Baptist News Global

Appeals court allows priest’s defamation case to proceed against Russian Orthodox Church

Faith groups cannot claim religious belief and doctrine as exemptions from lawsuits that include issues of secular law, a federal court has ruled in the case of an Orthodox priest who sued church officials for defamation. The Aug. 17 opinion…

What does Revelation say to the American church today? Beware the temptation of beastly power

John the Revelator warns about the dangers of joining church and state. He thunders: “Beware the sea beast; it has seven heads and 12 horns, and his number is 666. Beware the land beast; it has two horns and is…

The moral and ethical difference between the life and ministry of Jesus and the life and career of Donald Trump

In view of Donald Trump’s mounting legal issues — and especially the prospect that he may be charged with criminal conduct — we should ponder his continued popularity with people who call themselves “evangelical” followers of Jesus, or to be…

Mohler to speak on the ‘idolatry’ of secularism at conference advocating ‘national conservatism’

A Southern Baptist seminary president will join four well-known Republican politicians as a keynote speaker at an upcoming conference on “national conservatism.” According to online publicity, Al Mohler’s topic will be: “‘Your God Will Have Been Supplanted by an Idol’:…

Faith leaders call for urgent opposition to Oklahoma plan to execute an inmate a month for two years

The state of Oklahoma has announced an unprecedented plan to execute 25 inmates over a two-year period beginning this month, about one execution per month. This plan will clear out more than half the current population on Oklahoma’s Death Row,…

This week is the 80th anniversary of the day my great-grandparents died

The reality is that my great-grandparents didn’t just die, they were murdered. They were two of 6 million Jews murdered by the Nazis and their willing accomplices throughout Europe. And it wasn’t just the two of them, but their children…

When my dad asked me to preach a revival in his church, I took a crew of encouragers instead

“Would you be willing to come and preach a revival for us?” my dad asked when I answered the phone that day driving down Main Street (hands-free, of course). I asked him specifically what he was looking for and he…

India at 75: The world’s largest democracy is dying of toxic nationalism

Think white Christian nationalism is the most dangerous form of identity politics in the democratic world? Meet Hindu nationalism, which is systematically destroying secular democracy — and civil society — in India. I sincerely regret raining on the parade of…

The congregational staffing crisis

My news feed has been filled with a variety of stories recently describing the current and coming shortage of public educators. Many school systems are reporting a dearth of teachers as they start the academic year. Citing a variety of…

Progressive National Baptist Convention elects woman to leadership role for first time

One of the country’s leading Black Protestant denominations elected a woman to a key leadership role for the first time. On Aug. 11, during its 61st annual session, the Progressive National Baptist Convention elected Jacqueline A. Thompson as second vice…

50 years later, I’m still embarrassed to admit what a stranger at church taught me about being welcome

I’ve been interested in Mary Magdalene lately for some unknown reason. Hers is a fascinating story, and to be honest, everything we know about her would barely fill a small paragraph. Here it is: Mary Magdalene was a Jewish woman…

Is ‘In God We Trust’ an assertion of Christian nationalism or of American history in public schools?

As schoolchildren head back to class in Texas this week, many of them will be greeted by the sight of the American and Texas flags displayed along with the text of the National Motto: “In God We Trust.” That’s because…

Matthew Vines sets off a debate over what it means to be ‘queer’

Dear Mike Johnson, be careful what you ask for

What, to the white Christian, is America 250?

Four years later, anti-abortionists battle on other fronts