By Bob Allen The Baptist Peace Fellowship is among dozens of U.S. peace, security and faith groups to sign a letter from a Quaker public-interest lobby opposing Senate legislation to impose new sanctions on Iran. The Friends Committee on National…
Obama administration to appeal clergy tax ruling
By Robert Dilday The Justice Department will appeal a federal court ruling last fall that allowing clergy to avoid paying taxes on a part of their income designated as a housing allowance violates the constitutionally mandated separation of church and…
Ukrainian Baptist appeals for prayer as violence spreads
By Robert Dilday A Ukrainian Baptist leader is appealing for prayer as two months of increasingly violent demonstrations in his country have pitted security forces against protestors calling for the resignation of President Viktor Yanukovych. “Today, as never before, Ukraine…
Virginia AG will ask court to strike gay marriage ban
By Robert Dilday In office only two weeks, Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring is expected to announce Jan. 23 that the state will ask a federal court to strike down Virginia’s constitutional ban on gay marriage, adopted in 2006 by…
Huckabee endorses NC pastor for Senate
By Bob Allen Former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee has endorsed fellow Baptist minister Mark Harris, who is running for the U.S. Senate in North Carolina. “Mark is the right choice for conservatives and Republicans in North Carolina,” Huckabee said…
Mo. Baptists sue state over gay marriage order
By Bob Allen Representatives of the Missouri Baptist Convention’s Christian Life Commission filed a lawsuit Jan. 8 challenging a recent executive order by Gov. Jay Nixon allowing same-sex couples legally married in another state to file joint tax returns with…
Court strikes blow to Obamacare
By Bob Allen A federal judge in Texas ruled Dec. 27 in favor of two Baptist universities who claimed in a lawsuit that Obamacare’s required coverage of birth control violates their religious liberty. United States District Judge Lee Rosenthal in…
Injunction granted in SBC health care case
By Bob Allen A federal judge granted a preliminary injunction Dec. 20 prohibiting enforcement of the federal health care law known as Obamacare saying the Southern Baptist Convention’s insurance provider has legal standing to challenge mandatory coverage of contraceptives viewed…
Starr: Hobby Lobby case tests liberty
By Bob Allen Baylor University President Ken Starr identified the pending case involving Hobby Lobby over mandated contraception coverage in the Affordable Care Act as a crucial test for religious liberty at a recent international conference on Christianity and freedom….