Faith Groups Celebrate Virginia’s Death Penalty Ban
Faith groups are celebrating Virginia’s decision to ban the death penalty, a move considered to be a victory for religious opposition to capital punishment. Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam signed the ban — the first of any Southern state and the 23rd overall — into law on Wednesday.
Baylor University Report Documents Ties to Slavery, Confederacy
Baylor University released a report Tuesday documenting its slavery legacy and offering recommendations for more fully telling its history. The 94-page report focuses on monuments and markers on its campus honoring various founders who enslaved Black people and supported the Confederacy.
Purity Culture & the Subjugation of Women
Even before a member of a Southern Baptist church was accused of the Georgia spa massacre, motivated, he told police, by guilt over a “sex addiction,” the Southern Baptist Convention was under scrutiny over its teachings on gender and sexuality.
4 in 10 US Christians Plan to Attend In-Person Easter Services
Americans are becoming more confident they can attend in-person religious services but church attendance at Easter services will still be far lower than usual this year, a new Pew Research poll finds.
Atlanta Churches Near Spa Attacks Pray for Victims, Community
About 30 people gathered for a prayer walk on Sunday to pray for victims of a mass shooting at three Atlanta-area spas last week, including two in the Buckhead neighborhood.
New Court Filings Challenge SBU’s Religious Defense of Governing Documents
New legal filings by individuals seeking to block new governing documents for Southwest Baptist University respond to the arguments made by the school in Bolivar, Missouri. The new responses rebuke SBU’s attempt to reframe the legal dispute as an internal theological controversy.
Pope Decries Lack of Access to Drinking Water for Many
Pope Francis on Sunday urged more efforts to ensure all people have access to drinking water. He made his remarks ahead of World Water Day on Monday, which the United Nations uses to highlight the need for access to fresh water.
Georgia Church Disowns Suspect, Says He Betrayed Faith
The church attended by the White man charged with killing eight people at three Atlanta-area massage businesses, most of them women of Asian descent, condemned the shootings Friday and said they run contrary to the gospel and the church’s teachings.
With Beth Moore’s Exit, More Evangelical Women are Challenging Strict Gender Norms
A new generation of evangelical women are following in the footsteps of Beth Moore, the popular women’s Bible teacher who shook up the evangelical world by announcing last week she was quitting the Southern Baptist Convention.
United Methodist Church Names New Appalachian Trail Chaplain
The United Methodist Church announced Chris Estus as its ninth Appalachian Trail chaplain this week. Mostly, the ministry on the trail involves serving the hiking community, bridging the gap between the community and the church, and inspiring others to find innovative ways to serve those around them.