Southern Baptist

12 Stories

After 'Past Mistakes,' a DOJ Probe Into Southern Baptist Convention

Nation's largest Protestant denomination says it's under federal investigation for sexual abuse

(Newser) - In May, church leadership of the Southern Baptist Convention, the nation's biggest denomination of Protestants, put out a damning report by an independent consultant that acknowledged its higher-ups had kept sexual abuse allegations hush-hush for more than 20 years. Shortly after that, the SBC—which claims 14 million members...

In Crisis, Southern Baptists Agree to Track Alleged Abusers

Texas pastor Bart Barber also elected SBC president at national meeting

(Newser) - The Southern Baptist Convention voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to create a way to track pastors and other church workers credibly accused of sex abuse and launch a new task force to oversee further reforms in the nation's largest Protestant denomination. The vote came three weeks after the release of a...

Latest Church to Face Rampant Sex Abuse: Southern Baptists

Texas newspapers uncover pattern going back 20 years

(Newser) - Two Texas newspapers are out with an investigation into the Southern Baptist church that reveals a long pattern of sexual abuse by church leaders, workers, and volunteers. The Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News found that 380 people—everyone from ministers to youth pastors to Sunday school teachers to church...

Baptist Leader Loses Job Over Black-Eye Story

Paige Patterson is no longer president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

(Newser) - Southern Baptist leader Paige Patterson is out, though not entirely. The president of the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary—described as one of the biggest seminaries in the world—no longer has that title, with the seminary's trustees announcing Wednesday that after a meeting that the Baptist Standard reports went...

Southern Baptist Women Erupt Over Black-Eye Story
Story of Woman's
Black Eyes Roils
Southern Baptists
the rundown
May 8, 2018 12:02 PM CDT

Story of Woman's Black Eyes Roils Southern Baptists

They're calling for the ouster of seminary president Paige Patterson

(Newser) - In 2000, Paige Patterson told a story, and 18 years later, it's coming out of the woodwork and fomenting outrage. The Washington Post explains Patterson is the head of the Fort Worth-based Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, described as one of the biggest seminaries in the world. He's set...

Southern Baptists Vote to Condemn Alt-Right Racism

Outcry followed rejection of earlier resolution

(Newser) - The Southern Baptist Convention has voted to condemn "alt-right" racism—along with every other kind of racism. The denomination, which is holding its annual convention in Phoenix, approved a resolution Wednesday to "denounce and repudiate" racism, "including alt-right white supremacy, as antithetical to the Gospel of Jesus...

Southern Baptists Plan to Leave Boy Scouts 'En Masse'

Denomination will urge 16M members to cut ties

(Newser) - The Boy Scouts of America's decision last month to allow gay members was made with the blessings of many churches and religious groups—but not all of them. And here's a pretty significant opponent: The Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in America with 45,000 congregations...

Southern Baptists to Elect First Black President

Rev. Fred Luter leads largest church in Louisiana

(Newser) - When the Southern Baptist Convention originally broke away from the main Baptist church, it was over its support for slavery. So it'll be a pretty big deal when Rev. Fred Luter Jr. becomes its president next week. If delegates vote as expected, the charismatic New Orleans preacher will become...

University Demands Workers Sign 'Not Gay' Pledge

Sign 'lifestyle statement' or lose your job, Georgia school says

(Newser) - Georgia's Shorter University wants to know what's happening in its workers' bedrooms. The conservative Christian university is demanding that its 200 employees sign a "Personal Lifestyle Statement" rejecting homosexuality, adultery, and premarital sex, the New York Daily News reports. Those who don't sign the pledge face...

Bloomberg Under Fire for Clergy-Free 9/11 Ceremony

Mayor 'pretending we're a secular society': Southern Baptist leader

(Newser) - This Sunday’s 9/11 memorial ceremony in New York City won’t include any speakers from the clergy—and both religious and political figures aren’t happy about it. “We’re not France,” says a Southern Baptist leader. “Mr. Bloomberg is pretending we’re a secular society,...

Debate Rages Over Yoga's Roots

Controversy spreads after Hindu group's claim

(Newser) - An American Hindu group is calling for yoga fans to be more aware of what it says are the practice’s roots in Hinduism—and the suggestion has ignited intense reactions and a debate over yoga’s origins, the New York Times reports. Those weighing in on the matter include...

Huckabee Aims to Strike Balance
Huckabee Aims to Strike Balance
Jan 19, 2008 9:39 AM CST

Huckabee Aims to Strike Balance

After SC, ex-preacher must reach beyond evangelical base

(Newser) - As he looks beyond South Carolina, Mike Huckabee strives to balance his evangelicalism with a more secular image, hoping to win support across the spectrum, the New York Times reports. Though a Christian vote even bigger than Iowa's could carry him in today's primary, the ex-preacher will soon face voters...

12 Stories