House completes congressional approval of same-sex marriage

Congress has given final approval to enshrining same-sex marriage in the law. The U.S. House of Representatives voted 258-169 for the Respect for Marriage Act (RMA) Thursday (Dec. 8), 10 days after the Senate approved the same legislation. With the votes, Congress has decided to repeal the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). While the […]

Interim leadership led to Leatherwood’s ERLC election

A year of supposedly temporary leadership convinced a presidential search committee it need look no further for the next president of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, the leader of that effort said Sept. 13. Though Brent Leatherwood was not originally a candidate, the search committee presented him with “great confidence, joy and […]

EC approves Caring Well Sunday for abuse awareness

The Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee voted Sept. 20 to add a sexual abuse awareness day to be known as Caring Well Sunday to the SBC Calendar of Activities. Approval of the recommendation that the last Sunday in September be set aside for the emphasis was the latest action taken within the convention in an […]

Ministry by churches crucial in post-Roe world, advocates say

Churches and their members have essential roles to play in helping women and pre-born children in a post-Roe world, Christians involved in pro-life ministry say. The U.S. Supreme Court’s reversal of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision has given states the authority to put into effect abortion bans for the first time in almost 50 […]

Longtime pro-life advocates in SBC rejoice at Roe’s demise

Southern Baptists who have advocated for pre-born children and their mothers for decades rejoiced at the U.S. Supreme Court’s reversal of nearly 50 years of nationwide, legalized abortion while acknowledging much work remains. A day many persistent, pro-life advocates had long sought and prayed for arrived June 24, when the high court overruled its 1973 […]

Supreme Court overturns Roe abortion decision

The U.S. Supreme Court overturned a nationwide abortion regime Friday (June 24) that lasted nearly half a century and resulted in the deaths of more than 60 million preborn children. In a 5-4 opinion, the high court overruled the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that struck down all state abortion bans and legalized the procedure […]

ERLC’s Graham: Work will not end if Roe reversed

The reversal of the Roe v. Wade decision will be cause for celebration if it occurs, but it will not change the fact that the church must compassionately reach abortion-minded women, Southern Baptist pro-life specialist Elizabeth Graham said June 15 at the SBC’s annual meeting. The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission presented “Standing for Life: […]

Leaked SCOTUS draft gives hope for reversing Roe

Pro-life advocates reacted hopefully to the report of a leaked draft opinion within the U.S. Supreme Court that would overturn its 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion nationwide. In a stunning development May 2, Politico — a politics- and policy-focused news organization — published a copy of a draft of an opinion by Associate […]

SBC leaders pray for gospel ministry if Roe falls

Southern Baptist leaders asked God Tuesday, May 3, to help Christians recognize that the overturning of Roe v. Wade, if it occurs this term, will be not only a reason to rejoice but to renew gospel-based ministry to those in need. The Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission hosted an online prayer gathering one […]

Child welfare advocate says church can help amid adoption decline

Caring for orphans and vulnerable children in the United States and around the world calls for multi-faceted ministry by followers of Jesus and helpful public policies amid the dramatic decline in adoptions by Americans, according to a leading child-welfare advocate. The number of children adopted from other countries has fallen by more than 90 percent […]