Earlier this week, the Houston Chronicle published three articles – “Abuse of Faith,” “Offend, Then Repeat,” and “Preying on Teens” – concerning some 200 ministers in more than 700 abuse cases occurring in Southern Baptist churches over the past 20 years. These articles properly sparked numerous conversations about how Southern Baptists might respond both as […]
The Forgotten Theology of Rights & Revolution (Ken Hamrick)
Was the American Revolution a sinful undertaking? Were the “unalienable rights” written about in the Declaration of Independence not really “endowed by [our] Creator?” It seems to me that the Evangelical church may be forgetting the theological basis upon which our independent nation was established. Triablogue featured a linked video of an interview of John […]
Ministering to Sex Abusers: What to Do? (Dean Stewart)
If we as Christians believe anything about God it is that He has the power, the ability to transform our lives. Every one of us who have walked with Christ for a period of time can humbly testify that God has changed our lives. The transformation begins suddenly at our new birth and can be […]
Response to Baptist Press Article (“Much Prayer, Much Power” after Synagogue Massacre) from Dr. Amy Downey
As a member of a Southern Baptist church and a missionary to the Jewish people (further information about me is available in the bio section below) for the last eighteen years, I have several concerns about what was stated in the Baptist Press article, “Much Prayer, Much Power after Synagogue Massacre” as representing the Jewish […]
Amando a nuestros vecinos inmigrantes (Howard Harden)
Durante años, la reforma migratoria ha sido un tema candente en los Estados Unidos. Sin embargo, nunca ha habido un momento en que el tema de la inmigración sea más controvertido. Probables votantes en las elecciones de medio término recientemente declararon que la inmigración es su principal preocupación. La reciente controversia con respecto a la […]
Loving Our Immigrant Neighbors (Howard Harden)
(This is a translation of the Spanish language post published above.) For years, immigration reform has been a hot-button issue in the United States. There has never been a time, however, when the topic of immigration was more controversial. Likely voters in the mid-term elections recently stated that immigration is their top concern. The recent […]
Are Church Libraries Archaic Institutions? (Joseph Giles)
John Adams said, “Liberty cannot be preserved without general knowledge among the people.” His wife, Abigail Adams, said, “Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and diligence.” I am a student. I am an academic. I know I am not alone among the readers and writers of SBC Voices. […]
A Birmingham Update from the Executive Committee
Greetings SBCVoices readers. My name is Bill Townes and I serve as the Vice President for Convention Finance and Convention Manager for the SBC Executive Committee. I want to thank the SBCVoices team again for the opportunity to help shed some light on this issue. I apologize for the delay in responding, but I needed […]
The Word that Changed Our Lives (by Ashley Blosser)
This article originally appeared at Bearing His Image and is crossposted here with permission. Autism. The word reverberated off of the pale yellow walls of the pediatrician’s office and settled on my stomach like bad Chinese. I knew Hudson’s development was atypical. I was aware of the impending result of the 23-point questionnaire I had completed […]
Social Justice Is No “Newfound Obsession” for Christians (Mike Miller)
An influential Evangelical recently lamented that contemporary Evangelicals are displaying a “newfound obsession” with social justice. I think this man needs to study church history (which I am teaching on Sunday nights, by the way). 4th century Emperor Julian (a pagan) wrote, “Atheism [his term for Christianity, since Christians rejected all the pagan gods] has […]
Are We Really Smarter Than Our Forefathers? (Greg Davidson)
Eighth grade is a great time for teenagers. They still have that love and loyalty to their parents, their God, and their country. We wanted to cultivate that moment in our fourteen-year-old’s life by taking him to Washington D.C. to revisit the great purposes and foundation of our country. We arrived in the city, checked […]
Why I Cannot and Will Not Sign the “Social Justice and the Gospel Statement” (by Ryan Burton King)
Throughout history, Christians have banded together to examine and respond to various crises, real or perceived. Creeds from the days of the Church Fathers, and confessions from the time of the Reformation are joined by petitions and tracts…