Black Protestants

Center honoring trailblazing lawyer, civil rights activist and priest opens in Durham

By Yonat Shimron — September 6, 2024
(RNS) — Known as the Pauli Murray Center for History and Social Justice, the refurbished two-story clapboard home will further the kind of progressive social causes Murray, who died in 1985, championed.
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National Baptists hold annual meeting as leadership questions continue

By Adelle M. Banks — September 3, 2024
BALTIMORE (RNS) — The Rev. Jerry Young, pastor of New Hope Baptist Church in Jackson, Mississippi, has been president for two five-year terms and cannot run for a consecutive third term.

The Black church has moved from essential to voluntary, says author Jason Shelton

By Adelle M. Banks — September 3, 2024
(RNS) — ‘Is the Black church dead? I think it really varies depending on which traditions we’re talking about,’ said Shelton, a sociologist at the University of Texas at Arlington.

Montgomery County, Maryland, was most religiously diverse US county in 2023

By Aleja Hertzler-McCain — August 30, 2024
(RNS) — Beyond the religiously unaffiliated, which represent slightly less than 2 in 10 (17.8%) residents, the largest religious group in the county was Black Protestants, who make up 10% of the population. 

AME Church delegates name six new bishops while retaining same-sex marriage ban

By Adelle M. Banks — August 28, 2024
(RNS) — In a joint address, AME bishops called for the creation of ‘accountability measures for every elected and appointed leader within our church.’

Harris-Walz campaign hires the Rev. Jen Butler, longtime activist, to lead faith outreach

By Jack Jenkins — August 28, 2024
(RNS) — A familiar face among Washington’s faith-based activists, Butler said she brings ‘a broad set of relationships that I think can help, very quickly, pull a broad coalition together’ in a foreshortened Harris campaign.

In the face of Palestinian suffering, interfaith groups offer a protective presence

By Yonat Shimron — August 27, 2024
(RNS) — An interfaith delegation to Israel aims to provide support and accompaniment to Palestinians facing home demolitions, dislocation and violence from West Bank settlers.

AME Church announces retirement settlement agreement during General Conference

By Adelle M. Banks — August 26, 2024
(RNS) — ‘Church employees who served their community for years deserve the retirement funds they were promised,’ responded a lawyer involved in the litigation.

As AME Church meets for General Conference, retirement plan questions continue

By Adelle M. Banks — August 22, 2024
(RNS) — Some 2,900 people have joined an ‘AMEs for Reform’ Facebook group and others have issued open letters as part of ‘AMEs for Justice and Accountability.’

Faith abounds at the Democratic National Convention, but don’t be surprised

By Jack Jenkins — August 20, 2024
(RNS) — Trump staffers have called the left ‘godless,’ but this year’s DNC painted a very different picture.

Christians, evangelicals rally for Kamala Harris ahead of DNC

By Jack Jenkins — August 16, 2024
(RNS) — 'Voting Kamala … (is) a vote against another four years of faith leaders justifying the actions of a man who destroys the message Jesus came to spread,' said Jerushah Duford, granddaughter of the Rev. Billy Graham.

Black Baptist organization gets $1 million megachurch donation to aid African girls

By Adelle M. Banks — August 15, 2024
(RNS) — The money will be used to support the Ghana Baptist Convention to rescue young girls whose families have sold them into the long-established system of Trokosi.

Progressive National Baptist Convention leaders hail Harris, pan Trump, urge voting

By Adelle M. Banks — August 8, 2024
(RNS) — Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., and the pastor of the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, voiced criticism of Trump during a session of the PNBC meeting.
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