WASHINGTON (ABP) — The Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty has recently acquired two new professional staffers. The BJC has hired Stephen Reeves as staff attorney and Emilee Simmons as associate director of communications. Reeves served last fall as a…
McLaren speaks in Kentucky after controversy
GEORGETOWN, Ky. (ABP) — Challenging Christians to become “apprentices of Jesus,” emerging church leader Brian McLaren spoke at a Kentucky Baptist Convention-related school just a few weeks after being uninvited from speaking at a convention-sponsored event. McLaren, one of the…
In New York, legislators block reactivation of death penalty
NEW YORK (ABP) — A state legislative committee has effectively blocked the reinstatement of New York's death-penalty law. A committee of the New York State Assembly killed legislation April 12 that would have reinstated the state's capital-punishment statute. The law…
Sri Lanka asks Baptist agency to mold foster-care program
DALLAS (ABP) — The government of Sri Lanka has invited a Texas Baptist agency to shape the country's first child protective services program, with the man who got the group involved in January's tsunami-relief efforts taking the lead. David Beckett,…
Connecticut, Maryland legislators pass domestic-partner bills
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Legislators in Connecticut and Maryland have passed bills providing state protection for relationships between domestic partners, including same-sex relationships. On April 6, the Connecticut Senate voted 27-9 for a bill that would create civil unions — legal…
Clinton calls for religious-freedom bill despite liberal groups’ objections
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) called for Americans to defend the principle of religious liberty at home and abroad April 7, with special emphasis on foreign policy and a controversial piece of domestic legislation. In a Capitol Hill…
Missouri judge puts second lawsuit against Baptist convention on hold
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (ABP) — A second lawsuit involving the Missouri Baptist Convention and five affiliated institutions has been put on hold pending the outcome of an appeal in an earlier, similar lawsuit. At a hearing on April 5, Cole…
Republican Senate aide admits to authoring Schiavo memo
WASHINGTON (ABP) — The mystery of the memo has been solved. The memorandum that said getting involved in the Terri Schiavo controversy was “a great political issue” for Republicans was authored by an aide to freshman Sen. Mel Martinez (R-Fla.)….
Virginia Baptists, Averett University agree to sever 145-year relationship
RICHMOND, Va. (ABP) — Virginia Baptists have approved a joint statement developed with leaders of Averett University that will end their 145-year-old ties to the school. The Virginia Baptist Mission Board adopted the statement during its spring meeting April 6….