Baptist News Global

Campbellsville social-work program to award first master’s degrees

CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. (ABP) — Campbellsville University's Carver School of Social Work and Counseling is set to award its first master's degrees 12 years after acquiring the Carver name for its baccalaureate program from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. The Kentucky Baptist…

Independent panel criticizes Obama, Bush, Clinton on religious freedom

WASHINGTON (ABP) — A bipartisan federal panel charged with monitoring religious-freedom questions worldwide blasted current and past administrations — Republican and Democratic alike — April 29 for under-emphasizing religious liberty in foreign policy. In releasing its annual report, the independent…

Want to pack heat in worship? In Louisiana, you soon may get to

BATON ROUGE, La. (RNS) — People qualified to carry concealed weapons should be able to keep them strapped on in a church or temple as a way to enhance security, a state House committee decided April 28. The House Committee…

Baptist scholars view Noah’s Ark discovery claims with skepticism

LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABP) — As the newest reported discovery of Noah's Ark raised doubts even among fellow Ark-hunters, two Baptist seminary professors said Christians should not rest their faith on whether remains of an ancient vessel are ever found high…

Glenn Beck, Paige Patterson to speak at Liberty University commencement

LYNCHBURG, Va. (ABP) — Two prominent conservative voices in the nation’s culture wars — Fox News commentator Glenn Beck and Southern Baptist seminary president Paige Patterson — will speak at Liberty University’s commencement exercises May 15, the school has announced….

Va. governor lifts ban on police chaplains’ sectarian prayers

RICHMOND, Va. (ABP) — Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell has lifted a two-year-old ban on sectarian prayers — including those referring to Jesus Christ — led by Virginia State Police chaplains at department-sanctioned public events. The recently elected Republican governor instructed…

Former Southwest Baptist U. football player sentenced for 2006 attack

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (ABP) — A former football player at Southwest Baptist University has been sentenced to 120 days in jail three months after pleading guilty to second-degree assault in a 2006 beating that left a Bolivar, Mo., man permanently disabled….

Wake Forest divinity school to be led by UCC New Testament scholar

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (ABP) — A female New Testament scholar and ordained United Church of Christ minister has been tapped to replace Baptist historian Bill Leonard as dean of Wake Forest University School of Divinity. Gail O'Day, currently senior associate dean…

Virginia governor lifts ban on police chaplains’ sectarian prayers

RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell has lifted a two-year-old ban on sectarian prayers –including those referring to Jesus Christ — led by Virginia State Police chaplains at department-sanctioned public events. The recently-elected Republican governor instructed state police superintendent…

Glenn Beck, Paige Patterson to speak at Liberty’s commencement

LYNCHBURG, Va. — Two prominent conservative voices in the nation’s culture wars — Fox News commentator Glenn Beck and seminary president Paige Patterson — will speak at Liberty University’s commencement exercises May 15, the school has announced. Chancellor Jerry Falwell…

Church-state separationists mixed over desert-cross decision

WASHINGTON (ABP) — A divided Supreme Court rendered a complex decision April 28 on the fate of a lonely cross in the California desert. The decision — the first major church-state case of Chief Justice John Roberts’ tenure — upset religious-freedom…

American Baptist National Ministries reclaims historic name

NEW YORK (ABP) — National Ministries of American Baptist Churches USA marked the 178th anniversary of its founding April 27 by announcing the agency will reclaim its historic name of American Baptist Home Mission Societies. "Outside of American Baptist circles…

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