A small group of Baptist ministers is exploring ways to apply historically Catholic spiritual formation disciplines to the work of racial reconciliation. The exploration is based on the belief that those ancient practices, such as meditation and contemplative prayer, can…
Religion Notes: Pastors oppose sports gambling; Gardner-Webb featured in March Madness broadcast
Most Protestant pastors oppose sports gambling and its legalization, a position placing them at odds with much of society and even with their own congregations. “The large majority of pastors oppose sports betting,” Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research,…
Religion Notes: Religious people happier; Baptist groups fund global projects
It’s long been assumed that religious belief and participation contributes to overall happiness. Now there are some statistics confirming that. The Pew Research Center has released a survey that found, globally, those active in congregations “tend to be happier and…
Pastor, judge, activist, agitator: As he strives for justice, Wendell Griffen stretches the lexicon of adjectives
Wendell Griffen, 66, is all of these things. But his persona is so large, his reputation so loud, his “rightness” so locked in and eagerly defended, that the man’s depth can be lost in the shallows in which he must wade.
Racially diverse church occupies campus where Baptist pastor once proclaimed racist views
In one of life’s delicious little ironies, New Millennium Church now meets on the campus associated with one of Little Rock’s most ardent racists of the 1950s.
Photo Gallery: Wendell Griffen
View the photo gallery of Wendell Griffen.
How do the Gospel, social justice ministry and meditation mix? Ask Joe Phelps
If it were anyone else but Joe Phelps, news of a retired Baptist preacher extolling the virtues of meditation as a means of social justice may sound like a sign of the End Times.
Pray for immigrants? We need them to pray for us, minister-activist says
Religious leaders gathered at a vigil in December to declare support for Rosa Gutierrez Lopez, an El Salvadoran immigrant who had just taken sanctuary in a Maryland church to avoid deportation. Baptist minister and immigrant rights activist Julio Hernandez was…
Pack a constitution with that Bible for overseas mission trips, expert says
A huge challenge facing faith-based groups operating overseas is ignorance about the laws governing religion in other countries. It can get people into a lot of trouble, said Eron Henry, a Jamaian-born American and former communications executive with the Baptist…