Why coercive religious politics undermine Christianity and democracy

WASHINGTON (ABP) — As American and European Baptist leaders called for an immediate cease-fire of hostilities between Israel and militant wings of Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, the Bush administration dismissed any cease-fire that does not include disarming Hezbollah. Leaders of…

FRESNO, Calif. (ABP) — Valton Prince, who directed what is now the discipleship training ministry for the California Southern Baptist Convention, died of cancer July 22. He was 87. Prince worked for the California convention from 1965 to 1981. He…

WASHINGTON (ABP) — As hostilities in Lebanon and Israel continue, an Arab Baptist professor called on American evangelicals to look at the situation through Lebanese eyes. Martin Accad of the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary in Beirut is a Lebanese Baptist…

WASHINGTON (ABP) — The Senate voted July 25 to penalize those who transport teenage girls across state lines for abortions in order to circumvent parental-consent laws. The action is the first major abortion legislation the Senate has passed during this…

BOAZ, Ala. (ABP) — Mounted greeters wave to visitors from the parking lot. Blue jeans, a Western shirt and a cowboy hat comprise the outfit of choice. Saddles are welcome, and gospel karaoke comes from within the Sand Mountain Saddle…

BOSTON (ABP) — The lead couple in the lawsuit that led to the nation's first legalized gay marriages have separated, according to news reports. Hillary and Julie Goodridge, whose names were listed first in the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court decision…

PHOENIX (ABP) — In what has been described as the largest case of fraud targeting a religious group, the former top executive and legal counsel for the Baptist Foundation of Arizona were convicted on multiple fraud-related counts July 24. A…

In the July 20 story “California church involved in NAMB controversy calls pastor after suit,” please change Glenn Moeckelmann's seminary to Dallas Theological Seminary in Dallas, Texas. -30-

DALLAS (ABP) — With one Mormon looking like a serious contender for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008, it may be time to ask the same question Americans asked themselves about Catholic candidate John F. Kennedy in 1960: Is the…

BRADBURY, Calif. (ABP) — Ted Engstrom, the former president of World Vision International and close friend to prominent evangelicals like Billy Graham and James Dobson, died July 14. He was 90. Engstrom, who served on the Focus on the Family…

BEIRUT (ABP) — As fighting between Israeli forces and Islamic radicals continued to decimate Lebanon July 24, groups of Baptist volunteers from the United States who had been trapped in Beirut were reported safely evacuated. The American Baptist News Service…