By Bob Allen A U.S. scholar representing the Baptist World Alliance at a recent Vatican gathering of Catholic bishops described his presence as “a moment of historic significance.” “Baptists and Catholics differ on important ecclesial and theological issues but we…
Baptists embrace pet blessings
By Jeff Brumley Even at Broadway Baptist Church, where classical and contemplative worship are the norm, some folks were stunned a few years back when the pastor held an animal blessing ritual in the courtyard. Turns out they were in…
Why the “nones” are leaving church, but not God
It should make any established American denomination panic: the dramatic increase in number of Americans leaving organized religion. In 2007, the percentage of the religious unaffiliated was around 15% and now that number is around 20% according to a new…
Controversy follows Calvinist group
By Bob Allen A controversial church-planting network with ties to a Southern Baptist Convention seminary has been sued in Maryland for allegedly covering up allegations of sexual abuse of children in the 1980s and 1990s. According to the Associated Press,…
Flattening global mission
By Molly T. Marshall Thomas Friedman’s provocative book, The World is Flat, offers a glimpse of the rampant globalization taking place as world market forces shape widely disparate lands and people. Historical and geographical divisions matter less all the while,…
‘Complementarians’ pan womanhood book
By Bob Allen Weeks before its official release, advance copies of a book challenging the assumption that the Bible prescribes a single model for “biblical” womanhood aren’t finding fans among conservative evangelicals who believe roles for husbands and wives described…
Your Kingdom Come…
I’ve been thinking about one phrase in The Lord’s Prayer: “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” The longer I ponder the words, the more I become convinced of a few matters. The…
More questions about Christian beliefs
In Friday’s post I attempted to answer two questions that were asked of me by a group of friends in my church, Baptist Church of the Covenant in Birmingham. In response to the question “Wouldn’t the world be more peaceful…
Questions about Christian beliefs
Not too long ago some friends at my church, Baptist Church of the Covenant in Birmingham, asked me if I would talk to them about five questions. I’ll respond to the first two questions in today’s post and with the…
Jimmy Carter fetes Clarence Jordan
By Bob Allen As 39th president of the United States, Jimmy Carter got to know some of the most influential leaders of the 20th century, but he says none impressed him more than Clarence Jordan, a farmer and white Baptist…
Vatican II, 50 years later: a Baptist appreciation
Today marks the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council by Pope John XXIII on October 11, 1962. My service as a member of the Baptist World Alliance delegation to a series of bilateral ecumenical conversations with…
Theology is important
By Henry Green Understanding theology is important. Even those who are dismissive of religion need to take some time to understand the important implications of theology in our world today. While religion is never the entire reason for some of…