The news recently broke that Virginia’s new Attorney General plans to ask a federal judge to declare the Commonwealth’s voter-passed constitutional amendment officially upholding the traditional understanding of marriage unconstitutional. This move is entirely unsurprising even as it is deeply…
Bill Nye schools creationist in debate
What do you get when you put a children’s-educational-scientist-teacher with a Bible-believing-Christian-creationist? Lot’s of confused adults. I just finished watching the almost 3-hour debate between humanist Bill Nye and creationist Ken Ham and I’m truly confused. I’m confused not because…
Called anyway: on being a Baptist woman minister
Since I am a Baptist woman with the abbreviation “Rev.” in front of my name, most people assume that I am an impassioned activist for women in ministry. They figure I have a big, mangy dog in the fight for…
McAfee prof brings Baptist insights to Iranian talks
By Jeff Brumley A lot of things surprised McAfee School of Theology’s Robert Nash during an academic delegation to Tehran Jan. 21-23. Surprises included being served name-brand American soda, feeling safer there than some places in the United States, and…
Calvinist preacher OK with women deacons
By Bob Allen A leader in the so-called New Calvinism resurgence in Southern Baptist life says he believes the Bible permits women to serve as deacons. David Platt, pastor of The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Ala., addressed the…
What’s in a canon?
When I talk about the canon in my New Testament class, I often have students who are surprised that the current list of 27 books that are in our New Testament have not always comprised canon lists. In fact, I…
Thoughts leading into MLK Day
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” – Martin Luther King Jr. I’ve always loved Batman. He wasn’t my first love, that was Supes, but early on I grew to love the man…
100K race a reflection of self
We’d listened to everyone gathering at the starting area and we could hear the voices over the announcement speaker giving instructions to all the runners on the cold morning when I stepped out of the camper I had rented for…
Pastor says Obama presidency prophesied
By Bob Allen A well-known black Southern Baptist preacher says he believes the election of President Obama may have been foretold in Scripture. Dwight McKissic, pastor of the 3,000-member Cornerstone Baptist Church in Arlington, Texas, and a former trustee at…