The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Virginia elected officers at its annual General Assembly this month. From left are Ka'thy Gore Chappell, secretary; Walt Cummings, current moderator; Jack Mercer, national Coordinating Council member; and Rob Fox, moderator-elect. Not pictured are treasurer…
Indiana Jones would be proud
LONDON (RNS) — Brushing back a thick layer of dust, Tudor Parfitt revealed a distinctive interwoven pattern carved around the outside of the “terribly, terribly damaged” wooden artifact tucked away on the bottom shelf of a Zimbabwe warehouse. “The moment…
Oxford researchers get $4 million to study origins of belief in God
LONDON (RNS) — Oxford University researchers have been given nearly $4 million to investigate the origins of belief in God. The three-year project titled “Empirical Expansion in Cognitive Science of Religion and Theology” is designed to determine if belief in…
FAITH DIGEST
Hinn submits records to Senate committee. After several weeks of delay, televangelist Benny Hinn has submitted a “significant amount” of financial material to a Senate committee that is investigating the finances of six prominent ministries to make sure they are…
Should Christians use violent video games to lure teens to church?
NEW YORK (ABP) — What do warthogs, pelicans, energy swords and Spartan lasers have in common? And how do they relate to John 1:17? They're all part of a video game called Halo 3, the top-selling video game of 2007…
FIRST HAND: Camp Alkulana offers year-round setting
Camp Alkulana — a ministry of the Richmond Baptist Association — has served as a summer haven for Richmond's inner-city children since 1915. But what many Virginians don't know is that Alkulana is available year-round to other groups looking for…
What has Hobbiton to do with Jerusalem?
Bible Belt Christians have struggled long with literature and film espousing a view of reality that confronts the values of our Christian life. In general, if a book or movie challenges what generally are perceived as Christian values or morals…
Circumcision: Are parents cutting out the sign of the Covenant?
NEW YORK (ABP) — The foundational symbol of God's ancient covenant with his people is getting a lot less common in the United States, but medical and theological debates still rage about the propriety of circumcision. Recent legal battles over…
Bluefield College launches emergency notification system
BLUEFIELD — In a proactive, innovative move to enhance its crisis communication with students, Bluefield College launched a wireless emergency notification system, RamAlert, which will dramatically strengthen its ability to communicate with the campus community during times of crisis. Crafted…
Senate bars abortion funds on reservations
WASHINGTON (BP) — The U.S. Senate voted Feb. 26 to prohibit federal funding for abortion as part of an Indian health care bill. Senators approved the amendment 52-42. The Senate approved the overall bill, the Indian Health Care Improvement Act,…
Liberty University to plant 500 new churches
LYNCHBURG (BP) — Leaders at Liberty University have a vision to help plant some 500 new churches during the next five years, evidencing its commitment with a three-day church planting conference. During chapel services attended by 5,000-plus Liberty students during…
In Jena, revival overpowers racial tensions
JENA, La. (BP) — Last Sept. 20, more than 20,000 people from across the nation gathered in small Jena, La., to protest an outbreak of racial tensions at the local high school, exposing old feelings of racism and hate. Celebrities…