than 160 faith leaders said in an open letter to all Texas school board members. The…
Prosecutors and civil liberties groups speak out on ICE raids in houses of worship
Faith organizations suing to prevent immigration raids on or near houses of worship have gained support from a diverse array of prosecutors, civil liberty and religious groups in a case against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Fair and Just…
Minneapolis clergy rally for justice after ICE shooting
It was a time set aside for mourning, remembrance and moral clarity as hundreds of pastors gathered in Minneapolis Jan. 8 for a clergy press conference one day after an ICE agent shot and killed a woman protesting their actions. “It…
New data debunk claims of ‘revival’ in America
New research shows religious adherence remains stable in the United States and the nation is not witnessing the “revival” excitedly proclaimed by Christian nationalists. In a survey released in December, Pew Research Center reported 70% of U.S. adults identified with…
Israel bans 37 international aid groups from Gaza
Israel’s decision to ban 37 international aid groups from the West Bank and Gaza will worsen already desperate conditions for more than 1 million Palestinian war victims, a group of nongovernmental organizations warned. The situation stems from Israel’s new registration…
Professor sues BNG over reports of alleged sexual abuse
A former Baptist university professor has filed a lawsuit against Baptist News Global for defamation over reports of alleged sexual abuse. BNG has denied the allegations in his lawsuit. Jeremy Lyon, formerly associate professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at…
Judge says AU may not intervene in Johnson Amendment litigation
A constitutional watchdog group may not defend the Johnson Amendment in litigation filed by religious groups seeking to promote political causes from the pulpit, a federal judge in Texas ruled. Americans United for Separation of Church and State sought third-party…
Northern Seminary clarifies Moore’s departure as president
Nearly three months after not installing Joy Moore as president of Northern Seminary, trustees of the Baptist school announced an agreement on her departure. On Oct. 9, at a fundraising dinner before the planned installation the next day, a trustee…
White faith leaders to challenge GOP in midterms
It has been decades since white Christian clergy were elected to the U.S. Congress as Democrats, but a dozen candidates are hoping to change that in this November’s midterm elections. “Democratic Party is seeing a rise of white clergy candidates,”…
Religious leaders react to Maduro’s capture with conflicting views
The capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro has been a hit among President Donald Trump’s Christian nationalist allies while the reaction from moderate and progressive Christian leaders has varied from concerned to condemning. “We have a president who acts decisively…
Christianity Today editor lays out ‘Declaration of Principles’
With its recent change in editors, Christianity Today has set forth a new “Declaration of Principles” that reflect the “biblical objectivity” preached for decades by Marvin Olasky, new editor in chief. Olasky, 75, rose to evangelical prominence as editor of…