Why coercive religious politics undermine Christianity and democracy

BOSTON (ABP) — Borrowing back a page they say Republicans stole from them, some Democrats are urging their party to talk more about faith and public policy. “We can no longer cede the religious stage and microphone and television cameras…

SEOUL, Korea (ABP) — Pledging to focus on the future, leaders of the Baptist World Alliance convened their first global meeting since the Southern Baptist Convention voted in June to withdraw from the international Baptist body. The July 26-31 BWA…

SEOUL, Korea (ABP) — Baptist World Alliance will launch a global evangelism strategy during next year's centennial BWA World Congress in England, alliance leaders announced in late July. Playing off the 2005 congress theme, “Jesus Christ: Living Water,” the five-year…

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (ABP) — A group of young Democrats met during their party's national convention to discuss how they can help the Democratic Party “regain its moral footing,” as one participant described it. The meeting, “Faith in Politics Roundtable: Restoring…

(ABP) — In the Bible, casting lots — what many consider to be original gambling — was a way for God's sovereignty to reign through randomness. Now gambling is drawing lots — lots of people, that is. According to a…

WHITNEY, Texas (ABP) — Cowboys and cowgirls are finding new lives on the open range. Large numbers of farmers, ranchers and horsemen — and those attracted to the lifestyle — are encountering Jesus at the eight-week-old Open Range Cowboy Church…

ALLEN, Texas (ABP) — A Christian artist has found a way to celebrate his faith while creating a keepsake that many collectors appear eager to get. “God works in strange and mysterious ways,” says Dan Foote, creator of 7-inch bobblehead…

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (ABP) — They're a pair of docs — documentaries — as puzzling as a paradox. “America's Heart and Soul,” a feature documentary released by Disney earlier this month, provides a panoramic vision of American diversity by telling the…

FORT WORTH, Texas (ABP) — David Garland, distinguished professor emeritus of Old Testament and Hebrew at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, died July 21 in Fort Worth, Texas, after a brief illness. “He made the Old Testament come alive as a…

LOUISVILLE, Ky., (ABP) – Retired New Testament professor and author James Blevins died July 24 after a long illness. He was 67. A native of Hot Coal, W.Va., Blevins was professor of New Testament interpretation at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary…

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (ABP) — Tom Lolley, who served as a mountain missionary for North Carolina Baptists for 19 years, died July 22 in Asheville. He was 67. Lolley, brother of former Baptist seminary president Randall Lolley, is a former western…

WACO, Texas (ABP) — In spite of boasts by his opponents that they had the votes to fire President Robert Sloan, Baylor University regents took no vote on their embattled president, other than affirming the long-range plan that has become…