Nation - Baptist Standard

BJC brief challenges Louisiana Ten Commandments law

The Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty and several other religious groups filed a brief Jan. 6 challenging a Louisiana law that mandates displaying the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms.

01/10/2025 - By Ken Camp / Managing Editor

Jimmy Carter’s life celebrated at state funeral

A prestigious group of mourners, including a slate of current, former and future presidents and vice presidents, assembled in the Washington National Cathedral on Jan. 9 for the state funeral of President Jimmy Carter.

01/10/2025 - By Jack Jenkins / Religion News Service

Dignitaries laud Jimmy Carter as ‘good and faithful servant’

Scores of lawmakers and other dignitaries huddled together in the U.S. Capitol rotunda Jan. 7 for a memorial service honoring former President Jimmy Carter.

01/09/2025 - By Jack Jenkins / Religion News Service

Blowback after Johnson misattributes prayer to Jefferson

On officially accepting his post, newly reelected House Speaker Mike Johnson recited a prayer he attributed to Thomas Jefferson, saying the third president prayed it every day. Johnson had hardly finished his speech when the debunking began.

01/09/2025 - By Jack Jenkins / Religion News Service

Congress more diverse, but most identify as Christian

A new Pew Research Center report on the religious composition of the 119th session of Congress reveals the majority of its members identify as Christian and 75 are Baptist.

01/06/2025 - By Fiona André / Religion News Service

Biden commutes sentences of 37 on federal death row

Prior to Christmas, President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of all but three people on federal death row, converting their sentences to life in prison.

01/02/2025 - By Jack Jenkins and Yonat Shimron / Religion News Service

Jimmy Carter, beloved Sunday school teacher, ex-president, dead at 100

Jimmy Carter, who died Dec. 29, at age 100, will be remembered as the 39th president of the United States and the world’s most famous Sunday school teacher.

12/30/2024 - By Adelle M. Banks / Religion News Service

Faith leaders urge Biden to empty federal death row

A group of faith leaders, activists, law enforcement officials and families of murder victims called on President Joe Biden to spare the lives of about 40 inmates currently on death row in federal prisons.

12/12/2024 - By Bob Smietana & Jack Jenkins / Religion News Service

Law barring religious colleges from program challenged

Some Minnesota Christian parents are challenging a state law that blocks certain Christian colleges from a program that allows colleges to enroll high schoolers in tuition-free college credit courses.

12/11/2024 - By Diana Chandler / Baptist Press

Associate pastor from Plano nominated for HUD secretary

An associate pastor at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano is poised to return to the White House as part of the Trump administration with the nomination of Scott Turner for secretary of HUD.

12/04/2024 - By Scott Barkley / Baptist Press

Anti-terror financing bill may punish nonprofits

Over the objections of religious groups, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a bill that would enable the secretary of the Treasury to rescind the tax-exempt status of any nonprofits the secretary concludes are “terrorist-supporting organizations.”

11/22/2024 - By Yonat Shimron / Religion News Service

Trump selects Baptist chaplain to lead VA

President-elect Donald Trump has nominated a Baptist chaplain and former pastor to be the next head of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

11/22/2024 - By Scott Barkley / Baptist Press