Browse Archives
Check out news and opinion posts across the years
U.S. Press Sanitizes War, Arab Media Show Gruesome Pictures
American newspapers and television tend to sanitize the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. At points, their coverage distorts the grim reality of the war, misleading the public about the effectiveness of "smart" bombs and lack...
Gulf Wars Tweak Southern Baptist Thinking
The Hawk-Dove comparison explains the responses of a significant number of Southern Baptists. However, new categories of response have also emerged. Historically, the Hawks have been the loudest voice within the...
Arab Editorials Predict Growing Hatred of America
English-language, Arab newspaper editorials voiced deep opposition to the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, noting the lack of popular Iraqi support for occupation troops and predicting growing hatred of America. "Hatred...
Pastors Work to Keep Church a ‘Well-Oiled Engine’
Most businesses have a "go-to" person who's responsible for the overall workings of the enterprise—a "buck stops here" person. In the church, that person is the pastor. When people ask me what I do all day, I find it...
Christians Must Demonstrate, Apply God’s Moral Truth
"You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32). Look around you. See America in bondage. Jesus promised truth would liberate humanity. But our nation no longer believes in truth--at least any...
BCE Hires Veteran Journalist as Editor of EthicsDaily.com
The Baptist Center for Ethics has hired veteran journalist Bob Allen as managing editor of EthicsDaily.com, an Internet-based service of the independent, non-profit agency based in Nashville, Tenn. Allen, 47, most...
Thomas Jefferson Was ‘Sect to Himself’
No matter what we believe of Jefferson's faith commitment, he himself believed he was a Christian. In a letter to Charles Thomson, he declared, "I am a real Christian." Late in life, Jefferson also wrote that he "was a...
Baptist War Editorials Range From Bizarre to Insightful
Baptist state newspaper editorials on the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq swung from the biblically bizarre to morally insightful. The most outlandish editorial appeared in the Pathway, the newspaper of the Missouri Baptist...
Pilate Stands in Easter’s Shadows
The bright light of Easter casts some very long shadows—because the horror of crucifixion began at midday on Friday and lingered until dawn on Sunday. That is the story of the Christian Gospels. Jesus of Nazareth dies...
Kids Need Help Interpreting War
While many adults are glued to network news for play-by-plays of the war in Iraq, children need ways to talk about and cope with war and violence. Experts agree that talking about current events can help children feel...
War Won’t Work for Evangelism
American intervention in the Middle East will become a significant factor in the Christian witness here and around the world. Congregations and denominations seeking to attract people to Christian life and faith will...
“The Core”
At day's end, audiences will find that this disaster flick is more about the crust than the core of moviemaking. But life on the crust isn't always all bad. And neither is "The Core." To what would you attribute birds...
‘Dispensationalism’ Not Ending Anytime Soon
Once the lens of dispensational theology is ground and polished, then all of history is seen through that lens. Scripture is reorganized and read exclusively through a dispensational view of history. Such beliefs are...
CPT Group Experiences Bombing in Baghdad
When the American onslaught of "shock and awe" hit Baghdad the night of March 21, several members of Christian Peacemaker Teams were huddled in their room at the Al-Daar Hotel, reading aloud from Gandhi's writings. The...
Religious, Patriotic Expression Higher After 9/11 Than Current Invasion
The U.S.-led invasion of Iraq has generated fewer religious and patriotic expressions than did the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. "The war with Iraq has affected Americans' personal behavior to a much smaller extent than...
Pastor: Dismiss the E-Junk, Not the Sender
I have grown accustomed to these Internet parables, though I rarely use them in my preaching. But these good luck messages still bother me, especially when they come from church members. As a pastor I wonder how to...
How to Deal With Reality of War
To deal proactively with the harsh reality of war, we should say our prayers, support our troops, exercise our freedom and stand firm in our faith. Although there are diverse voices and convictions around the world,...
“Dreamcatcher”
Avoid "Dreamcatcher" like the plague spoken of in its story. It will rank as one of the 10 worst films for 2003. "Dreamcatcher" is Elephant Man ugly. The movie starts out fair enough. We see four friends caught in the...
Baptist World Aid Sends Funds to Middle East
Baptist World Aid (BWAid), the relief and development arm of the Baptist World Alliance (BWA), has sent an initial $10,000 for relief work among Iraqi refugees. The Jordan Baptist Convention (JBC) has received half of...
Foreign Papers Criticize United States for Iraq Invasion
With few exceptions, English-speaking newspapers around the world carried editorials criticizing the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. One of the sharpest editorials appeared in Egypt's Al-Ahram Weekly, which said, "Invading...
Jesus Showed Courage of Identity and Connection
Creating change requires a clear identity and a connection to people with whom we disagree. It requires, in a word, courage. Arrested, sentenced to prison and hard labor for many years, taken from his family and...