Baptist News Global

Global religious persecution at all-time high

Religious oppression has skyrocketed worldwide since 2020, when 80 million people were forcibly displaced and 260 million Christians faced some form of violence, according to a new report by World Relief and Open Doors US. “The number of people globally…

His mission: To help Americans care about global religious persecution

Knox Thames wants Christians in America to care about people around the world facing genuine religious persecution — including those who are not Christians. That’s a tall order, he says, because American Christians are so fixated on their own fights…

Improvising Grace: Reformation and dissent

Author’s note: On Oct. 22, I was privileged to preach at a convocation celebrating the 25th anniversary of the School of Divinity at Wake Forest University. I pass it along in this Reformation week. …

How Christians can support religious liberty without sacrificing human dignity

With Election Day in two weeks and early voting already under way, it’s impossible to miss how religion continues to be wielded in American politics. For decades, Christianity has been co-opted to justify a specific slate of policies, narrowing what…

Hunger is an election year issue too, Bread for the World says

There are times when serving the poor and hungry must go beyond volunteering in food pantries or soup kitchens, and the 2024 election season is one of those times, said Heather Taylor, managing director of Bread for the World. “We…

Franklin Graham prays aloud for Trump to win the election

In one of his most explicit endorsements of Donald Trump’s campaign to date, Franklin Graham spoke at a Trump rally in Concord, N.C., Oct. 21 and prayed aloud to God to cause Trump to win the election. The head of…

Investigation into cause of Dallas church fire delayed

It has been three months since a four-alarm fire destroyed the historic sanctuary of First Baptist Church of Dallas, and fire officials have yet to declare a cause for the blaze. According to the church’s ongoing updates to members, the…

American dreaming

In a fraught conversation last week, a friend of mine shared with me her delusion with the election season as early voting opens in many states. “I hate all of them,” she said, referencing all the presidential and vice presidential…

You’ll recognize these buildings all across America

Drive through any city or rural village in the American South and you’ll recognize the buildings. They carry a distinctive appearance even though they may wear slightly different facades like tract housing. But as sure as you can recognize an…

Trump supporters’ silence about his threat for vengeance

In the 1990s, my friends on the far left were upset that I favored impeaching and convicting President Bill Clinton for lying under oath. When Democrats on social media were lauding Garth Brooks’ singing of “Amazing Grace” at President Joe…

Trump has made 100 threats to prosecute his enemies, and that could include religious foes

Since 2022, Donald Trump has issued more than 100 threats to investigate, prosecute, imprison or otherwise punish his perceived opponents, according to an analysis by National Public Radio released Oct. 22. On the same day, evangelical historian and author Kristin…

How Mainline Protestant churches are addressing Christian nationalism

In this politically fraught time, communities of faith have a unique opportunity to speak truth into the chaos. This necessarily means addressing the religious nationalism that burst from the shadows into public view on January 6, 2021. Regardless the outcome…

Republicans push through more unregulated funding for ICE and CBP

Trump admin defying court order on immigration access

What was there left to argue?

Beauty, ashes and the Southern Baptist Convention