General Assembly 2013 is expected to be one of the busier — and more historic — gatherings in the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s history, as participants welcome a new leader and vote to significantly streamline the organization to meet current and…
Faith-based groups, including Baptists, emerge as leaders of Moral Monday protests in Raleigh
RALEIGH (RNS) — The throngs of demonstrators who flock to the grassy knoll outside the North Carolina Statehouse each Monday know the drill. They listen to a fiery speech denouncing the Republican majority’s legislative actions. They sing freedom songs and…
Is yoga instruction religious? Court case may decide
SAN DIEGO (RNS) — In an elementary school classroom with an American flag draped over one wall, a couple dozen students rose to standing positions. Then they shifted into poses called “volcano part one,” “silent gorilla,” and “rag doll.” Some…
Is yoga instruction religious? San Diego court case may decide
SAN DIEGO (RNS) — In an elementary school classroom with an American flag draped over one wall, a couple dozen students rose to standing positions. Then they shifted into poses called “volcano part one,” “silent gorilla,” and “rag doll.” Some…
‘New Jim Crow’ turns back civil rights
By Bob Allen Four decades of America’s “war on drugs” has brought on a “New Jim Crow,” creating “a growing under-caste” primarily of people of color, and turned back many of the hard-won advances of the Civil Rights Movement, an…
One giant step for West, Texas
By Jeff Brumley The Central Texas city rocked by a fertilizer plant explosion took a giant leap toward recovery last week during “Loving West,” a cleanup campaign organized by the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Planners with BGCT disaster recovery…
Blogger fights copyright suit
This story was edited after publishing to clarify informatin in the sixth paragraph. By Bob Allen A Baptist blogger has appealed for donations to aid a nonprofit group that is defending him against a lawsuit filed after he posted online…
Doctrinal disputes disappear in disaster
Jeff Brumley The capital “C” Church is on display in West, Texas, as Churches of Christ, Methodists, Mennonites and Baptists join together to help the Central Texas city recover from the April fertilizer plant explosion. Doctrinal controversies such as grace-vs.-works or whether the Bible is inerrant take a…
Strategy aims to transform conflict
By Bob Allen Conflict poses both danger and opportunity between individuals, congregations and nations, says Evelyn Hanneman, operations coordinator for the Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America. “We like to say that conflict is holy ground, because conflict does offer…
Strategy aims to transform conflict
By Bob Allen Conflict poses both danger and opportunity between individuals, congregations and nations, says Evelyn Hanneman, operations coordinator for the Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America. “We like to say that conflict is holy ground, because conflict does offer…
Caner sues to purge video from Web
By Bob Allen The former head of Liberty University’s seminary, demoted in 2010 after publicity over a “Jihad to Jesus” testimony that he used with evangelical audiences after 9/11, has sued two bloggers for posting video of him making claims…
Medley re-elected American Baptist head
This story was edited after posting to correct an error in the opening paragraph. By Bob Allen Roy Medley, American Baptist Churches USA general secretary since 2002, has been elected to a two-year term as head of the 1.3-million-member body meeting…