WASHINGTON (ABP) — Justice for poor farmers and support for free trade are motivating a broad coalition of liberal, moderate and conservative groups to urge changes to an agriculture bill the House is considering. But the legislation affects much more…
Turkish voters give mandate to moderate Islamist party
ISTANBUL (ABP) — Despite the fears of the nation's secular elite, Turkish voters kept a moderate Islamist party in power after parliamentary elections July 22. The Justice and Development Party, known by its Turkish initials as AKP, received about 47…
Baylor gets $4M estate gift to benefit religion department
WACO, Texas (ABP) — Baylor University announced June 20 an approximately $4 million gift from the estate of Allene Hubler, which will establish an endowed chair, an endowed professorship and an endowed scholarship in Baylor's religion department. Hubler's gift will…
Collaborative blog wins endorsements from top Southern Baptist leaders
NEW YORK (ABP) — In a ringing show of support, several prominent Baptist leaders have publicly endorsed a groundbreaking blog operated by reform-minded pastors within the Southern Baptist Convention. The endorsers include the presidents of three SBC entities and a…
Gay-friendly Baptist groups excluded from New Baptist Covenant event
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (ABP) — The organization sponsoring an upcoming historic pan-Baptist gathering has told two gay-friendly Baptist groups they cannot participate in an official capacity. The North American Baptist Fellowship, under whose auspices next year's “Celebration of a New…
Church corruption, questionable gifts live on, long after Bakker scandal
DALLAS (ABP) — For some, Tammy Faye Messner's death July 20 stirred fond memories of a joyful Christian TV personality, and for others, painful memories of the sex-and-money scandal that destroyed her former husband's popular Christian television network. Her death…
Baugh family challenge nets BJC nearly $1.2 million in two weeks
WASHINGTON (ABP) — A Texas Baptist family's spontaneous challenge to jump-start a Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty capital campaign netted the organization nearly $1.2 million dollars in just a couple of weeks. Brent Walker, executive director of the Washington-based…
Barnes Named Dean of College of Visual and Performing Arts at UMHB
UNEDITED NEWS RELEASLE — Belton, Texas — Ted Barnes has been named dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts. Barnes most recently served at Ouachita Baptist University teaching in the area of graphic design. Prior to OBU, he…
Congregational-health expert Odom to head Duke leadership initiative
DURHAM, N.C. (ABP) – A Baptist expert in encouraging congregational health is moving from a company he founded to a new initiative at Duke University Divinity School. David Odom, who founded the Center for Congregational Health, will become executive director…
Guest Opinion: Creeds, chaos, and the Holy Spirit
I have enjoyed reading Beth Newman's thought provoking editorials on the Baptist identity. Her most recent opinion piece, “Historical Amnesia and the Christian Creeds,” stirred memories of conversations I have had with other Baptist theologians. Lately, there has been a…
Baptist morality activist arrested on sex-for-hire charges in N.C.
RALEIGH, N.C. (ABP) — Coy Privette, the president of a Christian morality group and a former state legislator and Southern Baptist Convention leader, has been arrested on prostitution-related charges in North Carolina. Privette, the president of the Christian Action League…
Affluent pastors use wealth differently: Some give back; others buy yachts
DALLAS (ABP) — There's a rare breed of creature often spotted in exotic locations leading a large pack. No, it's not a yellow-tailed wooly monkey. It's a wealthy pastor, and its very existence is controversial. Success in many professions is…