Baptist News Global

SPECIAL REPORT: Broken Trust—ANALYSIS: What to do if a minister is accused of sexual misconduct

Most pastors and staff members are aware that ministry sometimes puts them in unique circumstances with all kinds of people. Most also are aware that a rumor of wrongdoing often is enough to end an otherwise fruitful ministry. For this…

Fifty years later, General Assembly honors Langford

RICHMOND — On Sunday, June 3, Henry Victor Langford, 88, received a resolution of praise and approval from the General Assembly at the Hermitage United Methodist Home in north Richmond, where he lives. After passionately endorsing the Supreme Court's 1954…

Jeremiah Moore commission reports on prospects for house

RICHMOND — Prospects for reconstructing at Eagle Eyrie Baptist Conference Center the 18th-century house associated with an early Virginia Baptist leader moved a few steps forward last April, when the the Jeremiah Moore House Commission held its initial meeting at…

Heritage Center releases new worship study

RICHMOND — An analysis of worship styles in Virginia Baptist churches is the focus of a new resource available from the Center for Baptist Heritage & Studies. Each year the Center appoints several Virginia Baptist college students as Heritage Fellows…

VIRGINIA TIDBITS

Falwell's sons take up mantle Jonathan Falwell, son of the late Jerry Falwell, will become pastor of the 24,000-member church his dad founded in Lynchburg more than 50 years ago. Members of Thomas Road Baptist Church elected Jonathan Falwell, 40,…

EDITORIAL: Sounds like competition to me

In the current issue of SBC Life, former Southern Baptist Convention president Bobby Welch explained what he will be doing as the SBC's new “strategist for global evangelical relations.” According to Welch, his responsibilities will be “to establish enhanced international…

SECOND OPINION: Hold churches accountable for abuse

We need to take another step to stop clergy sexual abuse. Let's post a list of churches that we learn knowingly allow—or force—an abusing minister to move on without doing something to warn others. This sounds harsh. But it's nothing…

Volunteer chaplains

I just wanted to thank you for the great work the Herald did on military chaplains [May 31]. I also wanted to tell you of another avenue that pastors have to help in the effort. Virginia has a little known…

First freedom and prime principles

Religious liberty is the first freedom for Americans. Thomas Jefferson authored the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, which since 1786 has provided a benchmark for the western world. James Madison, influenced by Virginia Baptists, reasoned that religious liberty would become…

OUT LOUD

“I sometimes marvel when people running for office are asked about faith and their answer is, ‘Oh, I don't get into that, I keep that completely separate. My faith is completely immaterial to how I think and how I govern.'…

Immigration issues reveal disparity between views in pulpits and pews

WASHINGTON (RNS)—As Congress debates immigration policy, many prominent religious leaders—from all shades of the theological spectrum—have called for a “comprehensive and compassionate” reform of existing laws. It's part of what they see as their biblical mandate to care for the…

RIGHT OR WRONG: Censorship in the church library

A church member recently donated a book to our church library. But a question has been raised about the book's appropriateness for the library. If we don't shelve the book, we will be accused of censorship. How should we determine…

Islamophobia is the next bogeyman

The Black Church cannot remain America’s emergency moral infrastructure

We are manna

Webinar explores religious context of America’s Founders