How is it that Nigeria, a country of about 200 million people, has experienced only 1,449 deaths from COVID-19, while the United States, a country of 331 million, has experienced 400,000 deaths? Ask some Nigerians and, because the country is…
Q&A with Richard Wilson on applying Ebola lessons to COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic isn’t Richard Wilson’s first go-around with a deadly virus outbreak. He’s the Columbus Roberts Professor of Christian Theology and chairman of the religion department at Mercer University. He also served as president of the Liberian Baptist Theological…
Baptist leader celebrates Ebola-free Liberia
By Bob Allen A Liberian Baptist leader celebrated the World Health Organization’s declaration that the country is Ebola-free, making it the first of the three hardest-hit West African nations to bring the epidemic to a formal end. “Forty-two days have…
Liberia seminary reopens post-Ebola
By Bob Allen The Liberia Baptist Theological Seminary, one of the country’s leading schools, reopened March 2 after six months of closure prompted by the Ebola crisis in West Africa. Richard Wilson, a Mercer University professor named in 2013 as…
Prayers for 2015
In this first blog article of 2015, I am reflecting back on the year that has just ended and am sharing some of my prayers for the year that lies ahead. First, I pray for health and happiness for all…
Ebola, race, marriage and Obamacare top stories in 2014
By Bob Allen Following is a summary of some of the year’s major headlines. Baptists and race. Will Baptists remember 2014 as a sea change in race relations? Fifty years after the civil rights movement and nearly 20 years after…
Interim seminary head praises progress against Ebola in Liberia
By Bob Allen Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf announced Nov. 13 the end of national state of emergency, citing progress in the fight against Ebola. Richard Wilson, a Mercer University professor forced to leave his temporary appointment as president of…
If fear wins the day
Michael Helms Helen Cooper is a writer for the New York Times. Her coverage of the Ebola crisis is unique because she was born in Liberia and she still has family living there. Having immigrated to the United States, she…
Black Baptists in U.S. take on Ebola
By Jeff Brumley A coalition of black Baptist organizations announced today its intention to combat the ongoing Ebola outbreak in West Africa. The African-American Baptist Mission Collaboration issued a statement that its constituent members — the Lott Carey Baptist Foreign Mission…