A scholar who specializes in American religion and culture says the Southern Baptist Convention’s loss of a million members in the last decade exposes as a false narrative the conventional wisdom that only liberal denominations decline. “If you stretch back…
Religious liberty advocates divided over Supreme Court’s Trinity Lutheran decision
Reaction varied to Monday’s Supreme Court ruling siding with a Missouri church which had been denied public money to improve a school playground. Groups including the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty called it a blow to the separation of…
Baptists, of all people, should embrace creation care, activists say
With their emphasis on water in baptism, Baptists, like other Christians, have the language and ancient practices that are helpful in bringing people into a more meaningful relationship with the elements that give life.
Sarah Frances Anders, CBF leader and advocate for women in ministry, dies after battle with Alzheimer’s
Word has been received of the recent death of Sarah Frances Anders, a trailblazer for Southern Baptist women in ministry and past moderator of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. Anders, a longtime sociology professor at Louisiana College, died June 8 at…
Transitions for the week of 06.23.17
Please submit transitions — including staff changes, ordinations, anniversaries or deaths — to Barbara Francis. This page will be updated weekly. STAFF CHANGES Jim Ailor, to Rhoadesville (Va.) Baptist Church, as interim preacher. Kevin Allen, to First Baptist Church, Stephenville, Texas,…
Christian leaders call for criminal justice reform
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Executive Coordinator Suzii Paynter joined 96 other Christian leaders supporting a campaign for criminal justice reform announced June 20. Spearheaded by Prison Fellowship, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, National Association of…
Baptist leaders say Trump’s Cuba policy is a step backward
Baptists working to foster fraternal relationships between churches in the United States and Cuba criticized President’s Trump plan to roll back some of the steps that President Obama took to open relationships between the two countries. “Effective immediately, I am…
Kentucky governor fires back at prayer walk critics
Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin suggested last week on Facebook that clergy critics of his plan to fight crime by assigning roving bands of prayer warriors to walk blocks in West Louisville are probably going to hell. “I don’t know that…
Psychologists have a name for the emotional impact of a Trump presidency. Pastors offer a cure.
Pastors are seeing a surge in church members, colleagues and friends emotionally battered from months of relentless dread generated by national politics. Psychologists have even coined a term for it: Trump anxiety. Julie Pennington-Russell has seen plenty of it. Recently,…
Former Southern Baptist youth pastor, now LGBTQ activist, booted from annual SBC meeting
Brandan Robertson said he has yet to become fully accustomed to the feelings of public condemnation and rejection that come with his work as a bisexual Christian seeking LGBTQ inclusion in evangelical churches. Robertson, 24 and a former Southern Baptist…
In annual meeting do-over, Southern Baptists denounce ‘alt-right’ white supremacy
The Southern Baptist Convention condemned white supremacy in a resolution adopted 24 hours after a mostly white resolutions committee initially rebuffed a black pastor’s appeal to allow the issue to make it to the floor.
Transitions for the week of 06.16.17
Please submit transitions — including staff changes, ordinations, anniversaries or deaths — to Barbara Francis. This page will be updated weekly. STAFF CHANGES Mary L. Apicella, to Providence Baptist Church, Hendersonville, N.C., as pastor, effective Aug. 1. She comes from Federated…