A Southern Baptist Convention seminary president has been named to a Religious Liberty Advisory Council created by Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz. Paige Patterson, president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, is part of a 19-member group…
What does “Jesus Is Lord” mean?
Earlier this month I wrote about Dietrich Bonhoeffer and his highly influential book The Cost of Discipleship, published in a new translation in 2001 as justDiscipleship. Bonhoeffer’s emphasis was upon following Jesus as Lord. But what does that mean?
A bizarre (and clarifying) election
By Alan Bean I was in the middle of a radio interview when I learned that Antonin Scalia was dead. A congressman was part of the discussion and his staffer was checking out her Twitter feed as her boss repeated…
We missed our Christian moment, again
As the build up to the Iowa caucus has come and gone, there was a heavy focus on the Evangelical Christian vote as a key to winning. Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and Donald Trump all sought the support of the…
Christian first, American second: On prioritizing (and performing) presidential identities
By Thomas J. Whitley Back in September 2015 presidential candidate Ben Carson said that for a Muslim to be president “you have to reject the tenets of Islam.”
7 types of evangelicals — and how they’ll affect 2016
Like many political axioms, though, it papers over a complex reality. But evangelicals rarely vote as a bloc, especially in the primaries. They disagree not only on the candidates but also on more basic principles like how active Christians should…
Cruz stumps at S.C. Baptist school
By Bob Allen Fresh off last week’s televised debate, GOP presidential hopeful Sen. Ted Cruz held a campaign rally Jan. 15 at a college affiliated with the South Carolina Baptist Convention. “We need to take power out of Washington and…
Southern Baptists present at private Cruz rally
By Bob Allen A Southern Baptist Convention official gave positive reviews to a private gathering of roughly 300 pastors and faith leaders aimed at consolidating religious conservatives to support Sen. Ted Cruz in the upcoming Republican presidential primaries. Paige Patterson,…
Preachers endorse Ted Cruz
By Bob Allen Presidential candidate Ted Cruz has announced endorsements from both his current pastor and a semi-retired Southern Baptist preacher who baptized him when he was 8 years old. Gregg Matte, senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Houston,…