By Molly T. Marshall Baptists claim religious liberty and soul competence among their fragile freedoms, yet some draw the line when these freedoms are claimed in the service of sexual orientation and gender identity. While many wish these issues would…
Defining evangelicals with a mirror: A response to Russell Moore
“We demand the freedom of all religious confessions in the state, insofar as they do not jeopardize the state’s existence or conflict with the manners and moral sentiments of the Germanic race. The Party as such upholds the point of…
Russell Moore says faithful evangelicals cannot affirm homosexuality
By Bob Allen Biblical inerrancy is at the heart of the debate about whether or not homosexuality is a sin, the Southern Baptist Convention’s top spokesman for moral and religious liberty concerns said at a recent gathering of journalists who…
State convention challenges church’s acceptance of gays
By Bob Allen The South Carolina Baptist Convention has written a letter asking First Baptist Church of Greenville to either recant its recent decision to include gays in all areas of church life or withdraw from the 2,000-church state affiliate…
Al Mohler, Franklin Graham, criticize FBC Greenville’s affirmation of gays
By Bob Allen The president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s flagship seminary said Aug. 18 he is not surprised by news that the school’s mother church has taken a stance of affirming homosexuality. Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological…
Historic Baptist church adopts gay non-discrimination policy
By Bob Allen A historic church formerly affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention is making headlines with a “discernment” process about how to relate to the LGBTQ community. In early May members of First Baptist Church in Greenville, S.C., approved…
Baylor drops language referring to ‘homosexual acts’
By Bob Allen Baptist-affiliated Baylor University has quietly removed a ban on “homosexual acts” from its sexual conduct code. In a change last May that went unreported until a story in the Waco Tribune-Herald July 2, Baylor’s board of regents…
A final commentary on the day’s news
By David Gushee Follow David: @dpgushee This is my last regular column for Baptist News Global. Beginning July 1, I will take up an offer from Religion News Service to become one of their 12 regular bloggers/columnists. I offer reflections on…
Pastor friends agree to disagree on homosexuality
By Bob Allen Two Cooperative Baptist Fellowship pastors who have been friends for 30 years say it’s possible to disagree — even disagree strongly — on homosexuality and still remain friends. “You can advocate on these things without being polarizing,” Steve Wells,…