Baptist News Global

BWIM transitions annual awards to scholarship program

An awards program to recognize outstanding Baptist women in ministry will transition this year to provide scholarships to female seminarians. The annual Addie Davis Awards given out by Baptist Women in Ministry for 25 years will become the Addie Davis…

Northern Seminary expands board; NT professor McKnight resigns

As it seeks to rebuild after a tumultuous year of internal controversy, Northern Seminary has added three new board members, bringing the total number of board members to 16 and increasing the diversity on the governing board. Two other new…

In defense of DEI: 10 benefits of DEI in higher education

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs in higher education are under attack around the country. Conservatives see these programs as purveyors of “wokeism” that limit free speech and teach discrimination, hate and divisiveness. I’ve spent my 37-year-career in higher education in…

Report highlights the good and bad of Biden administration’s immigration record

Amid the backdrop of a historically turbulent period of hemispheric and global migration, President Joe Biden has issued more orders on immigration since taking office than Donald Trump did during his entire presidency, according to a new report. “By taking…

Trump’s Groundhog Day, the insurrection that refuses to stop

I planned to write this essay about January 6 as an anniversary piece. Because I am a public speech teacher, it has felt particularly cruel for conservatives to deny what happened on that dark day. When Donald Trump Jr. sarcastically…

Africa’s Catholic bishops reject Vatican doctrine on blessing same-sex couples

A rebellion against Pope Francis is brewing in Africa. On Jan. 11, African Catholic bishops, gathered at a conference in Accra, declared the Vatican’s recent proposal to allow priests to offer non-liturgical blessings for same-sex couples is contrary to their…

What ever happened to Barabbas?

Barabbas! Oh, Barabbas! What happened to you after you were freed from prison? Did you become a celebrity with the religious leaders who encouraged the crowd to call for your release? Did you thank Jesus for his sacrifice? Did you…

T.B. Maston’s final book published online

Thirty-six years after his death, the final book written by Baptist ethicist T.B. Maston is being published by The T.B. Maston Foundation. Maston taught Christian ethics at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, more than 40 years. He…

Transitions for the week of 1-26-24

Please submit transitions — including staff changes, ordinations, anniversaries or deaths — to Barbara Francis. This page will be updated bi-weekly. STAFF CHANGES Spencer Dillard, to Mechanicsville (Va.) Baptist Church, as interim pastor. Kyle Dobyns, to Taylorsville Baptist Church, Doswell, Va.,…

SBC’s ‘conservative resurgence’ has brought two decades of baptism declines

The year conservatives consolidated control of the Southern Baptist Convention is the last year a key marker of denominational growth showed an overall upward trend, according to new annual data released by Lifeway Christian Resources. Even a slight rebound in…

More evangelical leaders on board Trump train for 2024

Growing numbers of conservative evangelical leaders are on board the Trump train as the former president chugs his way toward the 2024 GOP nomination. And those numbers could increase more now that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has dropped out of…

U.S. Capitol hosts first screening of ‘God + Country’ documentary

To better understand the events of the January 6 insurrection, you have to understand the role Christian nationalism played in that fateful day. A new film explores the upsurge of religious extremism and its potential dangers to our nation. God…

Supreme Court slides into partisanship

Before the fireworks, be careful what you drink

The contemptible case of Clarence Thomas

The permanent paradoxes of Christian thinking about war