By Bob Allen Wayne Ward, a longtime theology professor at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., died May 23 after suffering a stroke earlier in the week. He was 90. In 1951, Ward was elected instructor in theology and…
Prof: Shorter limiting academic freedom
By Bob Allen One of the dozens of faculty leaving Shorter University over the Baptist-affiliated school’s controversial new “lifestyle statement,” that includes rejecting homosexuality, blamed his departure in part on demands that he teach Creationism or Intelligent Design in science…
Resurrection: Past, future and present
By Molly Marshall In this fresh season of the empty tomb, Eastertide, I am thinking about a more comprehensive understanding of resurrection. Of course we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus as the “first fruits of them that slept” (1 Corinthians…
Women find a friend in the Apostle Paul, Truett professor says
By Ken Camp Contrary to popular opinion, women not only have a friend in Jesus, but also in the Apostle Paul, seminary professor Todd Still told a recent conference sponsored by Christians for Biblical Equality. The William H. Hinson Professor…
Scholar: Christians, Muslims believe in — but don’t worship — same God
Woman follows father into pulpit
By Vicki Brown A Southern Baptist church in Missouri is under scrutiny by its local association for replacing a pastor who resigned for health reasons with his daughter. Melody Pryor, pastor of First Baptist Church of Stanton, Mo., said she…
War on women?
By Bill Leonard Tertullian, third-century theologian, wrote of woman: “You are the Devil’s gateway. You are the unsealer of that forbidden tree. You are the first deserter of the divine law. You are she who persuaded him whom the Devil…
Lesbian Christian singer goes back to church — with a different message
By Greg Warner When Christian singer-songwriter Jennifer Knapp acknowledged her homosexuality a few years ago, she figured she was done singing in churches. She already had walked away from her eight-year career in contemporary Christian music in 2002 because her…
Speakers say churches can learn from same-sex couples
A gay Christian told Baptists April 20 that whatever their views about homosexuality, churches can learn something from committed same-sex covenant relationships. Cody Sanders delivers a paper during a plenary session examing the boundaries of covenant. (CBF photos) Cody Sanders,…
Look beyond denominational subculture, Baylor prof urges
By Ken Camp Contemporary ethical debates about sexuality cannot be separated from questions about the nature of the church and whether Christians will be shaped more by covenant community or by culture, a lecturer in Baylor University’s Great Texts program…
Christians need to formulate embodied theology, speaker asserts
By Ken Camp Varied views on the human body in the Bible and church tradition shape modern Christians’ attitudes about sexuality, ethicist Melissa Browning told a [Baptist] Conference on Sexuality and Covenant. Christians need to formulate “an embodied theology ……
Gushee: Covenant best model for sexual relationship
By Bob Allen The co-convener of a conference on sexuality and covenant said April 20 that long-term committed relationships are the best model for Christians struggling to make sense of changing morals about sex. David Gushee “I believe that covenant…