By Bob Allen An expert who recently told a group of journalists that evangelicals are worse than Catholics when it comes to reporting sexual abuse by clergy added in a radio interview that he believes that is starting to change….
The pastoral prophetic edge
By Mahan Siler Prophetic is such a vigorous word. It brings to mind the courageous actions of an Amos, Shiphrah and Puah, Ghandi, Day or King. Prophets stand up, stick out with their actions for justice in the face of…
Baptist leader calls for dialogue about race
By Bob Allen It’s time for black and white Baptists to begin honest dialogue about the reality of racial inequality in the United States, says Virginia denominational leader John Upton. Upton, executive director of the predominantly white Baptist General Association…
Ministry says lawsuit settlement unfair
By Bob Allen A Kentucky Baptist Convention agency claims settlement of a 13-year lawsuit between a former children’s home employee fired because she is a lesbian and the Commonwealth of Kentucky convicts it without a trial of violating the religious…
Ministry says lawsuit settlement unfair
By Bob Allen A Kentucky Baptist Convention agency claims settlement of a 13-year lawsuit between a former children’s home employee fired because she is a lesbian and the Commonwealth of Kentucky convicts it without a trial of violating the religious…
Author: Church should hear LGBT voices
By Bob Allen A new book by a gay Baptist minister says it is time for churches to stop asking questions about whether homosexuality is right or wrong and begin listening to the voices of gays and lesbians who are…
Author: Church should listen to LGBT voices
By Bob Allen A new book by a gay Baptist minister says it is time for churches to stop asking questions about whether homosexuality is right or wrong and begin listening to the voices of gays and lesbians who are…
Is America a culture or an idea?
Is America an idea about “liberty and justice for all” that can be embraced by an endless assortment of people from a wild array of cultures; or is America a uniquely White Western cultural phenomenon that only works when White…
High court asked to hear Hobby Lobby case
By Bob Allen The Obama administration is asking the Supreme Court to require Hobby Lobby to provide cost-free contraceptives as part of its employee insurance coverage over the religious objections of the Southern Baptist family who own the chain of…
NC clergy urge release of torture report
By Bob Allen The head of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina joined other faith leaders in a letter from the North Carolina Council of Churches seeking the public release of a 6,000-page Senate intelligence report on U.S. torture…
Presumed guilty
Not long ago, my wife Helms and I were having one of those mornings where nothing is going quite right. We were late for everything, we weren’t getting things done, and to top it off, we had forgotten to grab…
AWAB head applauds pope’s remarks
By Bob Allen The head of an organization that advocates for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons within Baptist communities of faith welcomed comments by Pope Francis saying the Catholic Church is too focused on gays,…