The way Jonathan Wilkins sees it, members of his Baptist church in Thomaston, Ga., should have the right to carry guns into worship services to protect the congregation. Wilkins’ Baptist Tabernacle and a Georgia gun-rights association are challenging a new…
LifeWay backs off ‘read with discernment’ label for books
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RNS) — Southern Baptist bookstores quietly have suspended a four-year-old program that alerted customers to read with “discernment” books by several up-and-coming authors whose books “could be considered inconsistent with historical evangelical theology.” Chris Rodgers, director of product…
Do religious people make easy targets for scams?
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Major frauds exposed by federal investigators in recent years have targeted Jehovah’s Witnesses, Baptists and other religious groups, from $190 million lost in a three-year scam promoted by a Christian radio host in Minnesota to an estimated $1.4…
No black and white answers to lack of diversity among atheists
DALLAS (RNS) — Alix Jules is an atheist, but for years he felt uncomfortable at gatherings of nonbelievers. The reason: He’s black. “I got really tired of going back and forth to free-thought events and being the only black person…
Most Americans support upcoming congressional probe of Muslims
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Americans haven’t heard much about congressional hearings on the radicalization of U.S. Muslims, but more than half think it’s a good idea, and nearly as many believe Muslims here haven’t done enough to fight extremists in their…
National debt a new hot issue for evangelicals
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Many economists warn the government’s huge national debt is a looming threat to long-term prosperity. And according to a growing number of conservative Christians, it also is immoral. As Washington debates President Obama’s proposed 2012 budget, the…
Memories, lessons recalled from historic bombed church
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (RNS) — Carolyn McKinstry pointed to a doorway in the balcony of Sixteenth Street Baptist Church and memories started rushing back — good ones. “I used to run all over this place as a little kid,” she said….
Technology unites missionaries, families around the world
Missionary Chad Phillips, who coordinates missionary kids programs for the Assemblies of God, joins missionary kids on a Skype online video chat. (RNS PHOTO/Courtesy Bianca Flokstra) WASHINGTON (RNS)—Janine Winkler loves reading books to her 2-year-old grandson Judah. But instead of…
At prayer breakfast, Obama discusses personal faith
WASHINGTON (RNS)—President Obama spoke at length Feb. 3 about the daily contours of his Christian faith, brushing off the skeptics who question the authenticity of his beliefs. “My Christian faith … has been a sustaining force for me over these…