Baptist News Global

Responses to sexual abuse of late theologian continue

The reactions to revelations of sexual abuse by the late theologian John Howard Yoder, and especially to a recent published response to Yoder’s actions by theologian Stanley Hauerwas, continue to prompt wide-ranging conversations. Here are two of the latest.

State Baptist group says Nashville Statement is ‘without error’

Southern Baptists in Arkansas recently endorsed a controversial statement released by a coalition of evangelical leaders in August that says the Bible does not leave room for people to identify as both Christian and gay.

Moving forward with #wetoo until some are ready for #metoo

In response to growing revelations of sexual abuse, many women have written #metoo on social media. But there is a perplexing silence among Latinas. There is too much evidence to suggest that this lack of voices means that sexual abuse is absent in the Hispanic community. Perhaps in a communal culture such as the Hispanic one, it makes sense that we move forward right now with a #wetoo, until we are ready to say individually #metoo.

#nosotras también (#wetoo)

Si bien aplaudo el valor de las muchas mujeres que han escrito #metoo en las redes sociales, me he quedado perpleja por el silencio casi absoluto de parte de las latinas. He vivido lo suficiente como para afirmar que esta falta de voces o reconocimientos no significa que el abuso sexual esté ausente en la comunidad latina.

Transitions for the week of 12.01.17

Staff changes, congregational news and more from across the nation.

Church makes scripture-centered fight against neighborhood displacement the core of its mission

Besides growing a church with new converts to Christianity, New City Church’s central mission is to slow, stop, and even turn back the negative effects of gentrification in urban Minneapolis communities.

After 25 years on the culture war’s front lines, this prominent pastor-activist thinks liberals are winning.

Barry Lynn, who is retiring as head of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, says he believes data and his experience paint an America becoming less tolerant of government-backed expressions of religion.

When I become pope of the Protestant church

Recently, I dreamed I was named pope of the Protestant church, and given sweeping powers to instigate any changes/adjustments/new expectations that I chose. When I awakened from my fantasy, I jotted down some of my plans.

The messy reality of religious liberty in America

There is a vast difference between the reality and the rhetoric of religious freedom, which is often considered to be the ideal that promotes harmony and equality. But history suggests that it does, in fact, lead to more conflict.

The Masterpiece Cakeshop case is not about religious freedom

There are two important things to know about the religious freedom/wedding cake case. One is that it’s not about religious freedom — it’s about religious exemption. The other is that it’s about a whole lot more than wedding cakes.

‘We have a serious problem’: Australian Baptist group apologises to domestic violence victims

The national body of the Baptist Church in Australia has formally apologised to victims of domestic violence who it says have been let down by churches’ “ignorance” and “failure” to care for abused congregants.

Cross is ‘preeminent symbol’ of Christianity and should be removed from public park, say church-state watchdogs

The Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty has joined 13 other religious and civil rights organizations urging a federal appeals court to uphold a lower court ruling finding a cross erected on public land in Pensacola, Fla., is unconstitutional.

Supreme Court slides into partisanship

Before the fireworks, be careful what you drink

The contemptible case of Clarence Thomas

The permanent paradoxes of Christian thinking about war