Why coercive religious politics undermine Christianity and democracy

WASHINGTON (ABP) — President Bush delivered a confident and combative State of the Union address Jan. 20 that included calls for Congress to expand the government's ability to fund social services through churches and an appeal for more abstinence-based sex…

WASHINGTON (ABP) — Disputes over several issues Jan. 20 stalled final passage of a massive appropriations package that includes what would become the nation's first federally funded school-voucher program. However, most observers said the bill will probably pass within the…

RICHMOND, Va. (ABP) — The International Mission Board has set up a toll-free telephone line for missionaries and their families to report incidents of sexual abuse. The Southern Baptist agency, which has 5,600 active missionaries, has sent the phone number…

APOLLO BEACH, Fla. (ABP) — Longtime philanthropist Paul Piper Sr., whose generosity provided funds for education and research to many organizations, including Baptist ones, died Jan 17 in Apollo Beach, Fla. He was 86. A self-made businessman, the Tennessee native…

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (ABP) — Woman's Missionary Union, the women's auxiliary to the Southern Baptist Convention, came out in support of the Baptist World Alliance Jan. 12, breaking ranks with the Southern Baptist leaders who want to withdraw SBC membership and…

WASHINGTON (ABP) — In what many view as the unofficial kick-off of his 2004 re-election campaign, President Bush will speak to the issue of marriage as well as his attempts to fund social work through religious charities during tonight's State…

ATLANTA (ABP) — The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship has received another anonymous multimillion-dollar contribution for global missions, this one from a member of a Georgia church. Bill Coates, pastor of First Baptist Church in Gainesville, Ga., presented CBF with a check…

WASHINGTON (ABP) — The Georgia Senate has passed an amendment to the state constitution that would remove barriers to churches, parochial schools and other religious groups receiving taxpayer dollars. The Republican-controlled body voted 40-14 Jan. 15 to approve the proposed…

WAKE FOREST, N.C. (ABP) — Trustees at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary unanimously elected Daniel Akin the school's sixth president Jan. 15. Akin, 47, comes from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., where he was vice president for academic administration…

WASHINGTON (ABP) — President Bush used a special presidential prerogative Jan. 16 to get one of his most controversial judicial nominees installed, temporarily, on a federal appeals panel. Just days before Congress returned from its holiday recess to resume its…

PLANO, Texas (ABP) — Leaders of an independent network of conservative Episcopal churches met Jan. 19 to firm up plans that one leader said will “renew Anglicanism in this part of the world.” Bishop Robert Duncan of Pittsburgh, a leading…

CLOQUET, Minn. (ABP) — A 55-year-old Minnesota man is suing a local church because it won't give back a $126,000 donation he made five years ago. Marcel Mager of Cloquet, Minn., said he made the anonymous donation, nearly all his…