An Illinois Senate bill that would have mandated training for clergy has been pulled by its sponsor. The bill had raised concerns regarding First Amendment rights and religious liberty. Senate Bill 912, the Abused and Neglect Child Training Bill, mandated clergy be required to complete at least four hours of training each year to recognize […]
Statement seeks to bring unity and peace to SBC
A statement on seeking unity in the Southern Baptist Convention has been well-received after controversy over statements made during the 2016 presidential election by Russell Moore, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, led to division in the Convention. The statements were factors in causing some churches, including Dallas area Prestonwood Baptist Church, pastored […]
Illinois Senate Bill raises religious liberty concerns for clergy
A bill working its way through the Illinois Senate proposes mandatory training for clergy to recognize signs of child abuse is causing concern among religious liberty advocates. Senate Bill 912, the Abused Child-Reporter Training Bill, mandates anyone who is a designated reporter of abused children (teachers, physicians, clergy) as deemed by the Abused and Neglected […]
Free speech for churches
“The old adage says there are three things you should never talk about in polite company—money, religion, and politics. We already break two of those three rules every Sunday in church. Are we ready to break the third—politics?
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Illinois Disaster Relief volunteers at work in northern and southern parts of state
The storms that swept through the Midwest Feb. 28 developed into tornadoes when they went through southern and northern Illinois. Now, Illinois Baptist Disaster Relief (IBDR) volunteers are assisting victims with storm clean-up efforts. Working in the southern Illinois town of Vergennes, volunteer Don Kragness told local television station WSIL, “We are here, basically, because […]