A lone gunman entered the sprawling First Baptist Church of Maryville, Ill., Sunday morning, March 8, during its 8:15 a.m. service and after exchanging words with the pastor who had stepped down from the pulpit to greet the man, he…
Supreme Court: Sect can’t force Utah city to erect monument’
WASHINGTON (ABP) — In a groundbreaking, but limited, free-speech case the Supreme Court said the city of Pleasant Grove, Utah, can’t be forced to accept the gift of a monument to a small religious sect’s precepts — even though the…
Arkansas guns-in-church bill dies in state Senate
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (ABP) — A highly publicized bill that would have allowed worshipers to carry concealed weapons in Arkansas churches died Feb. 25 in the state Senate. The proposal to amend the state’s concealed-weapons law to remove “any church…
Increasingly, Baptists turning to observance of Lent
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (ABP) — Though traditionally viewed as a Catholic rite, increasing numbers of Baptists are discovering the discipline of Lent. Growing from the free-church branch of Protestantism, Baptists traditionally have been highly suspicious of virtually all of the rituals…
FAITH DIGEST
Compared to Christians, fewer Jews switch faiths. Jews are less likely than Catholics or Protestants to change faiths, though religious switching nationwide has increased since 1965, according to a study released by the American Jewish Committee. Most who leave Judaism…
No opening day dogs for Catholic fans
CLEVELAND (RNS) — Major League Baseball’s opening day schedule has thrown Catholic fans a curveball this year. Seven teams are hosting their home opener on April 10 — Good Friday, when faithful Catholics abstain from meat. That means no ballpark…
Freeman: For women, proper question not ‘ordination,’ but ‘calling’
MOUNT OLIVE, N.C. (ABP) — Asking whether women should be ordained to the ministry is the wrong question, according to Baptist professor Curtis Freeman. “The question is, ‘Who is being gifted in the church?’” said Freeman, research professor of theology…
Obama ends restrictions on embryonic stem-cell study
WASHINGTON (ABP)—With a March 9 executive order, President Obama made official what many scientists had long anticipated—and many religious conservatives had long feared—lifting his predecessor’s ban on federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research. “In recent years, when it comes to…
Bill to permit guns in churches revived in wake of pastor’s shooting
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (ABP) — An Arkansas lawmaker says she will reintroduce a bill to allow concealed weapons in churches after a deadly Illinois church shooting March 8. State Rep. Beverly Pyle (R-Cedarville) originally introduced a measure Jan. 29 to remove "any…