Ken Paxton’s Christian identity politics obscure a history of scandal The Texas Senate candidate rose to power as a culture warrior. His record is a marriage of hypocrisy and cynicism The Guardian - US · Sep 30
Once roiled by sexual abuse issue, Southern Baptist leadership now downplays its extent The new president of the Southern Baptist Convention says that the issue of sexual abuse in the denomination has been “weaponized” and politicized The Independent UK · Jun 25
Southern Baptists vote to advance a formal ban on churches with women pastors Thousands of Southern Baptists have voted overwhelmingly to advance a formal ban on churches with women pastors in the nation’s largest conservative evangelical denomination The Independent UK · Jun 10
Southern Baptist Convention continues membership slide but grows in attendance, baptisms Southern Baptist membership sank last year to its lowest level since 1973 The Independent UK · May 5
Beth Moore on life after the SBC — and why she never could quit Jesus Five years ago, legendary Bible teacher Beth Moore made national headlines when she left the Southern Baptist Convention, the denomination that had been her whole life The Independent UK · Apr 21
Southern Baptists’ call for the US Supreme Court to overturn its same-sex marriage decision is part of a long history of opposing women’s and LGBTQ+ people’s rights The Southern Baptist Convention has lost 3.6 million members over the past two decades and faces an ongoing sexual abuse crisis. At its June 2025 annual meeting, however, neither of those issues took up as much time as controversial social issues, including the denomination’s stance on same-sex marriage. The Conversation · Jun 13, 2025
Southern Baptists endorse repealing the legalization of same-sex marriage in the US Convention resolution also called for defunding Planned Parenthood and criticized ‘willful childlessness’ The Guardian - US · Jun 11, 2025
Southern Baptists vote to seek repeal of ruling that legalized same-sex marriage They say the ruling ‘defies God’s design for marriage and family’ The Independent UK · Jun 11, 2025
Whistleblower's death casts pall on Southern Baptist meeting and stalled sex abuse reforms More than 10,000 church representatives are gathered in Dallas for the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention The Independent UK · Jun 10, 2025
Southern Baptists target porn, sports betting, same-sex marriage and 'willful childlessness' Southern Baptists meeting this week in Dallas will be asked to approve resolutions calling for a legal ban on pornography and reversing the U.S. Supreme Court’s approval of same-sex marriage The Independent UK · Jun 9, 2025
Takeaways from AP's report on Afghan refugees in Virginia Religious groups have long been at the heart of U.S. refugee resettlement work that is now in peril The Independent UK · May 16, 2025
Evangelicals emerge as a potent lobby for US support of Ukraine Ukrainian evangelicals are lobbying their American counterparts for continued support of their homeland in its war with Russia The Independent UK · Oct 24, 2024
‘What is my faith? What am I doing?’ The American evangelicals ‘deconstructing’ their religion to save it When a young Southern Baptist came out as gay, it prompted a ‘major reckoning’: could he reconcile his religion with his sexuality? The Guardian - US · Oct 21, 2024
Southern Baptists' Ethics Commission Affirms Leader, Urges Caution ERLC trustees affirm Leatherwood's leadership and plan to engage pastors for support and understanding in navigating cultural complexities. Top News · Sep 12, 2024
Reason · Sep 6, 2024 Review: Inside the Southern Baptist Sexual Assault Crisis Author Christa Brown shares her story of abuse and exposes the hypocrisy inherent in the Southern Baptist Convention's cover-up.
The Independent UK · Aug 13, 2024 After a slew of controversies, the SBC turns to a low-key leader to keep things cool Clint Pressley, 55, the newly elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention, is a hard-working pastor of North Carolina’s fifth-largest Baptist church with two large campuses in suburban Charlotte
The Conversation · Jun 17, 2024 Southern Baptists may have rejected a constitutional amendment opposing female pastors, but that does not mean they are changing their views on women’s leadership in church The recent annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention saw a number of motions related to women. The Conversation asked Susan Shaw, a gender and sexuality studies scholar who studies Southern Baptist women, to explain the votes and other developments in the nation’s largest Protestant denomination.
The Texas Tribune · Jun 15, 2024 Paul Pressler, a former Southern Baptist leader accused of sexual abuse, dead at 94 One of the most influential evangelical figures of the last half-century, Pressler died about six months after he settled a high-profile lawsuit with a former member of his youth group.
The Independent UK · Jun 12, 2024 Alarmed by embryo destruction, Southern Baptists urge caution on IVF by couples and government Southern Baptists have expressed alarm over the way in vitro fertilization is routinely being practiced at their annual meeting in Indianapolis
The Independent UK · Jun 12, 2024 Southern Baptists expel Virginia church for claiming women can be pastors Delegates are now said to be considering a blanket ban on women pastors
The Independent UK · Jun 12, 2024 Southern Baptists to decide whether to formally ban churches with women pastors Southern Baptists already can kick out churches that believe women can serve as pastors
The Independent UK · Jun 11, 2024 More than 10,000 Southern Baptists gather for meeting that could bar churches with women pastors More than 10,000 voting representatives have gathered in Indianapolis for the opening of the Southern Baptist Convention’s two-day annual meeting
The Independent UK · Jun 9, 2024 From women pastors to sexual abuse to Trump, Southern Baptists have a busy few days ahead of them Thousands will gather in Indianapolis June 11-12 for the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention
The Independent UK · Jun 6, 2024 Southern Baptists are poised to ban churches with women pastors. Some are urging them to reconsider The Southern Baptist Convention is preparing to vote on a proposed constitutional ban on churches with women pastors
Texas Observer · May 3, 2024 Surviving Baptistland A well-known warrior in the #ChurchToo movement reveals in a new book how she escaped from an abusive Texas home and an abusive Southern Baptist church.