Baptist News Global

Court affirms religious obligation in case pitting sacred vs. secular

AUSTIN, Texas (RNS)—The Texas Supreme Court unanimously dismissed a suit brought by a former member of a Fort Worth church who accused her pastor of violating her confidentiality. The case centered on questions of what roles civil courts should have…

Urban population crunch prompts crowds in church

WASHINGTON (RNS)—Predictions that increased urbanization around the world would lead to a more secularized society are un-founded, and in fact the opposite may be true, according to a new report from the United Nations Population Fund. “Rapid urbanization was expected…

Want your kids to keep faith? Take a chance on college degree

FAITH DIGEST

Muslims, evangelicals not so apart. Muslim Americans and white evangelicals have more in common than other religious groups when it comes to religious fervor, scriptural literalism and social morality, according to the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. They…

Vatican says Protestants not churches in ‘proper sense’

VATICAN CITY — The Vatican on July 10 reasserted the primacy of the Roman Catholic Church, calling other Christian churches defective and saying Protestant denominations are not even churches “in the proper sense.” The statement, which was “ratified and confirmed”…

Vatican’s claim has parallels in Baptist successionism

RICHMOND – The Vatican's recent reaffirmation that the “true church” lies in an unbroken line of succession from Christ and his apostles might resonate in an unlikely place — conservative Baptists who trace the roots of their denomination back to…

Bloggers consolidate efforts to create ‘premier site’ for issues

ARLINGTON, Texas — Reforming bloggers who have challenged the Southern Baptist Convention establishment for the past two years are consolidating their efforts to create a new Internet presence they say will be the “premier site for Southern Baptist news and…

Virginia couple reaches out to workers in Chinese city

MACAU, China — Like the bamboo scaffolding around a new building is how Larry and Sarah Ballew describe their ministry in Macau, China. It's an appropriate metaphor for Macau, an old city being transformed by new hotels and casinos. With…

Virginia Baptist Venturer in Ghana ministering through AIDS awareness

Megan Redd, one of Virginia Baptists' Venturers serving in collegiate ministry at Cornell University in New York, recently emailed the glocal missions and evangelism team at the Virginia Baptist Resource Center to describe her recent student-led mission trip to Ghana….

Missions education resource inspires church’s art show

BALTIMORE — Photographs documenting an immigrant's journey, masquerade masks and paintings stretching the edge of imagination—all are part of supporting the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship's HIV/AIDS ministry in Africa and reaching out to a transitioning Baltimore community. Hosted by University Baptist…

Baptist morality activist arrested on sex-for-hire charges in N.C.

RALEIGH, N.C. (ABP) — Coy Privette, the president of a Christian morality group and a former state legislator and Southern Baptist Convention leader, has been arrested on prostitution-related charges in North Carolina. Privette, the president of the Christian Action League…

MID-ATLANTIC BRIEFS

WFU dean receives Baptist Award. Bill J. Leonard, dean and professor of church history at the divinity school of Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C., has received the 2007 W. O. Carver Distinguished Service Award from the Baptist History and…

What Disclosure Day reveals about evangelicals’ fears

Insufficient

6 ways the Reflecting Pool boondoggle mirrors Trump and MAGA

Pilate asked Jesus, ‘What is truth?’