By Bill Leonard In his 1646 work, The Dippers Dipt, Anglican clergyman Daniel Featley published a scathing attack on the “Dippers” rampant in England. “Dipper” was an early name for Baptists and their practice of immersion baptism. Featley denounced such…
The religious war on freedom
By Bruce Gourley What is the enemy of religion? While evil is often the answer, a poll focused on religious liberty in America and released this month by the Barna Group points in a much different direction. When asked if…
So help me God?
By Molly T. Marshall The afterglow of the great national celebration of our democracy lingers. Inauguration ceremonies offered a vision of who we are becoming as a people and called us to craft a future more progressive, more inclusive and…
Groups challenge NH school-choice plan
By Bob Allen Three civil-liberties organizations filed a lawsuit Jan. 9 challenging New Hampshire’s new school-choice bill that provides scholarships funded by tax credits for underprivileged students to attend private schools. Americans United for Separation of Church and State, the…
Georgia guns-in-church ban upheld
By Bob Allen Georgia’s law banning the carrying of guns in churches will remain on the books after the U.S. Supreme Court’s refusal Jan. 8 to revive the case of a Baptist minister who claimed it burdens his free exercise…
Hobby Lobby braces for fines
By Bob Allen Baptist-owned Hobby Lobby faces fines up to $1.3 million a day for refusing to obey a law that takes effect Jan. 1 requiring employee health-care plans to provide insurance coverage for all FDA-approved contraceptives, including methods the…
Hobby Lobby braces for fines
By Bob Allen Baptist-owned Hobby Lobby faces fines up to $1.3 million a day for refusing to obey a law that takes effect Jan. 1 requiring employee health care plans to provide insurance coverage for all FDA-approved contraceptives, including methods…
God has never been truant
By Brent Walker At a time of national tragedy, we should all be praying, grieving and supporting those who suffered grievous loss. Then we must have a conversation, even a debate, followed by action to make sure what we saw…
ACLU protests sentencing teen to church
By Bob Allen The American Civil Liberties Union of Oklahoma has filed a judicial complaint against a Southern Baptist judge who required a teenager to attend church for 10 years as a condition of probation for manslaughter. The complaint filed…