WASHINGTON (RNS) — With her careers as veterinarian, astronaut and U.S. president behind her, Barbie has at last found her true calling — as an Episcopal priest. Julie Blake Fisher, an Episcopal priest in Kent, Ohio, created Episcopal Priest Barbie…
Black Baptist pastor asks Southern Baptist Convention to repent of racism
ARLINGTON, Texas (ABP) — A prominent African-American Baptist pastor says the Southern Baptist Convention has not kept a promise made in 1995 to "eradicate racism in all its forms from Southern Baptist life and ministry." Dwight McKissic, pastor of Cornerstone…
Christians outside the West view Bible differently from affluent westerners
RICHMOND, Va. — Christians in the developing nations read Scripture differently than their brothers and sister in the affluent West, according to missiologist Caleb Oladipo. “The way we read the Scriptures in the western world particularly is through empirical knowledge—that…
Churches wrestle with giving drop
WASHINGTON (RNS) — The number of churches that reported a drop in giving due to the sour economy rose nearly 10 percent last year, according to new survey. In 2009, 38 percent of churches reported a decline in giving, versus…
VIRGINIA BAPTIST FORUM: New hymnal is welcome addition
Thank you for the two articles [Herald, April 1] about the new Celebrating Grace hymnal. It truly is, as the article says, “a hymnal built by Baptists for Baptists." I have watched the progress in the preparation of this hymnal…
BTSR to suspend operations of its continuing education component
RICHMOND, Va. — Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond will suspend operations of its School of Christian Ministry in July, a move the seminary’s president says will benefit both BTSR and its six-year-old continuing education component. The last group of classes…
VIRGINIA BAPTIST FORUM: Editor’s attack on Glenn Beck was unjustified
This is in response to the editorial by James E. White concerning social justice and the Glenn Beck show [Herald, March 18]. I watched that program and I did not understand it as the writer did. Glenn Beck never said…
VIRGINIA BAPTIST FORUM: Where were women on hymnal committee?
Your April 1 issue contained a major article concerning the “New Baptist hymnal unveiled in Atlanta” (headline). The text offers some insights as to how the hymnal was compiled. Also pictured is the five-member editorial board, which was described as…
Congregational-health expert says churches and ministers are ‘in crisis’
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (ABP) — During his installation March 18 as president of the Center for Congregational Health, Bill Wilson said churches and ministers are "in crisis." That's a breath-sucking observation from the head of an organization that has dealt with…
LENTEN MEDITATION: Them, us and the Passion of Jesus
Engaging Scripture and encountering the Lord of Scripture can be dangerous. Maybe that’s why many of us have learned the art of showing up Sunday after Sunday for “Bible study” without much risk of doing either. That truth came home…
RESURRECTION DAY MEDITATION: After Easter, be more like Jesus
The highest holy day of the year for Christians is here. Christians will rightfully celebrate God’s sacrifice in the death of His Son on a ghastly cross. We will remember His death reverently and soberly. But we also will rejoice…
VIRGINIA BAPTIST FORUM: Both churches staying the course
I read you article about the Airlee Court Baptist Church in Roanoke. The heading sounded like they had drifted from their course and that Journey Church was trying to take over their buildings. If I understand the situation correctly, Airlee…