While Speaker of the House Mike Johnson gave glory to God for final passage of the “big beautiful bill,” other religious leaders decried the legislation as un-Christian, un-American, evil and dangerous. On July 3, after the House passed the bill…
American Baptist agency issues pastoral letter on mass deportations
American Baptist Home Mission Societies issued a pastoral response to federal deportations July 3, saying the denomination will not back down from ministry. “The Church as Refuge: A Pastoral Response to Mass Deportations” is a brief letter to the congregations…
Supreme Court says ACA can continue to provide HIV-prevention meds
The Affordable Care Act will continue to provide free preventative services and medications to millions of people who rely on that provision of the law, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled June 27. The 6-3 decision in Secretary of Health and…
Fight against federal school vouchers isn’t dead yet
Organized opposition to federal school vouchers in “the big beautiful bill” was so effective it nearly derailed the program altogether, an education advocate said after the U.S. Senate’s 51-50 passage of the legislation July 1. “Thousands of Americans took action…
Why churches should care about creation justice
“Everyone has an ecological story,” said Derrick Weston, director of theological education and formation at Creation Justice Ministries during a CBF General Assembly learning lab last week. With a small group of assembly attendees, Weston discussed the important distinction between…
Politicized pastor seeks library limits to ‘protect children’
Bill Bolin, the Michigan pastor who politicized his pulpit and was profiled by author Tim Alberta, now leads a local library board and is intent on “changing the sexual tone and nature of some library policies and practices.” Bolin was…
Two lawsuits target Texas Ten Commandments law
Two Texas Baptists — including a BNG staff member — are among 16 multifaith and nonreligious Texas families who filed suit in federal court today to oppose the state’s new Ten Commandments law. This is the second lawsuit filed against the…
Another lawsuit filed to stop Bible-based curriculum in Oklahoma
More than 30 religious leaders, teachers and parents filed a lawsuit July 1 to block Oklahoma’s plan to implement Scripture-based social studies standards for K-12 schools. Rev. Dr. Mitch Randall v. Ryan Walters urges the Oklahoma Supreme Court to grant…
Alumni of ‘old Southern’ plan reunion in August
An ecumenical gathering of former Southern Baptist Theological Seminary students is planned for Aug. 15-16 in Winston-Salem, N.C. Theme for the event is “From Seminary to Society: Journeys of Legacy, Loss and Hope.” The Southern Baptist Convention seminary in Louisville,…
More accusations fly at Second Baptist Houston
Defendants in the lawsuit brought by disgruntled members of Second Baptist Church in Houston have asked the state district court to move the case to a special court that deals only in business matters. On June 9, defendants of Second…
Six Southern states create new accrediting agency
With U.S. President Donald Trump attempting to force academic accrediting agencies to be less “woke” and more responsive to conservatives’ demands, six public universities last week announced formation of their own accrediting agency. This is an attempt to separate from…
Trump administration ends protected status for Haitian immigrants
Haitian immigrants who fled chaos and violence to start new lives in the U.S. have wondered if and when the Trump administration would start deporting them. They got their answer Friday, June 27: Their Temporary Protected Status ends Sept. 2….