Baptist News Global

Presidents, pardons, prevarications and (women) preachers

On Jan. 20, the newly inaugurated 47th president of the United States of America issued a presidential pardon to about 1,600 individuals who, on January 6, 2021, illegally broke into the U.S. Capitol, mercilessly beat Capitol police, threatened Congress members…

Bishop’s sermon inspires United Methodist hymn writer

Mark Gruber-Lebowitz of Baltimore is among thousands of Christians moved by the Jan. 21 sermon of an Episcopal bishop asking President Donald Trump to have mercy on vulnerable people — but not in the way some people are moved. The…

MAGA ramps up attacks on US Christian groups

Donald Trump and his allies are widening their attacks on religious groups compassionate toward immigrants, refugees, the poor and LGBTQ people. The Catholic and Episcopal churches have faced the heat from the MAGA movement for some time and are again…

Here’s what tax dollars will fund with the Texas school voucher bill

With proposed legislation to create school vouchers in Texas, a majority of taxpayer money could go to private schools that teach anti-science ideas and young-earth creationism. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has made “school choice” his mission over the last few…

Southwestern Seminary says land deal erased its short-term debt

A big real estate deal has erased $4.2 million in short-term debt held by Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, President David Dockery told the Dallas Morning News. The Fort Worth, Texas-based school, one of six seminaries owned by the Southern Baptist…

21 groups urge senators not to confirm Russell Vought

A coalition of 20 organizations dedicated to the separation of church and state have written to leaders of the U.S. Senate urging them not to confirm President Donald Trump’s nomination of Russell Vought at director of the White House Office…

Glenn Hinson: ‘What he taught us in his lectures was learned in his own life’

On Jan. 29, a spiritual giant died quietly, yet with the force that reflected all of his life. Glenn Hinson was a Baptist professor in the fields of church history and spirituality. He was on the frontlines of the war…

A small act of resistance: On teaching while woke

I remember well the day I heard the word “woke” for the very first time. It came from the mouth of a Black scholar addressing a conference on “Public Theology and Racial Justice” at Vanderbilt Divinity School in Nashville. It…

Black History Month in Trump’s America

In 1976, the bicentennial year celebrating the birth of our nation with the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Republican President Gerald Ford became the first president to recognize February as Black History Month. In a short presidential message, Ford recognized the…

The straight white men are not all right

As each day since the presidential inauguration has passed, I’ve found myself wondering more and more, “What’s wrong with straight white men?”* I feel like we’re living some version of “Revenge of the Straight White Men” because they are so…

More child sexual abuse bills filed in 6 states

In January, several bills were proposed across different states relating to child sexual abuse — many addressing statutes of limitations, nondisclosure agreements or settlement payouts. Legislators said they hope these changes will make it easier for child sexual abuse victims…

In new podcast episode, Mark and Ben try to talk about Trump

Baptist News Global’s podcast series “Stuck in the Middle with You” is back with two special episodes that introduce a second season of the show. Co-hosts Mark Wingfield and Benjamin Cole intend to devote most of season two to interviews…

Rise of American authoritarianism demands a choice, Perryman says

Shaving Dad goodbye

The Enhanced Games were another MAGA grift

It’s bad interpretation, not the Bible, limiting female pastors