In Israel, Jewish women are fighting for the right to pray from Torah scrolls at the Western Wall, as men do. Starlette McNeill identifies with those women and their struggle. While McNeill isn’t Israeli and isn’t Jewish, her personal trials…
Baptist lawmaker seeks end to no-fault divorce
A Southern Baptist lawmaker is trying to make it harder for couples in Texas to get a divorce by proposing legislation to eliminate “insupportability” as a grounds for dissolution of marriage. State Rep. Matt Krause (R-Fort Worth) says the prevalence…
Obama declares historic civil rights sites national monuments
In his final days as America’s first African-American president, Barack Obama designated three new national monuments honoring the nation’s civil rights history. In anticipation of Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, Jan. 16, the 44th president of the United…
Churches should act to counter ‘Blue Monday’ blues, ministers say
Over a decade ago, a travel company launched an advertising campaign declaring the third Monday in January to be the most depressing day of the year. Some scoff at the calculations used to pick “Blue Monday,” which would be Jan….
Baptist senator breaks tradition to testify against attorney general nominee
A Baptist senator broke with Senate tradition Jan. 11, becoming what is believed to be the first sitting senator to testify against a colleague at a confirmation hearing for a Cabinet position. Sen. Corey Booker (D-N.J.) said some fellow senators…
Transitions for the week of 01.13.17
Please submit transitions — including staff changes, ordinations, anniversaries or deaths — to Barbara Francis. This page will be updated weekly. STAFF CHANGES David Anderson, to Augusta Baptist Association, Staunton, Va., as director of missions. He retired from First Baptist Church,…
Christian radio host says Russell Moore defenders missing the point
A Christian radio commentator says Southern Baptist conservatives who want to withdraw financial support for their denomination’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission neither hate agency head Russell Moore nor are they persecuting him. They are just tired of political posturing…
Franklin Graham, Pope Francis promote veganism — but for very different reasons
For some Christians, going vegan may be a sudden thing after attending a church talk about factory farming and animal cruelty. Like Paul on the road to Damascus, they are struck with a life-changing conviction — this one to give up…
Leaders report progress on task force addressing sexual misconduct by clergy
A Cooperative Baptist Fellowship task force developing guidelines for responding to a wide range of sexual misconduct by clergy is in place and compiling best practices to be shared with churches and partner ministries, according to an update Jan. 11. Pam…
Congregations urged to stand for people’s rights in face of ‘authoritarian messages’
Fifty Christian leaders from across the nation called on congregations to stick up for the rights of all people in light of “threatening, authoritarian messages” accompanying the recent election of Donald Trump. “If such talk is not opposed, we open…
Despite criticism from conservatives, faith leaders bless new Planned Parenthood facility
While leaders in the Southern Baptist Convention and Republicans in Congress called for defunding Planned Parenthood, more than 20 local faith leaders came together Jan. 10 to pronounce blessings on the organization’s newest health clinic in Washington, D.C. Planned Parenthood…
With 1 ‘none’ and a slew of Christians, Congress fails to reflect society
Church consultants and researchers for years have warned churches that they need to reflect the communities around them. Thom Rainer, president of LifeWay Christian Resources, said he discovered that while conducting research for his book Autopsy of a Deceased Church….