Historical drama Pressure clears the air on speaking truth to power

FOREST CITY, N.C. (ABP) — The church that received national media attention in late May for a sign that said the Muslim holy book should be put in a toilet has withdrawn from the Southern Baptist Convention. The congregation of…

DALLAS (ABP) –The Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board has approved revised bylaws that would reduce the board's size by more than half. Messengers to the BGCT annual meeting Nov. 7-8 in Austin will vote on the amended bylaws…

ROACH, Mo. (ABP) — The Baptist General Convention of Missouri approved a strategic plan and elected Jim Hill as executive director during the moderate convention's annual meeting April 29-30. Hill, named interim executive director at last year's meeting, will become…

WACO, Texas (ABP) – Baylor University's interim president steered the rudder of Baptists' flagship university during his first day at the helm. Bill Underwood announced three high-level administrative appointments, most pointedly replacing the university's top academic officer, David Lyle Jeffrey,…

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (ABP) — A state appeals court ruling means the Missouri Baptist Convention will be able to continue pursuing its lawsuit against five agencies that removed themselves from MBC control. In a preliminary opinion issued May 31, the…

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (ABP) — California legislators narrowly defeated a bill June 2 that would have made that state the first in the nation to legalize same-sex marriage legislatively. The 37-36 vote in favor of the bill, although a narrow majority,…

WASHINGTON (ABP) — Congressional leaders have re-appointed three long-time advocates for religious liberty to a federal panel charged with monitoring worldwide conditions for freedom of conscience. The leaders re-appointed Felice Gaer, Ricardo Ramirez and Nina Shea to the United States…

WASHINGTON (ABP) — Former President Bill Clinton cautioned both Democrats and Republicans on their use — or lack thereof — of religious language in a television appearance June 1. Appearing on CNN's popular “Larry King Live” program, Clinton told conservatives…

WASHINGTON (ABP) — A unanimous Supreme Court upheld a federal law May 31 that makes it easier for prison inmates — and others — to assert their religious freedom. The justices validated the constitutionality of the Religious Land Use and…

ATLANTA (ABP) — The officers of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship's governing Coordinating Council have appointed a seven-member search committee to fill the position of Global Missions coordinator, a position vacated by Barbara Baldridge June 1. Jack Snell, Global Missions associate…

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (ABP) — Two governors have vetoed gay-rights bills passed by their states' legislatures. On May 27, Colorado Gov. Bill Owens (R) vetoed a bill that would have banned private employers in the state from discriminating on the basis…

WASHINGTON (ABP) — The controversy over alleged bias in favor of evangelical Christians at the United States Air Force Academy grew May 31, as the school's top cadet sent a graduation-eve e-mail message laced with religious references to thousands of…