In this craziest of presidential primary seasons, I have not mentioned the Republican candidate with the “best plumage,” the colorful description offered by Marilynne Robinson. I have found his words so offensive, his narcissism so egregious, and his attitude toward…
Georgia Baptist spokesman criticized for Hitler comparison
Republican legislators took offense when a Georgia Baptist Convention official compared them to Hitler for failing to move forward with a bill intended to bolster religious freedom protections. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution quoted Republican House members blasting Mike Griffin, senior pastor…
Georgia’s Baptist governor opposes ‘religious liberty’ bill
Showing his Baptist stripes, Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal made his strongest statements to date against controversial “religious liberty” legislation that critics say mask a hidden agenda of discrimination against gays and lesbians. Deal, a graduate of Mercer University and member…
Washington florist gets another day in court
The Supreme Court in Washington state has agreed to hear the case of a Southern Baptist florist sued for refusing to do custom floral arrangements for a same-sex wedding. Barronelle Stutzman, owner of Arlene’s Flowers in Richland, Wash., is asking the…
Paige Patterson named to Cruz advisory council
A Southern Baptist Convention seminary president has been named to a Religious Liberty Advisory Council created by Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz. Paige Patterson, president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, is part of a 19-member group…
BJC’s Walker says Scalia was no friend of religious liberty
By Bob Allen Justice Antonin Scalia will be remembered as a towering figure on the U.S. Supreme Court for his intellect and his wit but not as a friend to religious liberty and the separation of church and state,…
Southern Baptists testify at Texas hearing on religious liberty
Southern Baptists in Texas were well represented at a Texas Senate hearing on how to protect religious liberty that critics say was in reality more about finding ways to discriminate against gays and lesbians. Southern Baptists in Texas need stronger…
Georgia clergy oppose First Amendment Defense Act
For the second year in a row, religious leaders are lining up on both sides of controversies over bills labeled “religious liberty” measures that critics say mask a hidden agenda of discrimination against gays and lesbians. A Cooperative Baptist Fellowship…
The fallacy in opposing ‘bathroom bills’
Franklin Graham is wrong again — and, once again, giving a bad name to my religion and my church. We could hope that if a Christian minister with a worldwide voice (often mistaken for “the” Christian voice), was going to…