For 75 years there has been a Baptist witness in a section of Henry County which once had the name of Rough & Ready, likely after the Rough & Ready Mills which dated to the 1870s. Indeed some of the…
Muslim leaders affirm king’s interfaith effort
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (RNS) — Hundreds of Muslim leaders from around the world have endorsed Saudi King Abdullah's recent call for intensified interfaith dialogue in order to dampen global conflict and demonstrate Islam's commitment to solving world problems. The declaration…
Polygamist sect’s children sing, write poems to thank Baptists
GONZALES, Texas (ABP) — Children seized from a polygamist sect's compound and temporarily entrusted to a Texas Baptist child-care agency bid farewell to their former caretakers May 31 with poetry, song and strong emotion. In anticipation of a court ruling…
OUT LOUD
“One final thing, Lord, I promise. This November could you keep an eye on all of us and see that the change that we embrace comes from Arizona and not Illinois?” James Lisante The Catholic priest from Long Island, N.Y.,…
Jesuits promise ‘creative fidelity’ to Pope
VATICAN CITY (RNS) — Responding to explicit requests from Pope Benedict XVI, leaders of the Jesuits declared their fidelity to the papacy and church doctrine, while stressing their need for “freedom” and “creativity” in carrying out their work. The statements…
Hazards for both sides when politicians court pastors
WASHINGTON (RNS)—Mitt Romney and his Mormon faith. Mike Huckabee and his “Christian leader” ads. John McCain and John Hagee. Hillary Clinton and her “prayer warriors.” Barack Obama and Jeremiah Wright. To put it mildly, the 2008 election has featured an…
Baptists aid displaced workers in South Africa
WASHINGTON (BWA) — Baptists in South Africa have come to the aid of those displaced by ethnic violence. More than 60 immigrants from other countries have been killed and almost 700 injured in violence that erupted in Johannesburg, Cape Town…
FAITHSHAPERS: Teaching tricky topics: The Trinity (2)
God sent Jesus partly to make himself real to us, and his reality makes Jesus the easiest topic among the Trinity. By teaching children about the nature of Jesus, we also teach them about the nature of God and the…
Central Texas church touches lives of children, families in Macedonia
PRIDDY, Texas — Their church building may be small and unassuming, but the members of Priddy Baptist Church in Priddy, Texas, are making a powerful impact on children living in the ghetto of Skopje, Macedonia. A few years ago, Cooperative…