First Baptist Church
Texas law requires unborn child of shooting victim be counted
By Kimberly Winston — November 7, 2017
(RNS) — More than three dozen states have similar laws, most of which stem from the 2002 murder of a California woman.
Russell Moore: Southern Baptists feel the horror ‘more viscerally’
By Emily McFarlan Miller — November 7, 2017
(RNS) — Russell Moore, head of the Southern Baptist Convention's public policy arm, talks about how Southern Baptists feel the attack on one of their churches personally, and can remain divided on gun control.
Local Christians and some Muslims surround a grieving town with love
By Yonat Shimron — November 7, 2017
SUTHERLAND SPRINGS, Texas (RNS) — If the mass shooter who killed 26 people at First Baptist Church was motivated by hate, scores of faith-based groups who gathered here said they were motivated by love.
Texas churches weigh putting armed volunteers in the pews
By Texas Tribune — November 7, 2017
(Texas Tribune) — Gun regulation advocates worry that it can be difficult to determine who is the assailant during an attack when everyone has a gun.
Texas authorities: We won’t mention shooter’s name again
By Jerome Socolovsky — November 7, 2017
(AP) — 'We do not want to glorify him and what he has done,' the regional director of the Texas Department of Public Safety said.
3 things not to say after a gun massacre
By Lauren Markoe — November 6, 2017
(RNS) — We can permanently eliminate three overused and well-known linguistic phrases that prevent us from recognizing the grim reality, the brutal truth of gun violence in the United States.
Churches look to tighten security, even arm congregants, after Texas shooting
By Emily McFarlan Miller — November 6, 2017
(RNS) — Across the country, many churches and other places of worship are considering security measures as mass shootings have become a tragically familiar narrative in the United States.
Gun massacres: Why aren’t more churches telling the truth?
By Lauren Markoe — November 6, 2017
(RNS) — The simple truth is that, while no law can prevent a specific mass shooting, commonsense measures can make them less likely overall. This is not debatable. Truth-telling churches should proclaim this loudest of all!
Atheists confronted possibility Texas shooter was one of their own
By Kimberly Winston — November 6, 2017
(RNS) — Often when a terrorist strikes in America, many Muslims say, "Please don't let it be a Muslim." After 26 people were killed at a Texas Baptist church, it was atheists hoping the gunman wasn't one of their own.
Police: Texas church attack stemmed from domestic situation
By Jerome Socolovsky — November 6, 2017
SUTHERLAND SPRINGS, Texas (AP) — The gunman who opened fire in a small Texas church, killing 26 people during worship services, sent threatening text messages to his mother-in-law before the attack, which appeared to stem from a domestic situation.
When you attack a church, you attack God
By Jeffrey Salkin — November 6, 2017
(RNS) There was a 27th victim of the church shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas. (COMMENTARY)
Shootings at US houses of worship in recent years
By Jerome Socolovsky — November 6, 2017
(AP) — A list of fatal shootings since 2012.
Mass shooting at Texas church prompts strong words from religious leaders
By Adelle M. Banks — November 6, 2017
(RNS) — As the nation reels from another mass shooting, religious leaders were quick to react to the latest tragedy.
Gov. Abbott suggests connection between gunman, Texas church
By Jerome Socolovsky — November 6, 2017
SUTHERLAND SPRINGS, Texas (AP) — And a sheriff says the former in-laws of a man suspected of killing 26 people at a Texas church attended services there "from time to time."
26 killed in church attack in Texas’ deadliest mass shooting
By Jim Vertuno — November 5, 2017
SUTHERLAND SPRINGS, Texas (AP) — Reports say the gunman walked into First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs and began firing, killing some of his victims, and that the shooter has been taken down.
