Baptists, of all people, are qualified-and should be motivated-to speak words of peace, reconciliation and encouragement to the religious divisions plaguing our world. Disenfranchisement is part of our DNA. We support free speech and free expression. We value religious liberty….
New Year’s resolution: defend religious liberty?
By Executive Director J. Brent Walker A New Year’s resolution to defend religious liberty in 2015? Yes, but let’s be real. Eric Metaxas challenges us in a recent BreakPoint commentary to resolve to care more about religious liberty in the…
When bad religion makes headlines
The recent hoopla over using the Duke University chapel for Muslim prayers raises interesting issues, and is just another sign of our highly-religious nation’s deeply troubled understanding of its own convictions. The value of religious principles to our nation’s values…
Adhan at Duke Chapel: A call for hostility or hospitality?
After coming home from my classes at Duke Divinity School yesterday, I noticed that Duke Chapel would be hosting a Muslim call to prayer every Friday afternoon beginning this week. The adhan is an integral part of Muslim worship practice…
Remembering Isaac Backus
The New England Puritan Isaac Backus was born in 1724 and died 208 years ago today, on November 20, 1806. As an outstanding advocate of religious freedom and the separation of church and state, he is well worth remembering, and…
It’s not simply about denying service
A recent article from the RNS describes the efforts in Oregon to craft the bill that would legalize gay marriage in such away as to allow conscience protections for business owners. The conscience protections being debated would allow private business…
Wichita school’s five pillars incident shows confusion and prejudice
Minneha Core Knowledge Magnet Elementary School in Wichita, KS is the center of an uproar last week after a photo taken on the first day of school showing a large “5 Pillars of Islam” display was shared online. The Wichita…
Why the DOMA decision is a win for religious liberty
No doubt you’ve heard by now that the Supreme Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) on Wednesday on the basis that it is “a deprivation of the equal liberty of persons that is protected by the Fifth…