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Check out news and opinion posts across the years
Sinful Company
A sermon delivered by Randy Hyde, Pastor , Pulaski Heights Baptist Church, Little Rock, Ark. on September 12, 2010. Psalm 14:1-7; Luke 15:1-10 Janet and I had just “reported for duty”...
Charity report: U.S. ties for fifth in global giving
(RNS) The U.S. tied with Switzerland for fifth place in a “world giving index” by the British-based Charities Aid Foundation that measured charitable behavior across the globe. The ranking in the “World Giving Index...
Early End to Daylight Saving Time Frustrates Israelis
JERUSALEM (RNS) The Israeli government’s decision to end daylight saving time more than a month early in order to ease the upcoming Yom Kippur fast has set off an angry debate on religion-state issues. Changing back to...
Belgian Catholics’ Abuse Plan Falls Flat with Critics
(RNS) After publishing a report on sex abuse of children by Roman Catholic priests, Belgian church leaders announced on Monday (Sept.13) they would establish a center of “recognition, reconciliation and healing” to...
What Creationism, Quran-Burning, Ground Zero Have in Common
There's been plenty in the news about the fundamentalist Christian congregation in Gainesville, Fla., that talked about burning the Quran and the debate about the mosque near Ground Zero. Personally, I hope that the...
What Role Does Mormonism Play in Glenn Beck’s Civil-Religion?
Several writers have noted that Glenn Beck's recent rally was a clear example of American civil religion. A little noted incident at the rally, however, was Beck's remark that when revelation was being given in ancient...
Hoping Pope’s Visit to Britain Will Still Generate Interest
The forthcoming visit of the Pope to the United Kingdom seems to be generating far less interest than organizers had hoped, which is a pity. We do not have to be Catholics to recognize that with all his human...
Chicken & dumplings, tested by the community
I was up at dark-thirty this morning, working on a big pot of scratch-made chicken & dumplings (including the dumplings) for a Monday "soup group" of faculty and staff at Campbell, when I realized that I take...
Facebook Withdraws, Restores Pastor’s Access over Quran Controversy
PORTLAND, Ore. (RNS) As a Florida pastor faced pressure to call off his plans to burn Qurans, Facebook revoked a Portland minister’s posting rights to his page opposing the burning. By late Thursday (Sept. 9), the...
Court Says Belgian Raid on Church Offices Was Illegal
VATICAN CITY (RNS) A Belgian court ruled on Thursday (Sept. 9) that recent raids by police investigators on Roman Catholic Church offices were illegal, rendering the documents they obtained inadmissible in judicial...
Confusion Surrounds Meeting Between Fla. Pastor, N.Y. Imam
(RNS) The imam behind the proposed Islamic community center near Ground Zero said Friday (Sept. 10) that he has no plans to meet with a pastor who has incited international outrage by plotting to burn Qurans outside...
Southern Baptist Minister Burns Quran, While Baptist Church Honors Sacred Texts
A Southern Baptist minister kept his word to burn a copy of the Quran on Saturday. Bob Old, former pastor of First Baptist Church in Joelton, Tenn., and Danny Allen, who first identified himself to the Tennessean as an...
50th Anniversary of Historic JFK Speech on Religion
On Sept. 12, 1960, then-Democratic presidential nominee John F. Kennedy stood before a gathering of Baptists and other pastors in hopes of convincing Protestant Christians that the nation was ready for a Catholic...
North Carolina CBF Seeks Input on Revised Statements
Supporters of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina (CBFNC) who cherish traditional Baptist principles will want to join a conversation currently under way regarding the organization's "foundational...
CBFNC seeks, needs feedback on proposed revisions to “foundational statements”
Supporters of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina (CBFNC) who cherish traditional Baptist principles will want to join a conversation currently underway regarding the organization's "foundational...
Mass. Bible Society to Hand out Free Qurans
(RNS) In what’s being described as a “counter action” to “an act of hatred against Muslims,” the Massachusetts Bible Society said it would give away two Qurans for every one burned at a church in Florida. But late...
Obama Denounces Quran Burning
(RNS) President Obama has added his voice to a chorus of critics condemning a Florida pastor’s plans—now in doubt—to burn Qurans on Saturday (Sept. 11), the ninth anniversary of the terrorist attacks. Obama on Thursday...
Judge Dismisses Ministers’ Suit Against Hate-crimes Law
BAY CITY, Mich. (RNS) A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by a Midland man and three Michigan ministers challenged the constitutionality of a federal hate-crimes law enacted last October. The suit against...
Listen to the Moral Leadership by “Dog-Whistle”
Gen. David Petraeus said on Tuesday that "images of the burning of a Quran" would "inflame public opinion" and "incite violence" around the world, endangering American soldiers. The U.S. and NATO commander's...
SBC Leader Tries to Articulate Anti-Mosque Position
As political and religious leaders debate whether a proposed Islamic center should be allowed to be built blocks from Ground Zero, a Southern Baptist leader tries to defend his opposition to the center. Richard Land,...
Obama Rumors? Beck as Moses? Catching Up After Time Off
Well, I'm back. Thirteen weeks of rest and recreation, worship and travel, time with kids and grandkids. What an experience. The best part was the time I spent doing nothing. No deadlines, no sermons due, no meetings,...