A church-state separationist group has filed suit to try to halt a new law calling for the distribution of taxpayer funds for the historical preservation of California mission churches. Americans United for Separation of Church and State, a Washington-based watchdog…
Familiar look? Forensics scientists reconstruct face of original Santa
What did the real Santa Claus look like? Viewers of a program broadcast Dec. 18 on British TV found out. A team of forensic scientists at Britain's Manchester University has reconstructed the face of St. Nicholas of Myra-the precursor of…
Powerful symbol: Christmas trees evolved from centuries-old traditions
By Timothy Harper The Christmas tree remains a powerful symbol for many of us. “Christmas trees probably add more to mark the period of ‘peace on earth, goodwill toward men' than any other product of the soil,” says Ann Kirk-Davis,…
Church & People News for Dec. 16
C H R I S T M A S • M U S I C • & • D R A M A Arlington Church, Arlington; “The Promise of a King,” Dec. 19 at 2:30 p.m. Ash Avenue Church, South…
A new beginning
Heritage column for Dec. 16, 2004 By Fred Anderson It happens at least a hundred times a year in Virginia and thousands of times across the country. A new pastor is called to serve a Baptist church, and each time,…
Lilly Foundation gives BTSR $2 million grant
Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond has received a $2 million grant from the Lilly Endowment to work with churches to promote “ministerial excellence.” BTSR will use the funds to build a job-placement system, to assist churches considering female pastors, to…
Letters for Dec. 16, 2004
Happy to be a liberal? I was truly disturbed by your publication of the guest editorial on Nov. 25. “Why I'm proud to be a liberal” seems an attempt to justify the support of liberal values for Christians. I cannot…
Spiritual formation leaders look at network
Sandi Rogers, pastor of faith formation at Columbia Baptist Church in Falls Church, was among 12 spiritual formation leaders who met Nov. 18-19 in Atlanta to discern the future of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship's new Spiritual Formation Network. The SFN…
The hopeful season
Another View for Dec. 16, 2004 By Tom Ehrich Now comes the season of hope and disappointment. Stores and malls are heavy laden. For merchants, Christmas is an annual roll of the dice. Some will guess right, some wrong. Some…
Historical journal looks at Baptists in West
“Go west, young Baptist” could be the topic of the forthcoming Virginia Baptist Register,” says Lee Shepard, editor of the annual journal of the Virginia Baptist Historical Society. Shepard said the latest issue features three Virginia Baptists who experienced the…
Faculty vote at Baylor calls for president’s firing
A majority of Baylor University faculty who voted in a nonbinding referendum on the leadership of President Robert Sloan say he should be dismissed. Of the 490 votes cast, 85 percent were against retaining Sloan as president. Sloan has been…
Historical society opens Bible exhibit
“Hide These Words in Your Heart” is a new exhibit in the Heritage Gallery of the Virginia Baptist Historical Society which allows visitors to follow the history of the Bible. On display are rare and beautiful examples of authentic leaves…