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Adelle M. Banks

Adelle M. Banks, production editor and a national reporter, joined RNS in 1995. An award-winning journalist, she previously was the religion reporter at the Orlando Sentinel and a reporter at The Providence Journal and newspapers in the upstate New York communities of Syracuse and Binghamton.

All Stories by Adelle M. Banks

Evangelist Nick Hall: Christians have become ‘loud about everything but Jesus’
By Adelle M. Banks — June 24, 2022
(RNS) — Hall remains dedicated to big-event evangelism and is leading Together '22 in Dallas this weekend, hoping to draw tens of thousands in person.

‘Blessing of Elders’ lauds 7 Black Christian luminaries at Museum of the Bible gala
By Adelle M. Banks — June 24, 2022
(RNS) — ‘I believe the 21st century will see the Black church lead the way to hope and healing in a deeply divided nation,’ said the Rev. A.R. Bernard.

Rolland Slade, SBC Executive Committee chair: seeking ‘to make a wrong right’
By Adelle M. Banks — June 16, 2022
ANAHEIM, Calif. (RNS) — ‘I think the one thing that surprised me more than anything was the list,’ said Slade of a recently revealed list of convicted abusers.

Southern Baptists apologize to abuse survivors and urge criminalizing pastoral abuse
By Bob Smietana and Adelle M. Banks — June 15, 2022
ANAHEIM, Calif. (RNS) — For the second day in a row, Southern Baptists meeting in Anaheim called for action to address the issue of sexual abuse after years of delay.

Bart Barber elected president of Southern Baptist Convention in runoff election
By Adelle M. Banks — June 14, 2022
ANAHEIM, Calif. (RNS) — The election was one of the closely watched aspects of the two-day meeting, during which messengers, or delegates, addressed a sexual abuse investigation.

Southern Baptists overwhelmingly approve abuse reforms amid contentious first day of meetings
By Adelle M. Banks and Bob Smietana — June 14, 2022
(RNS) — ‘We have guests with us and many of them have suffered much,’ Southern Baptist President Ed Litton said. ‘We thank those survivors for being with us today.’

Raphael Warnock says his Senate colleagues sometimes ask, ‘Rev, pray for me’
By Adelle M. Banks — June 14, 2022
(RNS) — ‘I enjoyed being a pastor, and, in my heart, that’s who I am essentially — not only a pastor but the son of two pastors.’

Robin Hadaway, SBC presidential candidate, favors balance in handling abuse claims
By Adelle M. Banks — June 10, 2022
(RNS) — At a forum of candidates for Southern Baptist Convention president, Hadaway spoke of the ‘fine line’ between addressing those who are abused and those being accused.

Bart Barber, SBC presidential candidate, on past, future action to address abuse
By Adelle M. Banks — June 10, 2022
(RNS) — Barber said his approach as a church leader regarding reports of abuse allegations is to tell his staff: ‘Call the police first and then let me know.’

State Department officials report religious freedom woes, wins across the globe
By Adelle M. Banks — June 3, 2022
(RNS) — The secretary of state and religious freedom ambassador also expressed concern about an increase in antisemitism and anti-Muslim hatred in many countries, including the United States.

Clergy of color face unprecedented mental health challenges
By Deepa Bharath and Adelle M. Banks — June 2, 2022
(AP/RNS) — Exhausted faith leaders are left with serious questions about how to care for their own physical and mental well-being while helping congregants in a meaningful way.

$175,000 in reparations grants given by Episcopal Diocese of Maryland
By Adelle M. Banks — May 27, 2022
(RNS) — ‘The legacy of 350-plus years of discrimination against persons of African descent have taken a toll on this nation,’ said Bishop Eugene Taylor Sutton.

Church of God in Christ congregations given $100,000 by pandemic support campaign
By Adelle M. Banks — May 27, 2022
(RNS) — ‘Surprisingly, the generosity has not stopped and churches continued to give,’ said organizer Justin Giboney.

AME Church alleges former retirement services exec embezzled tens of millions
By Adelle M. Banks — May 26, 2022
(RNS) — After an independent investigation, the denomination concluded that Harris deposited funds from the plan into his personal checking account.

Bishop Mildred Hines, first AME Zion female bishop, dead at age 67
By Adelle M. Banks — May 24, 2022
(RNS) — ‘We will miss her powerful preaching, her electrifying teaching, her dynamic leadership, and her loving spirit,’ her fellow bishops said of the first and only female bishop in the denomination.
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