By David Gushee The sexuality conference in April will raise many issues. But for the theologically minded, the most important issue will probably be the question of religious authority. Who or what carries binding authority in the Christian life? If…
What do we do before ‘I do?’
By William Roberts “You know of all the weddings we’ve attended this year, statistically, at least one will end in divorce.” It was an odd thing for my fiancé to lean over and tell me as we watch one of…
Out of the mouths of babes
By Amy Butler I have a secret fear of children’s sermons, largely because, even though you are leading the time, you really have no control over the situation at all. Case in point: I had to do the children’s sermon…
Mormons: Southern Baptist zombies
Maybe it was the return of AMC’s “The Walking Dead” for a second season, but this Halloween it seemed zombies took the place of vampires as the favorite nightmare of the American imagination. To cite one example, thousands of people…
Mississippi Baptists hot on the trail of abortion
By Zachary Bailes The Mississippi Baptist Convention is hot on the trail of abortion. Off to the legislature and voting populace they have turned to end the reign of abortion in Mississippi. With a mighty arm and swift sword they…
Is Mormonism a cult?
By Jim Denison Robert Jeffress made national headlines recently with his assertion that Mormonism is a “cult” and a “false religion.” Peter Wehner, a political commentator whose blog I read regularly, immediately criticized what he termed “the theological and political…
Reformation Day
By R. Kevin Johnson Reformation Day is Oct. 31. Considering this day in light of our Nov. 1 remembrance of All Saints, the Reformation takes on special meaning for Protestants as we remember the life and the ministry of Martin…
The J word
By Bill Wilson I cannot stand this word and what it represents. I hear it far too often. It represents an attitude that should be banned from local church life. It is the word just. As in, “I’m just a…
When Baptists voted for a heretic
By Thomas Kidd When Thomas Jefferson won the presidency in 1800, Baptists represented one of his most reliable constituencies. Jefferson’s Baptist supporters knew that the president did not share their evangelical faith, yet they saw him as a great friend…