SOUTH HILL, Va. — Virginia Baptists’ partnership with South Africa has provided the opportunity for many churches and associations to sponsor church plants with the Free State Baptist Association, one of seven regional associations of the Baptist Union of Southern…
God doesn’t punish through disasters, say most Americans
WASHINGTON (RNS) — We may never know why bad things happen to good people, but most Americans—except evangelicals — reject the idea that natural disasters are divine punishment, a test of faith or some other sign from God, according to…
TSA, airlines tread carefully on religious expression
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Air travelers want to feel safe, and federal security officials want to make sure they actually are safe. If only it were that simple. Misunderstandings over religious expression have led to recent incidents that prompted apologies from…
U.S. colleges adding Muslim chaplains
ITHACA, N.Y. (RNS) — When Jainal Bhuiyan attended Cornell University, he and his fellow Muslim students were mentored and led in religious prayers by a collection of Muslim professors, graduate students and staff. “That was our network that filled the…
Small groups crucial, but not cure-all
Establishing small groups within a large church — heralded by some as a remedy to the drawbacks of burgeoning congregation size — is “good medicine,” but not a cure-all, according to a national study by Baylor University sociologists. “Simply having…
Community supports Bluefield College football
BLUEFIELD, Va. — Bluefield College’s new football program received a boost Feb. 28 when the town of Bluefield gave the Virginia Baptist-affiliated school $5,000 to help underwrite startup costs. Mayor Don Harris and town council members presented a check during…
Hometown heroes
BRISTOL, Va. — The city of Bristol presented three Virginia Intermont College students with the first ever “Hometown Hero” awards on Jan. 25 in recognition of the students’ rescue of a woman and her three young children from a fire…
Enshrined in a cathedral’s stone
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Six feet above the vaulted entranceway to Washington National Cathedral, the rough contours of Rosa Parks’ face are taking shape. Using a motorized hammer and chiseling tools that date back centuries, stone carver Sean Callahan is working…
Religious persecution on the upswing?
WASHINGTON (RNS) — The New Year’s Day massacre at a Coptic church in Egypt. Christian converts facing the death penalty in Afghanistan. Swastikas painted on a Jewish synagogue in Venezuela. As the headlines deliver fresh stories of the persecution of…