WASHINGTON (ABP) — Conservatives breathed a sigh of relief Oct. 27 after the surprise announcement that White House Counsel Harriet Miers had withdrawn her nomination for an open seat on the Supreme Court. But her change of heart — in…
Methodist woman finds ministry home as associate pastor in Baptist church
RUTLEDGE, Tenn. (ABP) — Betty Shirley uses the word “ironic” to explain how she, a United Methodist, became associate pastor of a Baptist church in a small, conservative Tennessee town. Last spring, Shirley was expecting appointment to a congregation within…
Baylor may reduce board size; is it efficiency or more politics?
WACO, Texas (ABP) — Baylor University regents are expected to consider a proposal at their Oct. 28 meeting that would reduce substantially the size of the school's governing board over the next several years — eventually cutting it to less…
Alterations to housing bill spark religious outcry
WASHINGTON (ABP) — A wide variety of religious and political leaders are expressing outrage over House leaders' last-minute alterations to an affordable-housing bill they say discriminate against religious groups. The House passed a bill late Oct. 26 that would exclude…
Alabama Baptist conservatives disband, citing success
MULGA, Ala. (ABP) — Alabama Baptist Conservatives, a network of pastors organized in 1997, officially disbanded Sept. 29, saying they accomplished their goal of steering the state's Baptist convention in “a conservative direction.” “The state convention has taken a stand…
23 churches destroyed or damaged as Hurricane Wilma slashes Florida
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (ABP) — At least two Baptist churches reportedly were destroyed in Florida and 21 others damaged Oct. 24 as Hurricane Wilma cut a diagonal swath across the southern tip of the state, which has weathered eight hurricanes in…
Baptist workers aid quake victims, provide shelter from Pakistani winter
NORTHERN PAKISTAN (ABP) — Despite early positive hints of life beneath the ruins of schools in northern Pakistan, no survivors were found by the search-and-rescue team from Hungarian Baptist Aid, which arrived in the region two days after the Oct….
Holistic CBF ministry plants seeds in northern Thailand
NORTHERN THAILAND (ABP) — As they pour scalding green tea into plastic cups and pass it to their guests sitting on mats on the concrete floor of the “head man's” home, the Palaung villagers explain the benefits of being in…
Trustee resigns when seminary changes plan to name building for Patterson
WAKE FOREST, N.C. (ABP) — A trustee of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary resigned Oct. 11 shortly after questioning a plan to name a building for former seminary president Paige Patterson and his wife, Dorothy. Richard Headrick, a trustee from Laurel,…
Correction:
In the Oct. 21 ABP story “Action on budget, gays, trustees, exec show conservatives' muscle in N.C.,” David Horton was mistakenly identified as a speaker at a rally at Southeastern Seminary. To correct the mistake, make the two corrections below….
Baptist, other leaders cite Rosa Parks as paragon of Christian conscience
DETROIT (ABP) — Reacting to news of Rosa Parks' death Oct. 25, Christian leaders said Jesus was the model for the woman who kept her bus seat in order to stand against injustice. “She saw her participation in the struggle…