By Jeff Brumley Damage assessments are only beginning to come in, but some disaster responders say rebuilding the Texas communities clobbered by tornadoes over the weekend will require relief work on par with the 2013 Oklahoma twisters. Among the worst…
AU says Christian printer has no ‘religious freedom’ right to discriminate
By Bob Allen A Kentucky printer’s religious beliefs do now entitle him to refuse to make T-shirts for a gay-pride event, Americans United for Separation of Church and State argued in a legal brief filed Dec. 28. The friend-of-the-court brief…
Senators ask government to publish names of schools requesting Title IX waivers
By Bob Allen Eight Democratic senators including presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and former Saturday Night Live star Al Franken asked the Department of Education in a letter Dec. 18 to make public the names of colleges and universities asking for Title…
Couple creating church ‘Mosaic’ from diversity in Paris
By Ashleigh Bugg Julie and David Brown hurry onto the crowded metro in Paris. They’ve finished singing and preaching at a traditional French Protestant church and are on their way to the outskirts of the city to worship with immigrants…
Church/state group says county clerk must issue marriage licenses to gays
By Bob Allen A group that advocates for both the free exercise of religion and separation of church and state says in a brief filed with the Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that Kentucky county clerk must issue marriage…
SBC leader, GOP hopeful, join hands on behalf of persecuted Christians
This story was edited after posting to correct an error in the ninth paragraph. By Bob Allen Southern Baptist Convention leader Russell Moore teamed up with Republican presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio in a Dec. 24 Washington Post commentary calling…
Baptist scholar investigates the truth behind Santa Claus
By Jeff Brumley Adam English admits he is a bit of an oddity as both a Baptist and a big fan of the saints. But he’s also unapologetic about it. “I was surprised, as a Baptist, that the word ‘saint’…
Veteran Baptist communicator Pat Pattillo dies from leukemia
By Bob Allen Wesley M. (Pat) Pattillo, a long-time communications and development executive for both Baptist and ecumenical organizations, died Dec. 22 after a six-month battle with leukemia. Pattillo, 75, retired in 2011 after 10 years as associate general secretary…
Christians must model grace and love in time of fear, ministers say
By Jeff Brumley ’Tis the season to be … fearful? It’s not what the lyrics actually say but they may as well given the politically induced hysteria surrounding Muslim immigration and Syrian refugees. A lot of churches and evangelical leaders…
Baptist Standard announces cutbacks
By Bob Allen The Baptist Standard, long the largest and one of the most influential of state Baptist newspapers, is reducing staff at the end of the year as part of a series of cost-cutting measures. Founded in 1888, the…
Baptist missionaries hope song may soften hearts toward Syrian refugees
By Ken Camp After his wife and son witnessed the plight of Syrian refugees firsthand during a mission trip to the Middle East, Rick Brown wrote the words and music to For the Refugee both as a petition to God…
Baptist leader supports Planned Parenthood defunding
By Bob Allen The Kentucky Baptist Convention’s top leader is urging state lawmakers to pass legislation to defund Planned Parenthood in the coming year. Paul Chitwood, executive director of the state’s largest religious organization, voiced support on Kentucky Today, a convention-owned…