NASHVILLE, Tenn. (ABP) — The Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee has voted to raise the salaries for some of its upper-level employees as questions continue about the openness of its salary structure. The vote came during the committee's Sept. 20…
Alabama Baptist churches help state literacy effort
VESTAVIA HILLS, Ala. (ABP) — Alabama is leading the way in raising literacy rates, one child at a time, said U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings at the second Governor's Reading Summit Sept. 15 at Shades Mountain Baptist Church, Vestavia…
House may vote this week on faith-based provision
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Yet another fight over expanding government grants to religious groups is likely to erupt in the House of Representatives this week. The full House is scheduled to take up a bill Sept. 21 extending the Head Start…
Bush proposes school vouchers for Katrina evacuee families
WASHINGTON (ABP) — In Hurricane Katrina's aftermath, President Bush may be able to push through Congress a pet project that they have stymied for four years now — a wide-ranging federal school voucher program. Just a day after Bush presented…
Houston churches step up to meet needs of Katrina evacuees
HOUSTON (ABP) — Monica Villacres and her 11-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, made it safely through Hurricane Katrina at their house in New Orleans. But two days later when the water was rising, there was no power and they had no way…
Tennessee leaders reject Belmont plan to add non-Baptists to trustee board
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. (ABP) — Tennessee Baptist leaders Sept. 13 rejected a proposal from Belmont University to allow up to 40 percent of the Nashville school's trustees to be non-Baptists. Currently all trustees must be members of churches affiliated with the…
House adds sexual orientation to hate-crimes protections
WASHINGTON (ABP) — In a surprise move while most of the political world's attention was focused elsewhere, the House of Representatives voted Sept. 14 to add sexual orientation to federal hate-crimes protections. On a 223-199 vote, the chamber added the…
Group revises Bible curriculum following national controversy
WASHINGTON (ABP) — A group that encourages teaching the Bible as history and literature in the public schools has revised its curriculum, incorporating many of the changes recommended by an organization it characterized as “anti-religion extremists.” In late August, the…
Texas association helps evacuees find home away from home
DALLAS (ABP) — Murray Broden and Benny Hand are getting used to running out of time. The two men held out in their New Orleans homes as long as they could until the flood waters after Hurricane Katrina made the…