Justice in Love, Nicholas Wolterstorff (Eerdmans) Often, the Christian themes of justice and love are held in tension. Philosophers have posited them as incompatible starting points for thinking about ethics while the rest of us have often wondered if the…
OPINION: Looking for laughter after 9/11
It’s coming. The sun’s daily rise and set prompts the inexorable turn of calendar pages and guarantees it. This Sept. 11 marks 10 years since the day the world stood still as 19 terrorists commandeered four huge jets and flew…
EDITORIAL: That pivotal day
September 11, 2001 is a day we will never forget. On that day, John Upton became the executive director of the Baptist General Association of Virginia. As noteworthy as that event is, however, and as much as it should be…
Baptist relief agencies begin Mid-Atlantic cleanup in wake of Irene
RICHMOND, Va. — As Hurricane Irene continued its destructive track north Aug. 28, Baptist relief agencies in the Mid-Atlantic began deploying volunteers in the region, which was left with rising water and little electricity in the wake of the storm….
HeraldBeat
GOT NEWS? Send information for this page to HeraldBeat editor Barbara Francis at [email protected]. Even better — add the Herald to your church’s newsletter e-mail list, send us a link to your online newsletter page or mail the newsletter to…
HERITAGE: Remembering infamy
For those of certain ages, there are events which forever stay in memory. My mother could tell me where she was when she heard about Pearl Harbor. I remember what I was doing when I heard that President Kennedy had…
Williamsburg, Va., church finds mission in its own backyard
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — The pineapple has served as a universal symbol of hospitality and welcome for many centuries all over the world. It represents the warmth and style in which guests are welcomed into the home. This summer hundreds of…
Churches offer ‘Soul Food,’ encouragement to the unemployed
When people are in trouble following natural disasters, churches usually respond rapidly and generously. The disaster of chronic unemployment creates a different set of challenges, but some churches across the country provide models of ministry to people affected by economic…
If God made us for meaningful labor, what if we can’t find a job?
In an uncertain and unstable economy, how do Christians reconcile work as a reflection of the image of God in them with high unemployment and under-employment rates? Should believers reexamine what defines "meaningful" work? How do Christians reconcile faith issues…
Beyond immediate ministry, a call to address social inequities
While many churches reach out to meet the immediate needs of people who have lost jobs, Christians also are called to tackle underlying social issues related to employment and to partner with others to help make long-term changes, some ethicists…
Two lies for Labor Day: A transforming theology of work
I am a Christian because of the ministry of two "laymen." One was a mechanic, the other a salesman. When I was a teenager, they invited me to ride their bus to church. If they had not knocked on my…
Churches near quake’s epicenter left with cracked walls, broken glass
MINERAL, Va. — The rare East Coast earthquake Aug. 23 left two Baptist churches near the epicenter with cracked walls and broken glass, but no major damage, said spokespersons at each congregation. Mineral Baptist Church and Louisa Baptist Church —…