By Bob Allen Both praised and scorned for her take on controversial topics such as Christians and evolution and gender roles for husbands and wives, author Rachel Held Evans has rapidly become an expert in dealing with criticism. “As an…
‘Complementarians’ pan womanhood book
By Bob Allen Weeks before its official release, advance copies of a book challenging the assumption that the Bible prescribes a single model for “biblical” womanhood aren’t finding fans among conservative evangelicals who believe roles for husbands and wives described…
Group asks AP to stop using ‘illegal’ label
By Bob Allen A Christian social-justice organization has called on the Associated Press to stop labeling undocumented immigrants “illegal” in the Associated Press Stylebook, a Bible for reporting and editing decisions used by news media across the United States. Sojourners,…
Online community as missions field
By Jeff Brumley Jim Somerville pastors a Baptist congregation in Virginia that, thanks to the Internet, includes people living in Austria, India and Slovakia. And now, he learned recently, some guy in Iowa. “He said ‘I tune in online and…
LifeWay won’t sell ‘womanhood’ book
By Bob Allen A new book by an author who for one year kept her vow to follow literally every instruction for women found in the Bible won’t be sold at LifeWay Christian Stores. Rachel Held Evans, whose anticipated book A…
Mercer launches journalism experiment
By Bob Allen A historically Baptist college in Georgia is launching a cutting-edge experiment that industry experts say could provide a model to help save local journalism in America. This week the New York Times business section profiled the new…
Churches lag in social media oversight
By Jeff Brumley Sheryl Fancher likes to tell social media nightmare stories that make ministers cringe. Like the one about a pastor who posted derogatory remarks about church members on his Facebook page without realizing his account was set to…
Pastors call for Thomas Nelson boycott
By Bob Allen A group of Cincinnati pastors and church leaders is boycotting Thomas Nelson Publishers over David Barton’s book The Jefferson Lies, saying it glosses over the third president’s racism and justifies his ownership of slaves. Black and white…
Social media bigger deal than survey says
By Jeff Brumley A survey’s finding that few Americans use social media to connect with churches and other religious groups has those who conducted the research astonished. “We were a little bit surprised,” Robert P. Jones, CEO of the Public…