By Bob Allen The Baptist World Alliance and European Baptist Federation have called on Baptists worldwide to pray for Christians seeking to bear a faithful witness in Ukraine. On May 2 clashes between pro-Ukrainian and pro-Russian protestors killed at least…
Supreme Court upholds ceremonial prayer at public meetings
By Bob Allen The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 May 5 that overtly Christian prayers at government meetings do not violate the First Amendment’s ban on establishing religion. Writing for the majority, Justice Anthony Kennedy said the town of Greece,…
CBF, SBC leaders meet with president
By Bob Allen Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Executive Coordinator Suzii Paynter and Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission president Russell Moore were among a small group of faith leaders who met in the Oval Office April 15 to discuss immigration…
Diverse groups defend clergy tax break
By Bob Allen Christians, Jews, Muslims and Hindus may have different ideas about God, but they all agree on a tax break for clergy under attack by an atheist group that says it discriminates against the non-religious. Interests diverse as…
Tennessee Baptist school fights Obamacare
By Bob Allen Southern Baptist-affiliated Union University filed a lawsuit April 4 challenging insurance coverage of contraceptives mandated for employers by the federal Affordable Care Act. The Tennessee Baptist Convention-affiliated school in Jackson, Tenn., joined numerous secular and religious employers…
Russian, Ukrainian Baptist leaders meet in Kiev
By Bob Allen The heads of the Baptist unions in Ukraine and Russia met April 8 for the first time since a political crisis began last November putting the two nations on the brink of war. Presidents of the All-Ukrainian…
Jeb Bush to meet with Southern Baptist leader
By Bob Allen Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush will meet privately next month with Southern Baptist Convention Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission President Russell Moore, the Washington Post reported April 8, an effort to reach out to evangelicals should he…
Government should leave religion alone, Baptist leader insists
By Ken Camp Government should let religion “flourish or flounder on its own,” not promote it or prohibit liberty of conscience, a religious freedom advocate told a chapel assembly at Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary. In spite of their diversity…
‘What’s mine is yours’ defines ‘kingdom economics,’ New Testament scholar insists
By Marv Knox Jesus’ perspective on economics can be up summed in four words — “What’s mine is yours,” New Testament scholar Hulitt Gloer stressed during the annual T.B. Maston Lectures in Christian Ethics. And while such a standard may…