Baptist News Global

A plea to people of faith on behalf of our LGBTQ friends

In 1996, an LGBTQ activist in Hawai`i somehow convinced me that it would be a “great idea” to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee. The committee was deciding on whether or not to bring an amendment defining marriage before Hawai`i…

An unlikely treasure of religious devotion found in a family attic

A picture may be worth a thousand words, but occasionally a gasp is a more appropriate response. Such was the case during an evening of sorting through old photos from the attic of my wife’s family home. Her father died…

Before you make church property decisions, consider your mission and calling

Congregations must put faith and calling before revenue when contemplating renting, leasing or selling church property in response to declines in giving and attendance, said Dominic Dutra, author of Closing Costs: Reimagining Church Real Estate for Missional Purposes. Church leaders…

Heaven and hell: Trick or treat?

Mallory Challis’ recent analysis — “Most Americans believe in heaven or hell, but their ideas aren’t always biblical”— of what people believe about the afterlife begs a question: Which works better to incentivize behavior, heaven or hell? It’s a variation…

Religious leaders from Africa join call for Fossil Fuel Non-proliferation Treaty

A coalition of religious leaders in Africa and beyond has proposed a Fossil Fuel Non-proliferation Treaty as an urgent response to the devastation of climate change on the continent and the world. The grassroots multi-faith organization known as GreenFaith held…

When voting based on the economy is the wrong thing to do

There’s a long tradition in American politics of voting based on economic interests. We shouldn’t be surprised that gas prices and food prices have a direct bearing on who people vote for or against. But there are good reasons not…

Samford denies professional group for LGBTQ law school students

Once again, Samford University has denied a request to allow a group for LGBTQ students — this time excluding students in its highly rated Cumberland School of Law. In 2017, the Birmingham school forfeited $3 million a year in institutional…

Catering to the crazies

I get it. This is not a very nice or appropriate title for an article. It’s a bit pejorative and judgmental and doesn’t sound very much like Jesus. However, I’m quoting a pastor who called recently to seek counsel about…

When does life begin? Your opinion on the matter impacts the way you understand contraceptives

After the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in late June, a group of college students stood outside the court praising the decision. Many of these people were part of Students for Life. Students for Life is a pro-life…

‘Christian nation’ myth is fundamental to Christian nationalism, speakers warn

One of the scariest things about Christian nationalism — especially for a Black Baptist minister— is its symbiotic relationship with white supremacy expressed through the myth that America was founded as a Christian nation, Christopher McKee Jr. explained to an…

A conversation with Anthony Reddie about the importance of James Cone

Last fall, I had the great honor of serving as a visiting fellow at the Oxford Center for Religion and Culture, headed by the renowned Black liberation theologian Anthony G. Reddie. Anthony and I became fast friends, and we had…

What’s the largest seminary in America today? You might be surprised

If Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary isn’t the world’s largest seminary anymore, what is? While it’s not easy to assess the world’s largest seminary, it is easy to identify the nation’s largest seminary. The answer may surprise some but also illustrates…

An American experiment: 250 years of trying

10 reasons America is not a ‘Christian nation’

American Dominion traces deep roots of Seven Mountain Mandate

Lindsey Graham and the history of ‘widow’s succession’