FORT WORTH, Texas (RNS) — The United Methodist Church at its General Conference in Fort Worth held to its traditional rules on homosexuality, refusing to support or celebrate same-sex unions and maintaining language that calls homosexual activity “incompatible with Christian…
OUT LOUD
“The only part of my faith that has any play in my judicial enterprise is whatever commandment it is — the sixth — thou shalt not lie.” Justice Antonin Scalia The Supreme Court justice was responding to a question on…
FAITH DIGEST
Panel cites 11 religious freedom offenders. A federal watchdog panel an-nounced 11 countries should be named “countries of particular concern” for their records on religious freedom, including three not currently on the State Department's list. The U.S. Commission on International…
Baptists waiting to respond in Myanmar
YANGON, Myanmar — Days after a cyclone's widespread devastation in Myanmar, the first two planeloads of United Nations relief supplies landed in the capital, Yangon, May 8, and Baptist relief organizations are waiting to follow. Observers fear the death toll…
FIRST PERSON: Mary Washington students spend spring break at work
Paul reminded the Corinthian Christians, “This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God” (2 Corinthians 9:12 NIV). For 20 students and two adult…
Chaplain launches ‘adopt a terrorist’ prayer campaign
WASHINGTON (RNS) — An Army Reserve chaplain has decided to do his individual part in the war on terror. He co-founded an Internet ministry to pray for terrorists. “Adopt a Terrorist for Prayer” was launched in March and features a…
Obama’s former pastor gives first TV interview
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Pastor Jeremiah Wright, who became a household name recently after video snippets of his sermons created a stir on the Internet and a headache for his most famous parishioner, is defending himself in an interview that was…
Key evangelical leaders endorse reconciliation
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Several prominent evangelical leaders have endorsed a “Reconciliation Referendum” that says Sen. Barack Obama's recent address on race did not go far enough and pushes church leaders to speak up more about the need to address racism….
Texas church, mired in controversy over gays in directory, loses pastor
FORT WORTH, Texas (ABP) — Brett Younger, pastor of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas, survived a vote to fire him last month but is leaving the church anyway — to become associate professor of preaching at Mercer University's…