Why coercive religious politics undermine Christianity and democracy

ARLINGTON, Texas (ABP) — An American Baptist minister who advocates criminal-justice reform hailed as a “miracle” the latest stay of execution for a black man convicted of murdering a white Georgia police officer nearly 20 years ago. Alan Bean of…

WACO, Texas (ABP) — Baylor University’s faculty, alumni and students want a vote in choosing the school’s next president, according to statements approved by representative bodies of each group. The statements reflect continuing controversy over leadership at the Texas school,…

WASHINGTON (ABP) — American Christians may pledge loyalty to the United States Constitution. But behind the closed curtain of the polling booth, many violate the spirit of the constitutional prohibition on any religious test for public office. And several church-state…

WASHINGTON (ABP)—The forbidden idea of churches and other tax-exempt organizations endorsing political parties or candidates has started to sound like a good one, in recent decades, to many conservative evangelicals in the United States. In fact, a group of pastors…

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (ABP) — “Values voters” — a term popularized by conservative evangelicals after the 2004 elections — may bring a wide array of values to the polls. Here’s a rundown of the two presidential candidates’ views on a number…

FORT WORTH, Texas (ABP) — A Baptist pastor says moderates should be on guard against renewed attempts by fundamentalists to gain control of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Paul Kenley, pastor of Grace Fellowship Church in Lampasas, Texas, penned…

NEW YORK (ABP) — A reported 119 million Christians around the globe stood up for action to end poverty Oct. 19. Observed the Sunday closest to the United Nations’ International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, Micah Sunday aims to…

ATLANTA (ABP) — “How do you plan to stay in touch with your family while you’re deployed?” Army chaplain James “Jim” Kirkendall frequently asks young soldiers. It’s one of the many topics Kirkendall addresses during personal visits with military personnel…

WARRENTON, Ga. (ABP) — The pastor of a Southern Baptist church in Georgia has resigned his pulpit after being indicted on federal charges of tax evasion in Maryland. It is not the first time that Otis Ray Hope has been…