By Bob Allen The Southern Baptist Convention’s top spokesman on public policy said he fears President Obama’s decision to act unilaterally on immigration policy will do more harm than good. Writing for Time, Russell Moore, president of the SBC Ethics…
Evangelicals already working to mobilize vote in 2016
By Bob Allen Bolstered by success in the recent 2014 elections, an under-the-radar campaign to mobilize evangelical voters is asking 63,000 pastors to consider running for public office in 2016. CBN News chief political correspondent David Brody recently published an…
Baptist preacher wins Georgia House seat
By Bob Allen Liberal pundits said it wouldn’t be easy to find a replacement as outspoken as former Tea Party Congressman Paul Broun — who onced termed evolution a lie “straight from the pit of hell” — but voters in the 10th…
Fliers on our windows
By Alan Sherouse To the person who canvased the First Baptist Church parking lot with political leaflets last Sunday: Perhaps you missed our “No Soliciting” sign. That I can understand. Perhaps a large parking lot full of cars was too…
What I have learned: The LGBT Issue, conclusion
Ten lessons learned in writing this series on LGBT issues. My series on LGBT issues and the Church is now over. A version of these essays, together with prefatory material and introductory comments by Brian McLaren, Phyllis Tickle and Matthew…
Mohler says gay diplomat unpopular among Christians in the Dominican Republic
By Bob Allen President Obama’s appointment of the first openly gay ambassador to the Americas isn’t playing well with Christians in the Dominican Republic, says a Southern Baptist leader recently there for a preaching conference. “They understand this appointment for…
Judge says Ten Commandments monument near Oklahoma capitol can stay
By Bob Allen A Baptist minister suing for removal of a Ten Commandments monument at the Oklahoma state capitol won’t get his day in court, a district judge said Sept. 19. Bruce Prescott, former executive director of Mainstream Oklahoma Baptists…
Mideast Christians appeal for action
By Bob Allen Christian minorities are in danger of being eradicated in the Middle East, leaders of evangelical and Protestant denominations in Syria and Lebanon said in a joint statement Aug. 29. Leaders of the Supreme Council of the Evangelical…
SBC leader says Islam driving force behind ISIL
By Bob Allen A Southern Baptist Convention leader disputed President Obama’s assertion that the terrorist Islamic State is not “Islamic” as “unhelpful” and “fundamentally untruthful.” “We can certainly understand the president’s political predicament,” Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological…
Court hears challenge to clergy housing allowance
By Bob Allen The fate of a 60-year-old provision that allows churches to provide ministers with a tax-exempt “parsonage allowance” now lies in the hands of the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The Chicago-based appellate court heard oral arguments…
Baptist leader says Mideast Christians don’t need visas, but help to stay in the region
By Bob Allen A Lebanese Baptist leader says the West should be helping Christians to stay in the Middle East, not offering them visas to escape. Nabil Costa, executive director of the Lebanese Society for Education and Social Development, opposes…
Clergy, educators challenge Florida voucher plan
By Bob Allen A retired Baptist pastor active in Americans United for Separation of Church and State joined educators and fellow clergy in a lawsuit claiming a Florida school-voucher program is unconstitutional. Harry Parrott Jr., an ordained American Baptist minister…