I await my Religious Herald every week and read it cover to cover. I am a new deacon at Monument Heights Baptist and found “The noose tightens” [Herald, Dec. 9] disturbing. I confess I really don't completely understand the difference…
Church & People News for Dec. 23, 2004
S T A F F • C H A N G E S Benjamin Todd Thomason, to Baptist Temple Church, Alexandria, as senior pastor. Charlie Hoffler, to Cooper's Cove Church, Hardy, as pastor. Robert Hudman, to Enon Church, Roanoke, as…
American Baptist official decries gay debate
Regional leaders of the American Baptist Churches USA have issued a pastoral letter declaring that denominational debate on homosexuality “threatens to break us apart.” In their statement, released Dec. 2, regional executive ministers outlined steps they would take to deal…
SBC leaders say no to ecumenical group
The Southern Baptist Convention has told organizers of Christian Churches Together in the USA, a fledgling ecumenical organization, that it has no interest in joining. The new organization, set to formally launch next fall, aims to bring Catholics, mainline Protestants,…
SBC withdrawal from BWA, missionaries’ murder were top stories in 2004
By Greg Warner The Southern Baptist Convention's withdrawal from the Baptist World Alliance was the top Baptist news story of 2004, according to a survey of journalists. The murder of four SBC missionaries in Iraq was the second most significant…
UCC flies complaint with FCC over rejection
The United Church of Christ has asked the Federal Communications Commission to deny licenses to two Miami television stations after church ads were rejected as “too controversial” by the NBC and CBS networks. The church accused the two stations-WFOR, a…
Bush’s re-election, Gibson film are top among religion writers
The role of faith in President Bush's re-election and Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ tied as the top stories of 2004 in a survey of religion newswriters. The online survey of Religion Newswriters Association members was conducted Dec….
Iraqi leader says country will protect Christians
Iraq's foreign minister met with Pope John Paul II on Dec. 13 and pledged the commitment of his interim government to protect the country's Christians from terrorist attacks. Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari delivered a message to the pope from…
From the red states to The Passion, religion news glowed red in 2004
By Kevin Eckstrom Red, color experts tell us, is a serious color. It denotes passion, heat, importance, even danger. Power ties, celebrity carpets and stop signs are all red. Red says, “Stop what you're doing and pay attention.” So it…