VISTA, Calif. (ABP) — As several religious leaders criticized Pat Robertson's comments blaming Haiti's massive Jan. 12 earthquake on a pact supposedly made by its people with the devil, one came out to defend him. Gary Cass, chairman and CEO…
Bible is major theme in new film
MALIBU, Calif. (ABP) — The Bible plays a starring role in "The Book of Eli," a post-apocalyptic action film starring Denzel Washington that opened in theaters Jan. 15. Washington, a two-time Academy Award winner widely known in Hollywood for his…
REVIEW: ‘The Book of Eli’ casts Bible as a major theme
MALIBU, Calif. (ABP) — The Bible plays a starring role in "The Book of Eli," a post-apocalyptic action film starring Denzel Washington that opened in theaters Jan. 15. Washington, a two-time Academy Award winner widely known in Hollywood for his…
Television program profiles friendships between Muslims, Baptists
{youtube}9M_KIOG7s04{/youtube} NASHVILLE, Tenn. (ABP) — One thing Muslims and Baptists have in common is they are often identified by their extremists, according to a documentary airing on ABC television stations in January and February. "Different Books, Common Word" offers an…
Baptists worldwide take low-key approach to religious-liberty concerns
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (ABP) — Baptists generally prefer to handle violations of religious freedom through quiet diplomacy instead of media headlines denouncing “persecution” of Christians, said a freedom-and-justice specialist for the Baptist World Alliance. That approach contrasts with well-known organizations…
Persecution a recent concern in SBC resolutions
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (ABP) — While staunch defenders of human rights and religious liberty for all, Southern Baptists rarely mentioned religious persecution in convention resolutions until the 1990s. That coincides with increased calls by social conservatives, including the newly conservative leadership…
Two CBF assemblies to celebrate 20 years of movement’
DECATUR, Ga. (ABP) — The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship will stress community at the organization’s 20th General Assembly June 24-25, 2010, in Charlotte, N.C. Daniel Vestal, executive coordinator of the Atlanta-based CBF, told members of the group’s national Coordinating Council Oct….
Seminary adopts statement asserting male headship
FORT WORTH, Texas (ABP) — Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary has adopted a policy statement that declares men and women equal before God but created for specific roles of headship and submission in the church and home. Seminary trustees voted Oct….
Judge in Tajikistan orders Baptist church to close, citing violations
OSLO, Norway (ABP) — A judge in Tajikistan has ordered a Baptist church in the capital city, Dushanbe, to cease meetings in a private home, saying that housing codes and a new religion law require houses of worship to register…
Did Huckabee rely too much on faith in commuting prisoners’ sentences?
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (ABP) — The Dec. 1 police shooting of suspected cop killer Maurice Clemmons has renewed allegations that, as governor of Arkansas, Mike Huckabee paid more attention to preachers and professed jailhouse conversions than prosecutors and parole boards…
Constitutionality of Christian prison planned in Oklahoma disputed
WASHINGTON (ABP) — A church-state watchdog group maintains a Christian prison proposed in Oklahoma probably would be unconstitutional. But the Baptist minister who hopes to open the nation’s first faith-based prison says he is confident it will pass constitutional muster….
Baptist state convention budgets feeling effects of shaky economy
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (ABP) — Feeling the effects of a bad economy, several Southern Baptist Convention-affiliated state and regional conventions reduced budgets in annual meetings, held in recent weeks across the nation. The Baptist General Convention of Texas, which includes 4,500…