By Bob Allen Legislation reauthorizing a bipartisan committee that advises the State Department on violations of religious liberty in other countries passed both houses of Congress Oct. 6 and is headed to the president for final approval. The U.S. Commission…
Baptist leaders gather to defend religious liberty at New Orleans event
By Aaron Weaver Leaders from the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty and Southern Baptist Convention joined Tuesday to discuss the importance of religious liberty around the world. During the event at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary,…
Religious freedom and human rights
By Molly T. Marshall Baptists claim religious liberty and soul competence among their fragile freedoms, yet some draw the line when these freedoms are claimed in the service of sexual orientation and gender identity. While many wish these issues would…
Kim Davis: Blinded by belief
So, Kim Davis, the Kentucky clerk who refused to sign marriage licenses for same sex couples, went to jail. And many political conservatives and religious fundamentalists praised her faith — as if she’s the first person ever jailed for following…
Nepal remains ‘secular’ state
By Bob Allen Lawmakers in Nepal rejected an effort to declare the Himalayan nation a Hindu state, adopting draft language to a new constitution Sept. 14 maintaining its status as a secular state. The news brought relief for minority groups,…
What has the United Nations done for me lately?
What has the U.N. done for me? Presuming you live in the west, the United States specifically, I suspect your answer is, “not much.” This august and yet cumbersome, very serious and yet mock-worthy, institution exists in the minds of…
Why I have pity for Kentucky clerk Kim Davis
I have to admit I have looked at defiant Rowan County clerk Kim Davis with some degree of disdain. I thought, “Here is just another example of religious bigotry and hypocrisy to showcase to the world.” Then on Monday of…
Judge orders removal of Ten Commandments monument
By Bob Allen An Oklahoma judge gave the state 30 days to remove a Ten Commandments monument from the state capitol grounds in a lawsuit filed by a Baptist minister. Bruce Prescott, an ordained Baptist minister and former executive director…
School district says gridiron baptism violated policy
By Bob Allen A mass baptism on a high school football field violated policy but was done without malicious intent, according to an investigation by the county superintendent. Carroll County School Superintendent Scott Cowart said in a statement to the…
The Scopes Trial, then and now
By Bill Leonard “The parents have a right to say that no teacher paid by their money shall rob their children of faith in God and send them back to their homes skeptical, or infidels, or agnostics, or atheists.” — W.J….
Kim Davis, religious liberty, and why many Christians are getting it wrong
Religious liberty is at the core of the Kim Davis saga, just not the way most people think. As I watch the news and hear countless pundits and politicians cite concerns over religious liberty, I can’t help but think –…
Pastor defends mass baptism, with some regret
By Bob Allen The pastor of a Georgia Baptist church at the center of controversy over a mass baptism on a public high school football field says he regrets not informing the local school board in advance, but he believes…