Why coercive religious politics undermine Christianity and democracy

MACON, Ga. (ABP) — President Jimmy Carter called upon the next president — whoever he is — to focus on retoring human rights as a primary objective in American foreign policy in an Oct. 23 speech. The 39th president — now an…

WASHINGTON (RNS)—As a Christian philosopher, author and political activist, Francis Schaeffer urged conservative Christians to battle abortion and engage the secular culture. But he would have recoiled from the “snide” comments and jeering at this summer’s Republican National Convention, his…

WASHINGTON (ABP) — A new study described as the first of its kind suggests Americans believe the United States is both especially blessed by God and especially responsible to use its power wisely. Echoing the results of another recent poll,…

RALEIGH, N.C. (ABP) — Marse Grant, editor emeritus of North Carolina Baptists’ Biblical Recorder, died Oct. 17 at his home in Raleigh. He was 88. Grant edited the Recorder from 1960-82, longer than any other editor in the paper’s history….

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (ABP) — A mother and son were estranged. She demanded his password for a social-networking website to make sure he wasn’t doing anything untoward. He refused because he felt it invaded his privacy. With such an impasse on…

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…

Thomas White (Photo: Southwestern Seminary)FORT WORTH, Texas (ABP) — A Southern Baptist seminary professor has sparked controversy with a recent sermon labeling use of birth-control pills a sin. Thomas White, vice president for student services and communications and associate professor…

WACO, Texas (ABP) — Throughout their history, Baptists have uniformly revered the Bible but passionately disagreed about what it means, historian Bill Leonard told a Baylor University audience. Leonard delivered the annual Parchman Lectures at the Texas Baptist school’s George…

AUSTIN, Texas (ABP) — Three of six members of a panel appointed to review proposed curriculum standards for science classes in Texas public schools have criticized evolution. And the additions could have an impact far beyond the 4.6 million students…