Browse Archives
Check out news and opinion posts across the years
Stereotypes of Women are not “Left Behind” in the popular series
Cast as flight attendant, daughter, housewife and mother, the principal women in the Left Behind series play second string to a career airline pilot, precocious news reporter, Nobel prize-winning chemist and...
Bush Rhetoric of War “Troubling”
The opening lines of President Bush's address set a somber tone for the speech. The reality and the rhetoric of war were the constant themes of the speech as Bush moved from the foreign to domestic fronts of the...
“I Am Sam”
"I Am Sam" tells the story of Sam Dawson, a man who has not developed mentally past the age of seven. He fathers a child with a homeless woman who used his apartment as a flophouse. After the birth of their daughter,...
Internet Group Pushes Petition for “God Bless America” as National Hymn
A Des Moines, Iowa, Internet company is petitioning President Bush and the U.S. Congress to add "God Bless America" as a national hymn to honor the Sept. 11 tragic events. Known as the unofficial American national...
Can Baptists Learn from Gandhi?
The charismatic Hindu leader of India's struggle for independence might appear an unlikely source for Baptist reflection on the ethics of social justice. But, Mohandas Gandhi (1869-1948) has already shaped Baptist life...
Kenyan Missionary Calls All to “Survive Together”
Survival. Kenya has recently survived the filming of the CBS television series "Survivor." Some Kenyans, however, were not thrilled that this staged realism was acted out on their soil. There was the usual argument...
Welcoming Resistance: A Path to Faithful Ministry
Resistance can actually create an opportunity for healthy change. The certainty of change in our culture, coupled with an almost universal resistance to change in many congregations, produces the context for this...
Christian Fundamentalists Reject Comparison with Taliban
Christian fundamentalists expressed anger and hurt last week at being compared to the Taliban. James Lambert, a contributing writer for AgapePress, said, "Conservative Christian leaders are appalled by such labeling."...
Bush Delivers State of the Union, Rings the Bell of Freedom
"It is both our responsibility and our privilege to fight freedom's fight," President Bush said last night in the State of the Union address. Many expected economic policy to figure prominently in the president's...
Was Gandhi Saved?
The presence of highly ethical models in the world's religions has long perplexed Christians. For example, Mohandas Gandhi (1869-1948) won worldwide respect for his philosophy of nonviolent resistance and his advocacy...
Seeking Justice in the Family
Something within the human spirit cries for justice. This cry is as essential within the family as within any social organism. Injustice undermines peace within the family. Seeking justice for family members is a way...
xxxchurch.com
xxxchurch.com is the No. 1 Christian porn site. Sort of. It's actually a Web-based ministry helping people overcome pornography addictions—or prevent such addictions altogether. xxxchurch.com, founded by Californians...
Hispanic growth challenges Texas Baptists
To understand the rapid growth of Texas today, imagine moving the entire population of Delaware to Texas. That would be a start, because those people would represent only the growth in Texas' Anglo population over the...
Falwell Claims Moral Decline Worse than Ever
America's moral decline is at its lowest point in 20 years, according to Jerry Falwell. Writing in the February issue of his National Liberty Journal, Falwell said, "Things are even worse today" than in 1979, when he...
Where Is Amos When We Need Him?
Where is Amos when we need him? Amos made it hard for the rich, the famous and the powerful to sleep well at night. He put their feet to the fire, so to speak. He started out in the Tekoa countryside but was last seen...
Bulgarian Baptist Considers Love for Neighbor
Imagine a stranger watching the 2002 Tournament of Roses parade. It is gorgeous as always. The floats, equestrian units and marching bands move gracefully up and down the streets of Pasadena, Calif. Float crews...
Pope Calls on Interfaith Dialogue to Denounce Violence
Pope John Paul II convened leaders of various religions in the medieval hill-town of Assisi, Italy, last Thursday to proclaim that religion must never be used to justify violence. Some 200 imams, patriarchs, monks and...
Beyond False Choices, Towards a New Way of Thinking
Either/or thinking permeates American life. As an unrecognized form of thinking, it distorts reality, presenting false choices that constrict moral complexity and narrow the range of practical options. As an...
TV Tops Evening Fun for Americans
Americans aren't all couch potatoes, but most of them spend their evenings at home in front of the tube, according to a recent Gallup poll. Seven out of 10 Americans said they preferred home-based activities to...
The Labyrinth: A Modern-Day Spiritual Tool
A medieval spiritual tool has been winding its way through Christian churches in the United States. The complex geometrical design may look intimidating to the newcomer. However, some Baptists attest that using the...
A Guide for Churches to “Confronting the Controversies”
Open conversation on the crucial ethical issues of our day is infrequent. There is certainly no shortage of highly charged rhetoric of opinion. But, a willingness to look at both sides of complex issues that are the...