By Bob Allen Americans United for Separation of Church and State has asked the Internal Revenue Service to investigate whether a North Carolina pastor’s sermon suggesting that gays and lesbians should be quarantined and allowed to die off that went…
AU says pastor’s anti-gay sermon broke tax law
By Bob Allen Americans United for Separation of Church and State has asked the Internal Revenue Service to investigate whether a North Carolina pastor’s sermon suggesting that gays and lesbians should be quarantined and allowed to die off that went…
Pastor religious freedom panel pick
By Bob Allen President Obama announced plans May 11 to reappoint African-American Baptist leader William J. Shaw to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom. Shaw, immediate past president of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc., was appointed in…
Groups urge end to religious profiling
By Bob Allen Organizations including the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty urged a Senate panel probing racial profiling in America to include profiling of religious minorities in their study. Thirty-five groups wrote leaders of a Senate Committee on the…
New religious-freedom council picks criticized
By Bob Allen Two new commissioners appointed to an independent panel that advises the State Department on international religious freedom violations are drawing criticism for holding views described as out of the mainstream. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) picked…
Health care, ambassadors and other matters of conscience
By Bill Leonard If the last two months are any indication, 2012 may wind up as a year of major religious-liberty decisions in America. In January, the Supreme Court issued what the New York Times called perhaps “its most significant…
It’s better to debate than downsize
By Zachary Bailes Southern Seminary President Albert Mohler predicts the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship will split over the issue of homosexuality. Meanwhile, Kentucky Baptist Convention Executive Director Paul Chitwood announced incentives for employees to take early retirement or resign voluntarily as…
Faith & Politics
By Vicki Brown While the U.S. Constitution specifically mandates no religious litmus test should be used to determine who holds office, Christians still grapple with how — and if — their faith should inform their choice in candidates. And they…
Faith & politics: Making choices in a fallen world
By Vicki Brown Passion and conviction often direct a Christian in choosing public servants. Economic concerns, social-justice issues, foreign policy or a host of other issues can be of primary concern. Suppose Candidate A’s approach on one issue matches, but…