By Kevin Glenn Not long ago I received two e-mails on the same day. One was from a colleague who copied me and other pastors in his reply to a message from Michelle Obama just before she spoke at the…
Obama issues altar call —young people respond
As Obama spoke at the Democratic National Convention, Twitter commenced nearly exploding. According to Twitter, as Obama spoke there were 52,757 tweets per minute; Romney had 14,289 tweets per minute. Tweets won’t win the White House, but they reveal that…
Profs probe ‘Mormon moment’
By Bob Allen Evangelicals going to the polls this November aren’t voting on whether Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney is a Christian, but if he would make a better president than Barack Obama, a panel of Baptist seminary professors said…
Giving God a bad name?
By Alan Bean Republicans and Democrats are fighting about God. The GOP scored points by publicizing the fact that the blue team’s platform doesn’t mention the Almighty. Democrats responded by putting God back in their policy document and ensuring that…
Expert: Ryan wrong about school prayer
By Bob Allen An expert in church-state issues says recent remarks by vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan show that even after 50 years, many Americans misunderstand a landmark Supreme Court ruling that banned the mandatory recitation of prayers in public…
First take on Obama’s DNC speech
By David P. Gushee Following up on last week’s column analyzing Mitt Romney’s acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention, here’s a parallel analysis of last night’s speech by President Barack Obama at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C….
Ethicist skeptical of DNC platform change
By Bob Allen A moderate Baptist ethicist said Wednesday’s Democratic Party vote to put “God” back in its platform appeared to be more about politics than an authentic profession of faith. “The Democrats’ flip-flop on faith looks more like politics…
Ethicist unmoved by DNC platform change
By Bob Allen A moderate Baptist ethicist said Wednesday’s Democratic Party vote to put “God” back in its platform appeared to be more about politics than an authentic profession of faith. “The Democrats’ flip-flop on faith looks more like politics…
Ethicist unmoved by DNC platform change
By Bob Allen A moderate Baptist ethicist said Wednesday’s Democratic Party vote to put “God” back in its platform appeared to be more about politics than an authentic profession of faith. “The Democrats’ flip-flop on faith looks more like politics…
Dems chided for taking God from platform
By Bob Allen Religious observers questioned the message sent by Democrats omitting any mention of God in their 2012 party platform adopted by delegates to the Democratic National Convention. “Guess what? God’s name has been removed from the Democratic National…
Black Baptists seek to mobilize voters
By Bob Allen The presidents of six historically African-American Baptist denominations announced a partnership Sept. 5 to mobilize their combined 12 million members to vote in the November election. The “This is My Vote” campaign, announced from the stage at…
Challenge to clergy tax break clears hurdle
By Bob Allen A Wisconsin judge has given a green light to a lawsuit challenging a federal law that exempts clergy from paying income taxes on the fair rental value of their homes. U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb ruled Aug….