Southern Baptist Convention
Amid tension, Southern Baptist women lead where they can
By Bob Smietana Of Religion News Service and Holly Meyer Of The Associated Press — December 13, 2021
(RNS/AP) — Few congregations could function without the work of female members. Still, there is tension in the Southern Baptist Convention over the role of women.
‘The best person to rape is your wife,’ says Bronx pastor
By Yonat Shimron — November 22, 2021
(RNS) — Pastor Burnett Robinson was apparently preaching from a New Testament passage on wives submitting to their husbands.
Who will lead the SBC forward? The messengers. They already are.
By Matt Henslee — October 22, 2021
(RNS) — The SBC is not run by elites but by ordinary pastors, Sunday school teachers, missionaries and music directors. They are already taking the helm.
Mike Stone files lawsuit against SBC rival Russell Moore
By Bob Smietana — October 20, 2021
(RNS) — Stone claims that Moore cost him the SBC presidency.
SBC committee waives privilege after bitter debate, moving abuse investigation forward
By Bob Smietana — October 5, 2021
(RNS) — ‘We deserve what is coming for us as a people,’ said Tiffany Thigpen, abuse survivor.
A brief guide to the Southern Baptist meltdown over sexual abuse
By Bob Smietana — October 2, 2021
(RNS) — A fight over one clause in a contract has deep implications for the nation's largest Protestant denomination.
Southern Baptist seminary heads join chorus of critics as leaders balk on abuse probe
By Yonat Shimron and Bob Smietana — September 30, 2021
(RNS) — The presidents of all six Southern Baptist seminaries have issued statements or tweets expressing their dismay at the Executive Committee’s unwillingness to act at the convention’s direction. Many pastors agree.
The SBC’s Ronnie Floyd fails his Ezra moment on sexual abuse
By Russell L. Meek — September 30, 2021
(RNS) — Prayer and fasting has convinced the SBC's Ronnie Floyd to prevent Southern Baptists from repenting.
Southern Baptists, at impasse, postpone vote on sex abuse probe for a week
By Yonat Shimron and Bob Smietana — September 28, 2021
(RNS) — At issue is whether the Executive Committee can shield from investigators certain communications it has received from its lawyers.
SBC Executive Committee agrees to pay for abuse review, stalls on waiving privilege
By Bob Smietana — September 21, 2021
(RNS) — After two days of meetings, the details for an abuse investigation remain unresolved.
Head of SBC Executive Committee questions messengers’ resolution in abuse investigation
By Bob Smietana — September 13, 2021
(RNS) — Failing to follow the will of local church delegates, known as messengers, would be nearly unprecented, experts say.
Beth Moore and Russell Moore share laughter, regrets at Nashville church
By Bob Smietana — September 10, 2021
NASHVILLE (RNS) — At a Nashville church, the former Southern Baptist leaders spoke about leaving the SBC and keeping the faith.
Hannah-Kate Williams, alleging sex abuse failures, sues SBC leaders
By Megan Botel — August 17, 2021
LEXINGTON, Ky. (RNS) — After years of asking Southern Baptist officials to address her reports of sexual abuse by her pastor father, a young Kentucky woman has filed a defamation suit against several church leaders.
Russell Moore: Sickness, death from COVID-19 likely reducing some vaccine hesitancy
By Adelle M. Banks — August 10, 2021
(RNS) — Pastors are advocating for vaccines but misinformation has driven some evangelical hesitancy about getting COVID-19 shots, Moore told Washington Post Live.
Voddie Baucham’s publisher defends Fault Lines against plagiarism claims
By Bob Smietana — August 3, 2021
(RNS) — The author of a popular anti-CRT book has been accused of misquoting sources and plagiarism. His publisher says the accusations are not ‘well-founded.’