By Bob Allen The Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty joined nearly 100 other civil- and religious-liberty organizations in a letter July 15 urging President Obama to reject calls to exempt religious groups from an upcoming executive order banning discrimination…
What exactly is the issue? The LGBT issue, part 2
By David Gushee Follow David: @dpgushee My topic in this new series for ABPnews/Herald is the fierce conflict in culture, religion and law related to what I have initially called “the LGBT issue.” My goal is to think through this…
Clergy divided over religious exemption to discrimination ban in upcoming executive order
By Bob Allen Clergy lined up on both sides in letters asking President Obama to both include and remove a religious exemption from his upcoming executive order barring federal contractors from discriminating against employees on the basis of sexual orientation….
Starting a conversation: The LGBT Issue, part 1
By David Gushee Follow David: @dpgushee Everywhere I go, I run into “the LGBT issue,” whether I feel like running into it or not. You may feel the same way. And everywhere, it creates conflict. It surfaces and creates conflict…
Judge strikes down Kentucky gay-marriage ban
By Bob Allen A gay Baptist minister who recently joined a lawsuit challenging Kentucky’s ban on same-sex marriage welcomed Tuesday’s ruling against the law as a step forward “in our continuing struggle to bring about equality.” Senior U.S. District Court…
Third Way pastor invited to White House
By Bob Allen A Southern Baptist pastor under fire from his denomination for reaching out to gays was invited to a White House reception June 30 celebrating LGBT Pride Month, according to blogs offering both condemnation and praise. Friends of…
Why we need a “third way” on gay rights
Danny Cortez is the pastor of a small Southern Baptist Church in La Mirada, Calif. A few weeks ago, he created a stir in Baptistland by calling for a “third way” on gay marriage. In a letter to his congregation,…
Mohler says SBC not through with ‘third way’ church
By Bob Allen A Southern Baptist Convention leader says failure to discipline a pastor and congregation at the recent SBC annual meeting doesn’t mean the nation’s second-largest faith group is wavering in its rejection of churches which “act to affirm,…
SBC passes on discipline of gay-tolerant church
By Bob Allen Contrary to a leader’s forecast, the Southern Baptist Convention did not rebuke a church for challenging the denomination’s policy against gay-affirming congregations at the convention’s 2014 annual meeting June 10-11 in Baltimore. Albert Mohler, president of Southern…