The growth of the “nones” may have decelerated but has not stopped, according to a new study by Public Religion Research Institute. While the share of religiously unaffiliated in the U.S. has been widely reported to have plateaued, the PRRI…
For this Atlanta church, being on mission means a real estate deal
Before there were megachurches, Wieuca Road Baptist Church stood on a prestigious corner of Atlanta as one of the most prominent tall-steeple Baptist churches in the American South. Its longtime and legendary pastor Bill Self urged everyone to show up…
On 80th anniversary of VE Day, Europeans have concerns about the future
Time stood still in the UK May 8 as residents of “this scepter’d isle” paused on the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day to remember the shared sacrifice of those who fought and died, those who survived wounded in…
Texas Senate committee unanimously approves ‘Trey’s Law’ after testimony
Yesterday, the Texas Senate State Affairs Committee unanimously voted for SB-835, also known as “Trey’s Law,” adopting the preferred language of witnesses in favor of the bill. The hearing included two versions of “Trey’s Law” — the Senate version focused solely on…
Trump tilts America’s media landscape to alt-news influencers
The second time around, President Donald Trump is upending established news media conventions. Representatives of right-wing outlets are called on to ask questions at White House briefings while mainstream reporters Trump has called the “enemy of the American people” are…
While denying refuge to Black Africans, Trump welcomes white South Africans
Refugee resettlement has resumed in the U.S., but only for white South Africans President Donald Trump considers to be victims of the country’s post-apartheid government. The first group of 49 Afrikaners landed at Washington Dulles International Airport May 12, The…
High-profile TheoBro confesses to creating fake social media accounts
A prominent figure among Southern Baptist Calvinists has been accused of creating fake social media accounts, email addresses and Substack platforms to attack the very people who he allegedly associated with. On May 12, the conservative ministry G3 released a…
50 NGOs protest Israel’s restrictions on aid to Palestinians
More than 50 nongovernmental organizations are protesting new Israeli regulations they contend will further degrade humanitarian assistance to Palestinians and place already endangered relief workers at even greater risk. The international NGOs issued a statement May 6 imploring the world…
ICE escalates conflict with Congress over immigration practices
Tensions are rising in New Jersey after Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested outside a federal immigration detention center and three members of Congress were threatened with criminal action after inspecting the facility. The incident occurred May 9 outside Delaney…
Trump’s immigration plays are testing the waters, ACLU attorney warns
President Donald Trump’s immigration policies are as much about redefining American identity as about kicking immigrants out of the country, said David Donatti, a senior staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas. Rounding up, detaining and deporting…
Celebrating Grace acquires Smyth & Helwys
One of the earliest moderate Baptist enterprises arising from the late-20th-century schism in the Southern Baptist Convention has been acquired by a later independent entity. Smyth & Helwys Publishing was established in 1991 as a direct competitor to the SBC’s…
Some Baptist leaders hopeful about Pope Leo XIV
“I did not think this would happen in my lifetime,” Baptist scholar Elizabeth Newman said of the election of an American as pope. Newman, a theologian and ethicist who serves as co-chair of the Baptist-Catholic dialogues convened by Baptist World…