By Bob Allen A Christian social-justice organization has called on the Associated Press to stop labeling undocumented immigrants “illegal” in the Associated Press Stylebook, a Bible for reporting and editing decisions used by news media across the United States. Sojourners,…
Lawmaker defends slavery comments
By Bob Allen A Southern Baptist state legislator in Arkansas is standing by a self-published book he wrote in 2009 where he suggests that slavery may have been a blessing in disguise for African-Americans. Republican State Rep. Jon Hubbard, a…
Nonviolence out of the abstract
By Miguel De La Torre As a social ethicist, I wrestle with issues concerning the use or rejection of violence. Should we, as a community, engage in violence when our lives and/or way of life are threatened? Or do we…
Arkansas CBF mourns student’s murder
By Bob Allen The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Arkansas joined the campus community of a historically African-American college in Little Rock in mourning the senseless murder of a student Sept. 27. Derek Olivier, 19, a freshman from New Iberia, La.,…
Groups support people with disabilities
By Bob Allen As values voters both left and right weigh in on special interests from immigration reform to same-sex marriage in an election season, a lesser-known religious coalition is speaking up for Americans with disabilities. The Interfaith Disability Advocacy…
Long, long ago in a time far, far away…
I remember a day when one would get in trouble for passing handwritten notes in class! I also remember the first time a girl passed me one—be still my heart! Yes, I also remember black and white TV with a…
Victims shine light on video voyeurism
By Bob Allen Three witnesses at a recent sentencing hearing for a former traveling evangelist sent to prison for secretly videotaping women in a bathroom in his home went on national television Sept. 18 to raise awareness to the growing…
Hearing reveals impact of clergy abuse
News analysis by Bob Allen Women secretly videotaped while showering or in front of a bathroom vanity in the home of a popular Southern Baptist evangelist compared the experience to rape, while young husbands described anger at being betrayed by…
Southern Seminary VP Impedes Tolerance
My jaw nearly slapped the ground when I read the words. They bellowed from Mark Coppenger, vice president for extension education and director of Southern Seminary’s extension center in Nashville, Tenn. Recently he sat on a panel that discussed the…