By Bob Allen Two Southern Baptist Convention leaders issued a statement May 6 asking the military to clarify what it means by making “proselytizing” a punishable offense. Kevin Ezell, head of the SBC North American Mission Board, which oversees chaplains,…
Judge green-lights lawsuit settlement
By Bob Allen A federal judge ruled May 2 that a Baptist child-care agency at the center of a long-running legal dispute between Kentucky lawmakers and citizens represented by the ACLU and Americans United for Separation of Church and state…
Gaddy takes NC lawmakers to task
By Bob Allen A Baptist minister and interfaith leader took state lawmakers in North Carolina to task for demonizing one religion while trying to establish another, despite the First Amendment’s guarantee of religious freedom for all. “It is becoming increasingly…
At home in the 17th century
By Bill Leonard Seventeenth century Baptists would have known exactly what was happening when two Rowan County state legislators recently proposed a resolution, affirmed by 11 other legislative colleagues, that declared that the United States Constitution does not “prohibit states…
AU calls for access to birth control
By Bob Allen A Washington-based religious-liberty watchdog group says the Obama administration should reject demands of conservative religious groups seeking to curb access to contraceptive coverage in the name of religious liberty. “Americans want and deserve access to safe and…
AU calls for access to birth control
By Bob Allen A Washington-based religious-liberty watchdog group says the Obama administration should reject demands of conservative religious groups seeking to curb access to contraceptive coverage in the name of religious liberty. “Americans want and deserve access to safe and…
BJC weighs in on NC religion bill
By Bob Allen A Washington-based organization that represents several national Baptist groups in defending religious liberty for all Americans says a resolution introduced in the North Carolina General Assembly asserting the state’s right to establish an official religion is just…
AU defends birth-control mandate
By Bob Allen The billionaire owners of Hobby Lobby’s religious objection to the use of certain types of birth control doesn’t entitle them to deny the company’s 22,000 employees insurance coverage required by federal law, Americans United for Separation of…
Melissa Rogers speaks to press
By Robert Dilday The new head of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships told reporters March 22 she values Baptists’ “special gift to the nation” — religious liberty — and looks forward to tackling religious liberty issues…