Why coercive religious politics undermine Christianity and democracy

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (ABP) — Jerry Sutton, the pastor of Two Rivers Baptist Church in Nashville, Tenn., may accept a nomination for president of the Southern Baptist Convention, according to his assistant. “Some people have asked him to, and he has…

GREENSBORO, N.C. (ABP) – Blogs have already revolutionized secular politics, and whether a subset of them have revolutionized Baptist politics will be seen at the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting June 13-14 in North Carolina. The meeting, in Greensboro, will…

ENID, Okla. (ABP) — Wade Burleson is calling for the Southern Baptist Convention to investigate “manipulation” and “coercion” by his fellow trustees of the International Mission Board. But the Oklahoma pastor backed down from his threat to publish details of…

WASHINGTON (ABP) — Sharing Christ with people who are dying of AIDS, drowning in poverty and going to bed hungry requires addressing all of those problems simultaneously, according to officials of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. That's why this year's CBF…

ANNISTON, Ala. (ABP) — When the early morning sunlight begins to peek over the horizon, many people nationwide hit the snooze button to catch a little more sleep before beginning their day. Dunaway Conner and his cycling companions, however, have…

DALLAS (ABP) — A Florida pastor announced June 1 that he will nominate Frank Page as an alternative candidate for the Southern Baptist Convention presidency during the denomination's upcoming annual meeting. Forrest Pollock, pastor of Bell Shoals Baptist Church in…

ATLANTA (ABP) — Rob Nash, nominee for global missions coordinator of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, will be the speaker at the annual Associated Baptist Press banquet June 22 at 5 p.m. in Atlanta. Nash is expected to be elected to…

ATLANTA (ABP) — This year's general assembly of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship promises to answer the challenge Coordinator Daniel Vestal gave at last year's meeting — a challenge to face head-on the issues of poverty, social justice, diversity and mercy….

MACON, Ga. (ABP) — In an attempt to meet needs and re-connect with its Baptist constituency, the publishing arm of Mercer University will begin offering children's Sunday school literature this fall. The move, according to Mercer University Press officials, is…

OLNEY, Ky. (ABP) — Lafayette Baptist Church, a rural Kentucky congregation that dates back to the late 1800s, lost its church facility in an apparent arson attack May 20. The fire, reportedly set early Saturday morning, was not discovered until…

YOGYAKARTA, Indonesia (ABP) — Several Baptist groups have joined the worldwide outpouring of support for victims of a deadly 6.3-magnitude earthquake, which killed more than 5,700 people May 27. More than 200,000 people remain homeless, according to the Indonesian government….

DALLAS (ABP) — Don and Angie Finley, Southern Baptist missionaries since 1988, resigned from their post in Brazil in July 2003 and returned to the United States rather than affirm the denomination's new, more conservative doctrinal statement. Now — three…