Browse Archives
Check out news and opinion posts across the years
Weakened words
By John D. Pierce Words can lose much of their meaning when they get repeatedly misused. The words “university” and “clearance” come to mind first. Some small colleges, even those in decline, will take on the...
My ‘Endorsement’ for 2016’s Presidential Election
I've listened. I've read. I've watched. I've prayed. I've engaged in conversation. And I've heard enough. Before the first votes are cast in Iowa this evening, I want everyone to know where I stand. So I'm ready to...
5 Suggestions on What You Can Say to Someone in Grief
How do grieving people hear well-intentioned platitudes that are shared with them? That was the subject of an article that I shared on Facebook titled, "What You Say to Someone Who's Grieving vs. What They Hear." While...
Iowa Caucuses Today; Here’s How the Process Works
Brian Kaylor, contributing editor for EthicsDaily.com and author of several books on religion and politics, talks in a new video interview with EthicsDaily.com about the Iowa caucus process and how faith plays into it....
February 1, 2016
Mother Emanuel Participates in Statewide Event on Gun Violence (WTMA) First Baptist Hotel Site Sells for Nashville Record (Tennessean) 250 Muslim and Evangelical Leaders Issue Declaration Calling for Christian...
ERLC’s Moore Appears to Favor Presidential Hopeful Rubio
A key Southern Baptist leader remains officially uncommitted, as various conservative Christians issue public endorsements of presidential candidates ahead of Monday's Iowa caucus. However, Russell Moore, president of...
U.S. Officials Explain Refugee Resettlement Process, Goals, Benefits
Lack of knowledge about the U.S. refugee resettlement process inspired a panel discussion last Friday during the 84th annual U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) winter meeting. "It became very clear this last fall after...
Candidates’ Perceived Religiosity Influences U.S. Voters, With One Exception
Fifty-one percent of U.S. adults said they would be less likely to vote for a presidential candidate who did not believe in God, and the same number indicated that it was important for a candidate's religious...
January 29, 2016
National Primitive Baptist Convention to Meet in Charlotte (Charlotte Post) Obama: 'We are All Jews' in Face of Growing Anti-Semitism (Washington Post) Bill Clinton: To Understand Hillary, Look at Her Faith (CNN)...
What do religious voters really want?
By John Pierce A new study from Pew Research, released yesterday, sheds light on what has become rather obvious in this and recent election cycles: a candidate’s religious identity and commitments don’t mean as much as...
New Report Finds That Churches Create Stronger, Happier Families
Missing from today's religion news is a critically important, positive report about the role of the church in creating stronger and happier families. Most religion news centers around the latest conservative...
Helping Others to Escape Poverty’s Grip
Vernon and Gladys learned in early 1934, less than two years after they married, that she was expecting twins. Poverty, like swollen river flood water, was always lapping at the front door for this young, northeast...
Evangelical Leaders Call for Biblical Approach to Immigration
Thirty-two Iowa pastors and a handful of national leaders have informed the 2016 presidential candidates that evangelical voters "are looking for a biblical approach regarding immigrants and immigration." The biblical...
January 28, 2016
Remaining Oregon Protesters Warn of 'Armageddon,' But Bundy Urges Holdouts to Go Home (Los Angeles Times) Faith and the 2016 Campaign (Pew Forum) Why Bernie Sanders Doesn't Participate in Organized Religion (Washington...
Why Our Society Needs ‘Amazing Grace’ More Than Ever
I think we could make a case for regarding the iconic hymn "Amazing Grace" as the Psalm 23 of modern hymnody. Its appeal seems not to be limited to the particular faith tradition of its origin, as it is often played...
7 Core Areas to Assess Your Church’s Health
January is a typical month for giving attention to one's body after the gluttony of Thanksgiving and Christmas. The airwaves are full of advertisements for the latest nutrition, exercise or medicinal program for losing...
Report: Global Migrant-Refugee Crisis Exacerbated by EU Policies
The global migrant-refugee crisis has been exacerbated by restrictive European Union (EU) policies that have made migration an increasingly perilous and dangerous endeavor, according to a Médecins Sans Frontières...
January 27, 2016
Revolutionary War Treasure Unearthed at New Jersey's Oldest Baptist Church (WTSP) Kentucky Won't Fight Tax Break Ruling for Noah's Ark Project (ABC News) Jerry Falwell Jr. Endorses Donald Trump for President (CNN)...
10 Insights to Handle Church Conflict Agreeably
Early in my pastoral ministry, I still thought my primary job was to please people and make them happy, ensure their comfort and leave them liking me. Thus, when someone disagreed with me or criticized me, I spent many...
Why We Think We Know Whom God Blesses
The Beatitudes are not prescriptions on how to be blessed. "I need to be poor in spirit (or just plain poor) so I can be blessed" misses the point and leads to some interesting interpretations of how to live the...
Sudanese Baptist Reflects on Nation’s History, Baptist Work and Witness
The end of Sudan's two-decade civil war in 2005 brought hope, but not stability or lasting peace. A peace treaty led eventually to a 2011 referendum that resulted in South Sudan becoming a free and independent nation....