Baptist News Global

Baptists shouldn’t take religious freedom for granted

By K. Hollyn Hollman When Baptists in America study their history, they typically respond with pride. The denomination’s longstanding witness on behalf of religious liberty can be traced to the first Baptists in England, who boldly proclaimed that God alone…

This July 4th, exercise your freedom to worship

By Barry Howard July 4th falls on Sunday this year. Where will you be this Sunday morning? Independence Day falls on Sunday only every few years. The last time this occurred was 2004. The next time July 4th falls on…

Church-state lines can blur when disasters strike

RICHMOND, Va. (ABP) — Responding to disasters with immediate and long-term assistance has become a well-established practice of American religious groups — including Baptists, who frequently are almost as visible following devastating earthquakes and hurricanes as the Federal Emergency Management…

Pluralism, gay rights among emerging challenges to religious freedom

Since colonial days, each new generation of Americans has had to face new challenges to religious freedom. From dissenters like Roger Williams fighting established state churches to perceived threats to the Protestant establishment posed by Catholic immigration in the 19th…

What should churches and ministries know about employment law?

One characteristic of the robust religious freedom Americans enjoy is that the government doesn’t control the church nor the church the government. But that doesn’t mean churches are lawless zones. While houses of worship and other nonprofit religious organizations often…

OPINION: Baptists shouldn’t take religious freedom for granted

When Baptists in America study their history, they typically respond with pride. The denomination’s longstanding witness on behalf of religious liberty can be traced to the first Baptists in England, who boldly proclaimed that God alone was the ruler of…

FAITH DIGEST

Bread for the World chief honored. The president of a Christian anti-hunger lobbying group won the premier award for fighting world hunger. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton awarded the World Food Prize to Bread for the World President David…

Texas Hispanic Baptists celebrate century of history, look to future

SAN ANTONIO (ABP) — Participants at the Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas annual meeting June 27-29 remembered how God has been faithful in working through the body for a century, celebrated how he continues to use it today and anticipated…

Under questioning, Kagan sheds little light on church-state views

WASHINGTON (ABP) — Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan’s questioning before the Senate Judiciary Committee wound down July 1, a day after she faced the only direct questions regarding religious freedom she received during her three-plus days of testimony before the…

Supreme Court ruling on gun ownership could affect churches

Editor's note: This story was changed July 4 to correct an error in the 10th paragraph. WASHINGTON (ABP) — A landmark Supreme Court ruling June 28 that said possessing a handgun is a constitutional right is expected to unleash a…

‘Prophetic leadership’ isn’t an idle phrase

By Amy Butler Seems like everybody likes to use the phrase “prophetic leadership” when it comes to the church. It sounds deeply theological and also a little daring, don’t you think? Pastor search committees have a tendency to use the…

Canadian Baptist Ministries appoints first non-Anglo general secretary

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario (ABP) — Leaders of Canada’s largest Baptist body have, for the first time, appointed a non-Caucasian to their top executive post as they bid farewell to their leader of 10 years. Sam Chaise (CBM photo) Canadian Baptist Ministries…

Paxton dodges ethics questions while claiming Talarico isn’t Christian

Restored Voices Collective gets GRACE report on former board member

‘CatsOnACouch’ influencer sues over First Amendment rights

Court finds Trump and Blanche conspired to create sham IRS lawsuit