Southern Baptist Convention

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Southern Baptists see 13th year of membership decline

By TRAVIS LOLLER - Associated Press

In this May 10, 2019, photo, graduates enter Sanford Stadium during the University of Georgia's Spring commencement in Athens, Ga. The first student loan bills are arriving for the Class of 2019. If the grads are able to stick to the standard plan, they'll make payments every month for the next 10 years and be done with it. (Joshua L. Jones/The Athens Banner-Herald via AP) **FILE**

Education Department’s student loan forgiveness programs to include faith-based schools

By Christopher Vondracek - The Washington Times

In this Nov. 11, 2019 photo, provided by Religion News Service, Megan and Vincent Lively pose at the Koury Convention Center in Greensboro, N.C., following Megan's talk on a panel at the annual meeting of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina. (Yonat Shimron/Religion News Service via AP)

The cost of coming forward: 1 survivor’s life after #MeToo

By Yonat Shimron - Associated Press

In this Wednesday, June 12, 2019, file photo, J.D. Greear, president of the Southern Baptist Convention, talks about sexual abuse within the SBC on the second day of the SBC's annual meeting in Birmingham, Ala. Greear blamed the crisis on years of cover-ups, but praised a new anti-abuse curriculum being offered to all of its churches and seminaries, and he said they must do better in screening potential pastors. (Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle via AP)

Southern Baptists ready to put spotlight on sex-abuse crisis

By David Crary - Associated Press

FILE - In this Tuesday, June 11, 2019 file photo, Christa Brown, of Denver, Colo., speaks during a rally in Birmingham, Ala., outside the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting. Brown, an author and retired attorney, says she was abused by a Southern Baptist minister as a child. She has been pushing the SBC to create an independently run database listing pastors and other church personnel who have been credibly accused of abuse. (AP Photo/Julie Bennett)

Southern Baptist Convention meeting to address crisis criticized by sexual abuse survivors

By Christopher Vondracek - The Washington Times

Jennifer Weed, left, and Nisha Virani, both of Birmingham, Ala., demonstrate outside Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting Tuesday, June 11, 2019, during a rally in Birmingham, Ala. The For Such A Time As This protest calls for a change in the way the SBC views and treats women and demands action to combat sexual abuse within the establishment. (AP Photo/Julie Bennett)

Southern Baptist leader bemoans abuse crisis, vows action

By JAY REEVES and DAVID CRARY - Associated Press

Alabama editorial roundup

By The Associated Press - Associated Press

Becky Ianni, center, a victim of priest abuse, holds a picture of her younger self along with other demonstrators outside the venue where the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops 2019 Spring meetings are being held in Baltimore, Tuesday, June 11, 2019. Ianni says she was 8-years-old when the priest of her family parish began to abuse her. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Sexual abuse survivors protest U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops meeting in Baltimore

By Christopher Vondracek - The Washington Times

J. D. Greear, president of the Southern Baptist Convention, speaks during an Executive Committee plenary meeting at the Southern Baptist Convention on Monday, June 10, 2019, in Birmingham, Ala. ( Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle via AP)

Southern Baptists meet; sex abuse crisis tops agenda

By Jay Reeves and David Crary - Associated Press

FILE - In this Tuesday, June 12, 2018 file photo, rape survivor and abuse victim advocate Mary DeMuth speaks during a rally protesting the Southern Baptist Convention's treatment of women outside the convention's annual meeting at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas. On Tuesday, June 11, 2019, the Southern Baptist Convention gathers for its annual national meeting with one sobering topic _ sex abuse by clergy and staff _ overshadowing all others. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter)

Sex abuse crisis tops agenda as Southern Baptists convene

By DAVID CRARY - Associated Press

FILE - In this June 12, 2018 file photo, people pray for America at the 2018 annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Dallas Convention Center in Dallas. The nation's largest Protestant denomination is reporting its twelfth year of declining memberships. On Thursday, May 23, 2019, the Southern Baptist Convention reported total membership for 2018 at 14.8 million, down about 192,000 from the previous year. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News via AP, File)

Southern Baptists see 12th year of declining membership

By TRAVIS LOLLER - Associated Press

This Dec. 12, 2013 photo shows a composite of three different windows designed for the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary MacGorman Chapel in Fort Worth, Texas. The stained-glass windows honoring some religious leaders who helped shift the Southern Baptist Convention to a more conservative stance have been removed from a North Texas chapel. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported Wednesday, May 15, 2019 that the windows featured dismissed Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary President Paige Patterson. He was fired last May amid criticism of his responses to rape allegations made years apart by two students. (Paul Moseley/Fort Worth Star-Telegram via AP)

Windows honoring Baptist leader in Texas removed from chapel

Associated Press

Arkansas pastor to lead Southern Baptist executive committee

Associated Press

FILE - In this Feb. 26, 2019, file photo, Ed Rowe, left, Rebecca Wilson, Robin Hager and Jill Zundel, react to the defeat of a proposal that would allow LGBT clergy and same-sex marriage within the United Methodist Church at the denomination's 2019 Special Session of the General Conference in St. Louis, Mo. The church ended a pivotal conference on Feb. 26 in a seemingly irreconcilable split over same-sex marriage and the ordination of LGBT clergy. (AP Photo/Sid Hastings, File)

3 big US churches in turmoil over sex abuse, LGBT policy

By DAVID CRARY - Associated Press

Mississippi editorial roundup

By The Associated Press - Associated Press

Southern Baptist Convention President J.D. Greear speaks to the denomination's executive committee Monday, Feb. 18, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. Days after a newspaper investigation revealed hundreds of sexual abuse cases by Southern Baptist ministers and lay leaders over the past two decades, Greear spoke about plans to address the problem. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Southern Baptist president says database of abusers possible

By TRAVIS LOLLER - Associated Press

Choir members sing worship songs during the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting on Tuesday, June 12, 2018, at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter) ** FILE **

Southern Baptists keep faith amid sexual misconduct scandal

By James Varney - The Washington Times

In this file photo, the Rev. R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, speaks to reporters on Monday, Oct. 5, 2015 about a conference in Louisville, Ky. Rev. Mohler is among a number of Southern Baptist seminary presidents to release a joint statement on Nov. 30, 2020, condemning Critical Race Theory (AP Photo/Bruce Schreiner) **FILE**

Southern Baptist leader sorry he supported accused pastor

By Travis Loller - Associated Press

FILE - In this Tuesday, June 12, 2018 file photo, people pray for America at the 2018 Annual Meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Dallas Convention Center in Dallas. In late July, the SBC _ the largest Protestant denomination in the U.S. _ announced plans to create a high-level study group to develop strategies for combatting sexual abusers and ministering to their victims. The move followed a series of revelations about sexual misconduct cases involving SBC churches and seminaries. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News via AP)

The unfathomable behavior of leaders in the Southern Baptist Convention

By Cal Thomas

Report: Hundreds abused by Southern Baptist leaders, workers

Associated Press