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…
Church-state group opposes tax break for Ark museum
By Bob Allen A nonprofit group advocating church-state separation urged Kentucky officials in an Aug. 22 letter to deny tax incentives for a proposed theme park based on Noah’s Ark, claiming the break would compel taxpayers to support both employment…
State CBF leader terms Senate debate organized by Southern Baptists partisan
By Bob Allen The interim head of a state Cooperative Baptist Fellowship accused three evangelical leaders of partisan politics for sponsoring candidate forums in a closely watched U.S. Senate race in Kentucky. Chris Sanders, named this month as interim coordinator…
SBC leader joins call for military action in Iraq
By Bob Allen The Southern Baptist Convention’s top public-policy expert joined Princeton University professor Robert George and numerous other intellectuals in urging the use of military force against a militant group seeking to set up an Islamic state across Sunni…
SBC leader blasts Jimmy Carter’s call for recognition of Hamas
By Bob Allen A Southern Baptist Convention leader criticized former President Jimmy Carter’s suggestion that Washington should recognize Hamas as a legitimate political actor as “morally reprehensible” and “an outrage.” Carter, a lifelong Baptist, joined Mary Robinson, a former president…