Baptist News Global

A Christian rationale for a truth commission

By David Gushee Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) has begun hearings exploring the possibility of establishing a “Truth Commission” to investigate Bush policies in several areas related to national security. I want to comment here in favor of an inquiry on…

Bill Leonard stepping down as dean of Wake Forest divinity school

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (ABP) — The founding dean of the Wake Forest University Divinity School is stepping down next year, school officials announced March 5. Bill Leonard Bill Leonard will retire from that post June 30, 2010. But he will continue…

BWA leaders hear sobering finance report, fill justice post

FALLS CHURCH, Va. (ABP) — Members of the Baptist World Alliance’s executive committee heard a sobering financial report detailing investment losses over the last year, agreed to slash the group’s budget, gave initial approval to organizational changes and met BWA’s new…

Trustees keep Liberty University gun-free

LYNCHBURG, Va. (ABP) — Liberty University will remain gun-free, trustees at the Baptist school founded by the late Jerry Falwell decided March 3. Last year, Liberty’s chapter of Students for Concealed Carry on Campus asked university officials to change the…

Student newspaper, Catholic prof spar over indulgences revival

WACO, Texas (ABP) — A Baylor Lariat editorial critical of the Catholic Church’s newly revived practice of indulgences brought a strong rebuke from a prominent Catholic professor at the world’s largest Baptist university. The Feb. 27 editorial in Baylor’s student newspaper…

Mercer conference calls Christians to ‘creation care’

Left to Right: Meg Thomsen, program coordinator of Harvard Medical School’s Center for Health and the Global Environment, David Gushee, Distinguished University Professor of Christian Ethics at Mercer, and Judith Curry, Georgia Tech professor, listen during the plenary session of…

Christians, other torture opponents call for commission to investigate

WASHINGTON (ABP) — A coalition of religious leaders who oppose the United States’ use of torture in the fight against terrorism called March 3 for a “truth commission” to investigate government policy and allegations of inhumane actions against terrorism detainees…

Study: Churchgoers like porn, but don’t buy it on the Sabbath

BOSTON (ABP) — According to a new study, people who live in states with high church-attendance rates buy as much Internet pornography as their more secularized counterparts — but they are less likely to subscribe to an adult website on…

Senate scandal divides state Democrats over race

CHICAGO (ABP) — Calls for embattled Sen. Roland Burris to resign from the Senate are dividing his fellow Illinois Democrats along racial lines. Burris, the only black United States senator, is under fire for conflicting statements about his relationship with disgraced…

Faith-based leaders say budget is major shift in poverty policy

WASHINGTON (ABP) — President Obama's first proposed budget signals a dramatic shift in prioritizing domestic poverty, centrist and liberal Christian leaders said in a teleconference with reporters March 2. Nonetheless, some expressed concerns that portions of the proposal did not…

Justices decline to upend decision barring N.J. coach from prayers

WASHINGTON (ABP) — A New Jersey high-school coach will not be able to participate in his football team’s prayers after the Supreme Court’s March 2 refusal to review a lower court’s decision. Opponents of government-sanctioned school prayers praised the justices’…

From the Eastern Shore to Cumberland Gap

STAFF CHANGES • John Snow, to Zoar Church, Deltaville, as pastor, effective March 1. • Gregory W. Wissinger, to Beaver Dam Church, Troy, as pastor, effective March 1. • Thomas S. Larson, to Fox Hill Road Church, Hampton, as pastor….

An American experiment: 250 years of trying

10 reasons America is not a ‘Christian nation’

American Dominion traces deep roots of Seven Mountain Mandate

Lindsey Graham and the history of ‘widow’s succession’