Why coercive religious politics undermine Christianity and democracy

WASHINGTON (ABP) — The Supreme Court has turned away a chance to decide whether Chicago's zoning laws unfairly discriminate against “storefront” churches. On June 7, the court declined, without comment, to hear an appeal from a group of five Chicago…

WASHINGTON (ABP) — Ronald Reagan is dead, but his influence on Christian politics in this country will be felt for years to come. The 40th president died at his California home June 5 at 93 after a lengthy battle with…

WASHINGTON (ABP) — Former judge Roy Moore and church-state expert Brent Walker squared off in a lively debate about religious expression and the First Amendment June 8 during testimony before a congressional subcommittee. Moore, Walker and others testified before the…

INDIANAPOLIS (ABP) — Messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention June 15-16 in Indianapolis will vote on a proposal to withdraw money and membership from the Baptist World Alliance — and possibly a call to withdraw children from public schools. The…

(ABP) — Can a church leader withhold sacraments as an attempt to steer his parishioners' votes? Because Democratic presidential hopeful John Kerry supports abortion rights, many U.S. Catholic bishops have said they would deny him communion, a sacrament integral to…

ATLANTA (ABP) — In memory of the victims of the 9-11 terrorist attacks, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship will sponsor a day of mission projects Sept. 11, 2004. The Fellowship's young leaders network will organize 11 projects in 11 different states…

DALLAS (ABP) — Rose Nanyonga's faith pilgrimage has been a journey of transformation — from an African witch doctor-in-training to a nursing student in Dallas. She now attends nursing classes and works as intensive-care nurse, a striking departure from her…

WASHINGTON (ABP) — While the Southern Baptist Convention has experienced a “conservative resurgence” in the past 25 years, it hasn't experienced much of a surge. June marks the 25th anniversary of the “resurgence,” a term SBC leaders employ to describe…

ORLANDO (ABP) — The Baptist boycott of the Walt Disney Co. had little effect on the media conglomerate, but it succeeded in establishing the Southern Baptist Convention as the dominant denominational voice for conservative values, says the author of a…

ATLANTA (ABP) — Due to floods that overwhelmed Haiti and the Dominican Republic last week, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship is donating $12,000 to aid relief efforts. World Vision, the largest Christian relief and development agency in the world, will receive…

WACO, Texas (ABP) — A former Baylor University assistant professor of nursing is suing the school, alleging her tenure was unfairly denied. Linda Haynes, a tenure-track professor at Baylor for six years, was informed of the decision in 2003 and…

EDITOR'S NOTE: The following story updates information in the original article of 6-2-04. There also is a correction to the name of Jean Brown in the second paragraph. MONTGOMERY, Ala. (ABP) — An advisor to former Alabama Chief Justice Roy…