Category: Opinion/Analysis (2018-present)

Personal opinion and analysis of issues bearing on ethics, religion, theology, politics, and so forth

Ethics & Justice:
A Christian’s responsibility, in the wake of rising anti-Semitic attacks 
by George A. Mason, guest contributor

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(George A. Mason, senior pastor of Wilshire Baptist Church, Dallas, TX, posted the following commentary to his Facebook page on Sunday, December 29, 2019; it is reprinted here with his permission.) The repeated and increasing attacks on synagogues and the murder of Jews is a grim product of anti-Semitism. Beliefs matter. As a Christian pastor, Read more . . .

Baptists: 
On watching ‘Heaven’s Rain’ (now ‘The Amendment’) 40 years after the murders of Richard & Marilyn Douglass 
by Bill Jones

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Richard and Marilyn Douglass were murdered on the evening of October 15, 1979 – 40 years ago yesterday – so last night I watched my DVD of Heaven’s Rain, the movie that their son Brooks produced as a tribute to his parents. It’s a powerfully inspiring – and disturbing – movie, and I highly recommend Read more . . .

Baptists: 
If you haven’t been to CBF General Assembly . . . THIS is what you’re missing! 
by Bill Jones

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I spent last week in Birmingham, Alabama, at Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF) General Assembly. Whether in Birmingham, Dallas, Atlanta, Greensboro NC, Grapevine TX, Fort Worth, or any of its other venues over the years, CBF General Assembly has long been a highlight of ANY year for me. Last week was no exception. Following are a Read more . . .

Baptists: 
A Word from Bill Jones, Weekly Baptist Roundup, 6/15/2019 
by Bill Jones

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COOPERATIVE BAPTIST FELLOWSHIP GENERAL ASSEMBLY meets this week in Birmingham, AL. I’ll be arriving Tuesday morning to attend our annual T. B. MASTON FOUNDATION CBF Student Scholars Retreat. Then I’m looking forward to attending Wednesday morning’s BAPTIST WOMEN IN MINISTRY Annual Gathering at the historic SIXTEENTH STREET BAPTIST CHURCH.   Thursday evening, at a dinner Read more . . .

Ethics & Justice: 
Holocaust Day: Remembrance and resolve 
by Dr. A. Jase Jones (1985)

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From 1957 through 1978, my dad, Dr. A. Jase Jones (who passed away at 93 in 2007), served as an area missionary director in the Dept. of Interfaith Witness of the SBC’s Home Mission Board and was a leader in Jewish-Baptist dialogues. This article reflects his deep affection and admiration for the Jewish people; and Read more . . .

Ethics & Justice: 
2019 Currie-Strickland Lectures – Muslim Immigration: Following Christ Through the Debate

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This week, I attended the 12th annual Currie-Strickland Distinguished Lectures in Christian Ethics at Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas. These lectures are named for David R. Currie, who led Texas Baptists Committed as executive director for over two decades (1988-2009); and Phil Strickland, who served as director of the Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission Read more . . .

Baptists: 
Jimmy Allen: ” . . . thanking God for the touch of T. B. Maston in my life”

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There can be no one definitive memorial column to JIMMY RAYMOND ALLEN. His footprints in Baptist life and the wider Christian community are much too big for that. So I simply want to share a few of my personal and special memories of my friend Jimmy Allen. I commend the reader, as well, to excellent Read more . . .

Baptists:
“No. 1: MARY ALICE,” the premiere

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Friday evening, I attended the premiere of “No. 1: MARY ALICE,” the inaugural entry in the micro-documentary series, each entry to feature a woman pastor, co-produced by BAPTIST WOMEN IN MINISTRY (BWIM) and ETHICS DAILY. The namesake of this first entry is MARY ALICE BIRDWHISTELL, senior pastor of CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH in Waco, Texas. Accordingly, Read more . . .