Two more churches have been expelled from the Baptist General Convention of Texas “due to their public affirmation of same-sex sexuality,” the convention announced June 8. This announcement of the results of a closed meeting of the BGCT Executive Board…
Resolving to ‘respect the diversity’ of the global Baptist family
Last week, Baptist News Global reported the removal from the Baptist World Alliance Commission on Interfaith Relations and another BWA commission of a gay man whose sexual orientation and same-sex marriage were known at the time of his appointment. Much…
The right’s zero-tolerance policy on Pride
In case you have any remaining doubt that the Religious Right wants to obliterate all appearance of LGBTQ people — to make them invisible once again — consider the dustup over a single photograph showing a small Pride flag atop…
The Respect for Marriage Act helped de-escalate the culture wars
Editor’s note: This is the fourth opinion piece in a new series on religious liberty authored by BJC Fellows and made possible by a grant from the Prichard Family Foundation. For years, media narratives have cast religious freedom advocates…
An open letter to Elijah Brown, Baptist World Alliance CEO
I am chagrined by the Baptist News Global report that you used your position with the Baptist World Alliance to dismiss T.J. Williams-Hauger from his participation with two BWA commissions: Interfaith Commission and the Racial Justice Commission. My chagrin rests…
Why this seminary professor’s view of MrBeast and his friend is deadly and dangerous
I’m trying to like Southwestern Seminary these days, but Daniel Darling just made it that much harder. The Fort Worth, Texas, seminary is promoting a piece Darling wrote for the conservative World magazine. Darling serves as director of the Land…
What happens when Tom Ascol finds Ted Cruz to be too liberal and quotes Leviticus 20:13?
When a prominent Southern Baptist pastor quotes Levitical law prescribing the death penalty for participants in gay sex, should that be interpreted as calling for capital punishment for gay people in America today? Apparently not, according to Florida pastor Tom…
Remembering Pulse nighclub and the power of affirmation
There are some meetings that, when they’re over, you know your life will never be the same. I remember pulling into a church parking lot on a Friday afternoon in September 2016 knowing in my heart I was a fish…
Gay Christian man says he was kicked off BWA commissions
This story was updated Thursday, June 1, to reflect a brief response from Elijah Brown. A gay man who is married to another man says he was asked to resign from two Baptist World Alliance commissions. When he refused…