ATLANTA (BP) – Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran has been terminated following a city investigation into a book he wrote that calls homosexual behavior immoral. But Cochran said the investigation, which has not been released to the public, produced no evidence of wrongdoing. Allegations of discrimination against homosexuals were "completely unfounded," Cochran said Jan. 6. "The investigation shows that there is no evidence. Under no circumstances have I been discriminatory or hateful … [Read more...]
Fayetteville, Ark., LGBT law repealed
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (BP) – Voters in a northwest Arkansas city have overturned a pro-homosexual/transgender ordinance that many claimed posed a threat to religious liberty. In a special election Tuesday (Dec. 9), residents of Fayetteville – home of the University of Arkansas – approved repeal of the measure by fewer than 500 votes, with 52 percent (7,523) of voters in favor of repeal and 48 percent (7,040) opposed. The result rescinded a law passed by the city council in a 6-2 vote in … [Read more...]
Effort to bring film to Missouri continues
COLUMBIA – The grassroots effort to bring a new Christian movie, A Matter of Faith, to theaters around the state continues. The movie, from Five & Two Pictures in association with Christiano Film Group, follows a character named Rachel Whitaker (portrayed by Jordan Trovillion), who goes off to college for her freshman year to study to become a pharmacist, and is slowly pulled away from her Christian faith by her biology professor (Harry Anderson) who teaches that evolution is the … [Read more...]
Bible’s Christmas accounts ‘complementary’
NASHVILLE (BP) – A historian named Julius Africanus was among the first Christians to wonder why the stories of Jesus' birth in Matthew and Luke differ slightly. Around the year 200, Julius apparently sought Jesus' living relatives to ask them why the genealogies of Christ in the two Gospels aren't exactly the same. Was one of the accounts in error? Jesus' ancient relatives explained, according to the third-century church historian Eusebius, that the lineage of Joseph, Jesus' adoptive … [Read more...]
ERLC’s race summit set for March
NASHVILLE (BP) – The Southern Baptist Convention’s ethics entity has announced a summit on race relations in the wake of grand jury decisions regarding police killings of black men that have provoked widespread protests and a nationwide discussion. The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission will hold a leadership summit with the theme “The Gospel and Racial Reconciliation” March 26-27 in Nashville, it announced Thursday (Dec. 11). The ERLC previously had announced the topic of its … [Read more...]
Atheists promote ‘skip church’ Christmas billboards
ST. LOUIS — St. Louis is the among four southern cities targeted by American Atheists’ new billboard campaign attacking Christmas. The billboards, which began appearing Dec. 1, feature a young girl writing a letter to Santa; her letter reads, “Dear Santa, All I want for Christmas is to skip church! I’m too old for fairy tales.” In addition to the billboard in St. Louis, others are appearing in Memphis; Nashville and Fort Smith, Ark. A fifth billboard in Milwaukee is co-sponsored by the … [Read more...]
Poll: state shouldn’t define marriage
NASHVILLE – About half of Americans are ready for separation of church and state when it comes to weddings. Six in 10 say the government should not define or regulate marriage. And more than a third of Americans—and about a quarter of Protestant pastors—say clergy should get out of the civil marriage business. Those are among the findings of two new studies from Nashville-based LifeWay Research. Ed Stetzer, executive director of LifeWay Research, said Americans disagree about the … [Read more...]
Advisory group explores mental health in SBC
“When I was diagnosed with depression, I felt as though I finally understood why I felt alone,” said one young pastor, after seeking help through his doctor. “However,” he continued, “I still was afraid of telling anyone in my church about my condition because of the fear of being ostracized, which made my depression even more desperate.” This story is one that could be told throughout the churches in the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC): people with non-severe mental health issues that … [Read more...]
‘Exodus: Gods and Kings’ drowns in sea of confusion
It’s impossible to watch Exodus: Gods and Kings and not compare it to two movies: this spring’s Noah and the 1956 classic, The Ten Commandments. You get no points for guessing this modern action epic falls short of the Charlton Heston/Yul Brynner masterpiece, but I was disappointed that it didn’t even rise to the much lower bar set by Noah. Whereas Noah was a decent movie underneath the layers of extrabiblical story, Exodus retells the biblical account in its own odd way without even giving … [Read more...]
Homeschoolers sue cops after being tasered, kids taken
NEW HAMPTON – A Missouri homeschooling couple has filed a lawsuit against local police after two officers entered their home in 2011 without a warrant, pepper-sprayed them, verbally and physically assaulted them, shot the father with a taser, and threatened to shoot the family dog – all in front of their terrified children aged 8-13. It all began when a child protective services caseworker visited the New Hampton home of Jason and Laura Hagan to investigate a tip about a messy house. When … [Read more...]
Mormons grappling with their history
SALT LAKE CITY – Leaders within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are speaking more openly about Mormonism’s controversial history and teachings. Even as Mitt Romney’s presidential bid drew the national spotlight to Mormonism in 2012, leaders of the nearly 180-year-old religion expressed concern about its future. “We’ve never had a period of – I’ll call it apostasy – like we’re having now,” Marlin Jensen, an official Mormon historian, told a group of Mormon students in … [Read more...]
Duggars share love story at HLGU banquet
HANNIBAL – The crazy journey of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar is a road of permeating faith and love. They shared about their love for God, for one another, for their 19 children, and even for their enemies during the annual Booster Banquet at Hannibal-LaGrange University, Nov. 21. According to HLGU President Anthony Allen, the university hired extra security during the Booster Banquet because the Duggars, stars of the TLC show “19 kids and Counting,” have faced recent accusations and even … [Read more...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 41
- 42
- 43
- 44
- 45
- …
- 65
- Next Page »