By Bob Allen Southern Baptists in Oklahoma passed resolutions both urging compassion for homosexuals and opposing same-sex marriage at the 2014 Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma meeting Nov. 10-11 at Quail Springs Baptist Church in Oklahoma City. A resolution on…
Ayn Rand, the reluctant apostle of the Religious Right
How did Ayn Rand become an icon of the Religious Right? It’s not what she would have wanted, Lord knows, and yet, there it is. Ayn Rand despised Jesus, and would have despised him all the more if she had…
More Americans exploring, sharing faith online
By Jeff Brumley A Pew Research study released last week found that one out of every five Americans share their faith online on a weekly basis. It seems like a lot more than that to Chris Canary, a minister at…
Baptist preacher breaks ranks on gay rights
By Bob Allen A Baptist minister involved in a faith-based LGBT equality education campaign in Mississippi describes his participation as an expression of neighbor love. Stan Wilson, pastor at Northside Baptist Church in Clinton, Miss., said he welcomes the “All…
St. Louis judge strikes down gay-marriage ban
By Bob Allen A Missouri state judge said Nov. 5 that St. Louis officials can begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, finding that the state constitution’s ban on gay marriage violates the equal protection and due process clauses of…
SBC policy expert says medical pot a ‘Trojan Horse’ for legalization
By Bob Allen A Southern Baptist Convention public-policy spokesman described medical marijuana as the “Trojan Horse of the marijuana legalization movement” in an online commentary published Nov. 7 by the SBC Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. Barrett Duke, vice president…
Latest gay marriage ruling, which involved Baptist plaintiff, could hasten Supreme Court decision
By Bob Allen A gay Baptist preacher suing for the right to marry in Kentucky pledged to continue his fight for marriage equality after the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against him and 15 other gay and lesbian…
A new day in America
We are entering a new day in America. Do you feel excited yet? New things always bring with them a bit of trepidation, but there’s so much buzz about this particular new day that it can’t be bad, right? Well,…
Wealth gap ‘tool of separation,’ black Baptist preacher says
By Bob Allen Economic inequality is a “tool of separation” that continues to divide races in America 150 years after slavery, an African-American Baptist leader said in a recent lecture at Campbellsville University. Stephen Thurston, former president of the National…