Browse Archives
Check out news and opinion posts across the years
The Jesus Faith and Message
A recent letter from International Mission Board President Jerry Rankin gave a few remaining holdout Southern Baptist Convention missionaries an ultimatum that finally spelled out what most folks have assumed all...
Bennett Says His Gambling Days are Over
Exposed as a high roller in Nevada and New Jersey casinos, conservative moralist William Bennett said Monday he has gambled too much and that his gambling days are behind him. "A number of stories in the media have...
Preaching Peace
My pastor never preached on the war at all. As a congregation, we prayed for peace. We prayed for safety for our military folk. We prayed for the Iraqi people. We prayed for the president and other world leaders. But,...
Number of Black Children in ‘Extreme’ Poverty Growing, Study Says
The number of black children living in "extreme" poverty has risen sharply in the last few years, according to a study of census figures by the Children's Defense Fund. The number of extremely poor black children stood...
Moral Crusader William Bennett Is ‘Preferred Customer’ at Casinos
William Bennett, moral crusader and author of The Book of Virtues, is a late-night customer in Nevada and New Jersey casinos, where he has lost more than $8 million in the last decade, according to news reports....
Alcohol-related Traffic Deaths on the Rise
Drinking and driving kills. And it's killing more Americans every year. Traffic fatalities last year were at the highest level since 1990, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. And alcohol was a factor in...
Don’t ‘Misunderstand’ Me; I Was Just Being ‘Insensitive’
In recent months, leaders including Trent Lott, Rick Santorum and State Senator David Fowler of Tennessee have drawn criticism for off-the-cuff remarks relative to race, poverty and homosexuality. Some remarks were...
“Bulletproof Monk”
"Bulletproof Monk" is another entry in the long line of comics-based movies. The problem with "Monk" is that it's like a Chinese dinner: You take one thing from column A, another from column B and yet another from...
Asa: The Courage to Change Culture
Editor's note: What follows is a supplement for teachers of Courageous Churches, the newest online curriculum from Acacia Resources. Each Friday, curriculum editor Jan Turrentine offers illustrations, insights and tips...
Study Links Money, Faith, With Feeling Happy With Life
People with money and people with religious faith are more likely than others to say they lead a happy life, according to a new survey on quality of living. Despite threats of terrorism, war in Iraq, SARS, a declining...
“Anger Management”
Adam Sandler made one of the best movies of last year in "Punch Drunk Love." It helped many of us better understand the characters he has played in his other movies. It also gave him a wonderful opportunity to say...
GOP Factions Divide Over Santorum Remarks
U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania has become a lightning rod in a battle between religious and social conservatives in the Republican Party over his controversial remarks about homosexuality. Santorum came under...
Americans Worry About Having Enough Money to Retire
What are Americans most fearful of in today's economy? Retirement. A recent Gallup poll found that 54 percent of Americans were either "very worried" or "somewhat worried" about having enough money to retire. When it...
Politics Demands ‘Healthy Cynicism,’ Author Says
Nearly every evangelistic sermon includes at some point a reference to Romans 3:23: "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." As part of an evangelistic appeal, this verse is intended to convey to...
Clout: Tapping Spiritual Wisdom to Become a Person of Influence
Clout: what is it, who has it and how do we get it? All these questions and more are wrapped up in this insightful book by Stephen Graves and Thomas Addington. The book begins with the story of a father's funeral: "At...
Editorials Press for Evidence of Weapons of Mass Destruction
Forty days after the invasion and occupation of Iraq, United States forces have yet to find the alleged Iraqi stockpile of between 100 and 500 tons of chemical weapons. The Bush administration has significantly...
Baptists in High-outbreak Areas Contend With SARS
Health officials say severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, is here to stay, and Baptists are among those coping in high-outbreak areas. "It is difficult knowing what to think about the current situation in Hong...
The Flag: A Symbol of Unity?
In ethics and history courses this year, I have asked students about the (Confederate) flag and their response as Christians in the South. We heard all the 'pat' arguments, but none compared to the story of Joy, an...
Chicago Cops Stop Enforcing No-Swearing Ban
Police in Chicago have been told not to enforce a 100-year-old ordinance that bans public swearing, which critics say violates the right to free speech. A federal class-action lawsuit filed in March claims a city...
Norway First Nation to Ban Smoking in Restaurants
Norway has imposed a nationwide ban on smoking in restaurants and bars. 's Parliament voted earlier this month to outlaw smoking anywhere people eat and drink. While some states and cities in the United States have...
The Divine Right Of Kings
The western world was dominated for centuries by an idea known as "the divine right of kings." The idea that kings rule on earth as God's representatives comes from the Apostle Paul who wrote: "Let every person be...