Southern Baptists
Church for ‘nones’: Meet the anti-dogma spiritual collectives emerging across the US
By Kathryn Post — December 20, 2023
ATLANTA (RNS) — These spiritual communities discard doctrine, prefer questions over answers and have no intention of converting anybody to anything.
The SBC was a train wreck 100 years ago and found a way through. Can it do so again?
By Bob Smietana — September 19, 2023
(RNS) — Meeting in Nashville, leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention's Executive Committee look for a way past the denomination’s current woes.
In new book, Russell Moore urges evangelicals to stop lying and come back to Jesus
By Bob Smietana — July 25, 2023
(RNS) — Once a rising star among Southern Baptists, Moore lost his job after criticizing Donald Trump and standing by abuse survivors.
Big churches sound alike. Little churches are the ‘Wild West’ of music, study finds.
By Bob Smietana — July 7, 2023
(RNS) — Worship professor Will Bishop said that focusing on the most popular worship songs can miss what churches are actually singing.
At 79, famed SBC missionary surgeon Rebekah Naylor is about to retire. Again. But she’s not done yet
By Bob Smietana — June 30, 2023
(RNS) — In India, Naylor went from staff doctor to medical director to hospital CEO, treating thousands of patients and delivering a host of babies.
Southern Baptists don’t like women pastors? That means trouble for all of us.
By Jeffrey Salkin — June 15, 2023
(RNS) — The Southern Baptists are pushing back against women pastors. It is a sign of something bigger.
Three years after George Floyd’s death, faith groups quietly advance racial healing
By Adelle M. Banks — June 9, 2023
(RNS) — A range of Christian groups are working separately to continue to address the often-fraught divisions along racial lines among their members and in the wider society.
How did Saddleback get kicked out of the SBC? It’s complicated.
By Bob Smietana — February 24, 2023
(RNS) — Five congregations ousted this week were the first to be expelled from the SBC on a national level for having women pastors since the ban on women pastors was instituted in 2000.
Southern Baptists plan to hire Guidepost Solutions to run abuser tracking database
By Bob Smietana — February 21, 2023
(RNS) — The ‘Ministry Check’ database will be the first step toward putting in place a series of reforms meant to address the issue of sexual abuse after years of delay.
Diane Langberg on church leaders and abuse: ‘We have utterly failed God’
By Bob Smietana — January 12, 2023
(RNS) — For five decades, psychologist Diane Langberg has worked with survivors of abuse and trauma. She remains amazed by their courage — and dismayed by the way church leaders have failed survivors of abuse.
SBC President Bart Barber says predecessor Johnny Hunt is unfit to return to ministry
By Bob Smietana — November 30, 2022
(RNS) — ‘They don’t care,’ said abuse survivor and longtime advocate Tiffany Thigpen after hearing that a group of pastors announced that a former SBC president accused of sexual assault was restored to ministry. Johnny Hunt’s return reveals the challenges the nation’s largest Protestant denomination has in addressing sexual abuse.
Religious groups with immigrant members grew fastest over past decade
By Yonat Shimron — November 11, 2022
(RNS) — A decennial study of US religious life shows that the number of participants in congregational services has not kept up with the overall population growth. But religious groups drawing large numbers of immigrants have seen steady growth.
When abuse victims are adults, they’re often treated as ‘sinners,’ threats to churches
By Bob Smietana — July 6, 2022
(RNS) — Churches often blame adult abuse survivors for leading a ‘holy man’ astray.
America’s religious communities are divided over the issue of abortion: 5 essential reads
By Kalpana Jain — June 29, 2022
(The Conversation) — Scholars explain why many see abortion access as a religious freedom issue and what the views of different faiths are on ‘ensoulment,’ the point at which the soul is believed to enter the fetus.
SBC Pastors’ Conference rejects CRT critic Voddie Baucham in vote for president
By Bob Smietana — June 14, 2022
(RNS) — The election marked a day of setbacks for the Conservative Baptist Network, which claims the SBC has become too liberal.
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