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….
Supreme Court sides with parents who object to LGBTQ-themed books
Parents have the right to keep their children from any instruction on LGBTQ themes in public schools, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled June 27. The 6-3 decision found the constitutional right to free exercise of religion was violated by a…
Update: Michael Tait now accused of drugging a woman for rape
A woman who previously worked with Newsboys alleges she was drugged by Michael Tait, who watched as she was raped by lighting technician Matthew Brewer during their 2014 pre-Christmas tour, according to The Roys Report. At the time, she worked…
Supreme Court ruling on birthright citizenship: ‘Its bark is worse than its bite’
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 to limit the extent of lower court injunctions issued to protect birthright citizenship and other constitutional rights. The June 27 decision in President of the United States v. CASA bars district court judges from…
‘White Jesus’ poses threat to men and boys, Denker warns
Worship of “white Jesus” helps explain why American boys and men are simultaneously struggling and dangerous, author and pastor Angela Denker stressed during a Baptist Women in Ministry luncheon. The June 26 event in St. Louis was held during the…
How to talk about polarizing topics at church
Churches can talk about polarizing topics — even politics — if they enter those conversations seeking transformation rather than conformity, church consultant Matt Cook told participants at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship General Assembly in St. Louis June 26. Cook, director…
What’s the best thing to say to a person facing a tough time?
Many people struggle with knowing how to support others who are enduring tough times, but empathy — the kind, thoughtful key to that support — can be learned, Christy Edwards told participants at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship General Assembly in…
‘Great white Christian freakout’ shifted America, Jones says
The U.S. was just beginning to come to terms with the effects of racial injustice when the “great white Christian freakout” ushered in the era of Donald Trump and empowered religious nationalism, said Robert P. Jones, president of Public Religion…