In a case little heralded outside North Texas and outside Episcopal Church insiders, the United States Supreme Court in February opened the door for more litigation nationwide over disputed church property as churches split over social issues such as women…
Switching denominations: Why some Baptist ministers are leaving
“As denominations have declined and become more rigid and doctrinaire, people have gone looking for opportunities in denominations that seem more compatible”
‘Thoughts and prayers’ not enough to end gun violence, religious leaders say
It’s all too easy to fall into despair, give up or become cynical about the epidemic of gun violence gripping the nation. Latasha Hobbs of Jacksonville, Florida, says don’t do it. Don’t give in. “Our country is hurting. We have…
For Baptists-turned-Episcopalians, Anglican disagreement feels familiar
By Jeff Brumley Growing up Southern Baptist in Alabama, Malcom Marler saw just how nasty people can be when they disagree about scripture and thorny theological issues. The resulting departure of moderates and liberals from the convention in the late…
Chaplains welcome new PBS film explaining their challenging calling
By Jeff Brumley By all accounts, chaplains around the nation are pretty excited about the coming release of a PBS documentary that explains their callings, and exactly what it is they do, to the rest of the world. And what…
Baptists, Presbyterians make room for Anglicans at Calvinist confab
By Bob Allen Calvinist-inclined Baptists and Presbyterians attending this year’s upcoming national conference of the Gospel Coalition are adding a place at the table for a new constituency: conservative Anglicans who have broken with the Episcopal Church. Joining mainstays like…
SBC leader: Baptists, don’t let your babies grow up to be Catholics
By Bob Allen A recent Wall Street Journal story profiling twin brothers who followed separate spiritual paths — one to become an Anglican bishop, the other a Catholic priest — represents failure by the Southern Baptist church in which they were raised,…
Baptist pastor inspired by Jews, Muslims during Holy Land pilgrimage
By Jeff Brumley It wasn’t Jim Somerville’s first visit to the Holy Land — or even his third or fourth. But the 10-day journey in early February was the first he had made with Muslim and Jewish clergy from Virginia. The…
All denominations should care baptisms are down among Southern Baptists
The first response of many people may be “I don’t care”. That’s fine. You have that right. But you ought to care. More about that later. Keep reading. Why Are Baptisms Down Among Southern Baptist Churches? First, take note of…
From Baptist preacher to Episcopal priest
By Jeff Brumley Spiritually and professionally, Malcolm Marler’s transition from Baptist preacher to Episcopal priest was neither easy nor quick. It’s taken time to adjust to everything from saying formed prayers and making the sign of the Cross to wearing…
Evangelicals find “the heart of God” on immigration
American Evangelicals are gradually joining the push for immigration reform and the impetus behind this shift in emphasis is most apparent in Focus on the Family, a para-church organization founded by the controversial James Dobson. But Dr. Dobson has yielded…
Are Baptists still nonconformists?
Not long after our move to work at Gardner-Webb University School of Divinity my wife Kheresa read Monique Truong’s Bitter in the Mouth (Random House, 2010), a novel rooted in Truong’s childhood experiences as an “outsider” Vietnamese-American in Boiling Springs, North Carolina, where…