Mark A. Kellner
Articles by Mark A. Kellner
McLean Bible Church dispute near end as Fairfax judge tosses dissidents’ lawsuit
An attorney for dissident members of McLean Bible Church vowed to appeal a judge's dismissal of a lawsuit seeking to overturn recent elections of local leaders. Published June 27, 2022
EXCLUSIVE: Finland’s ‘Bible Trial’ to continue despite district court win for evangelical lawmaker
Finnish lawmaker Paivi Rasanen said Monday she remains optimistic despite a prosecutor's decision to appeal her acquittal on "hate speech" charges for comments the Christian evangelical has shared on homosexuality and the Bible. Published June 27, 2022
Supreme Court won’t hear evangelical ministry’s defamation case
The Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a defamation lawsuit brought by D. James Kennedy Ministries against the Southern Poverty Law Center, which describes the evangelical Christian ministry as an "Anti-LGBT hate group." Published June 27, 2022
Priests-for-Life director ready for ‘roller coaster’ as Roe is overturned
The Rev. Frank Pavone, head of the anti-abortion group Priests for Life, has had a lifelong fascination with roller coasters. He grew up next door to the famous Rye Playland in New York's Westchester County, home of the famous "Dragon Coaster" featured in the Tom Hanks movie "Big." Published June 24, 2022
Christian massacres in Nigeria a top topic at global religious freedom summit
Protecting religious liberty around the world has become more challenging in the last year, advocates said this week ahead of Tuesday's convening of the second International Religious Freedom Summit in Washington. Published June 23, 2022
Gospel music legend Bill Gaither gets Christian TV retrospective Friday
Bill Gaither, a Christian music impresario who's written more than 700 songs, won eight Grammys and sold more than 40 million gospel-concert videos, knows how he'd like to be remembered. Published June 22, 2022
Race eyed as factor in United Methodist pastors’ salaries in two states
Black United Methodist Church pastors in North Carolina and South Carolina are paid "substantially less" than their White counterparts because cross-racial appointments for Black clergy are difficult to come by, a 12-year study reported. Published June 21, 2022
Jehovah’s Witnesses to resume street-corner evangelism, eye door-to-door return
The 1.3 million U.S. members of Jehovah's Witnesses are returning to street-corner evangelism this week after more than two years of pandemic-enforced isolation, including literature displays near The White House and in New York City's subways. Published June 21, 2022
Americans remain strong charitable givers, but inflation offsets most of the gains
Americans gave an estimated $484.85 billion to U.S. charities in 2021, a 4% increase over 2020, the new Giving USA report revealed Tuesday morning. Published June 20, 2022
Papal resignation rumors swirl in Rome as Francis endures health issues
The world went nearly 600 years without a pope resigning before a frail Benedict XVI stepped down in 2013. The Vatican rumor mill is now working overtime on whether the next wait won't be so lengthy. Published June 20, 2022
Losing their religion: Gallup poll shows 81% of Americans believe in God, a new low
Fewer Americans than ever believe in God, a new Gallup poll reported Friday morning. Published June 17, 2022
Southern Baptist business meeting ends, but sex-abuse, other challenges remain
The banners, buttons and book displays are gone, as are most of the thousands of Southern Baptist Convention lay members, pastors, and administrators who filled a meeting hall at the Anaheim Convention Center here with two days of praise music and balloting on the movement's future. Published June 16, 2022
Southern Baptist churches must be ‘dangerous places’ for sexual predators, new president says
The new president of America's largest Protestant denomination declared Thursday there would no longer be a "hunting ground" for sexual predators in Southern Baptist churches. Published June 15, 2022
Southern Baptists tap Texas pastor Bart Barber, 52, as president
The Rev. Bart Barber, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Farmersville, Texas, was elected late Tuesday to lead the Southern Baptist Convention. Published June 14, 2022
Southern Baptists vote ‘bare minimum’ steps dealing with sexual abuse
The Southern Baptist Convention voted Tuesday for what one official termed the "bare minimum" of reforms in dealing with decades of sexual abuse in the nation's largest Protestant denomination. Published June 14, 2022
Catholic bishops appeal for peace as attacks on pro-life groups, churches rise
Two leaders of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops called for peace Monday amid a rising number of attacks on Catholic parishes and pro-life pregnancy centers. Published June 13, 2022
Pope feels ‘great sorrow’ over canceled Africa trip, says Ukraine ‘remains vivid in my heart’
Pope Francis told a Sunday audience at the Vatican that "I truly feel great sorrow for having had to postpone" a July 2 trip to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan. Published June 12, 2022
Baptist relief group pledges $4 million to implement abuse task force ideas, fund victims’ care
One week after the Southern Baptist Convention's executive committee voted to recommend spending millions to address the denomination's sex-abuse crisis, a related charity pledged to help with funding. Published June 9, 2022
Equal Act backers rally for Senate action on new drug-sentencing norms
Supporters of new drug-sentencing standards that could lead to the release of potentially thousands of nonviolent offenders rallied outside the Capitol Wednesday to urge the Senate to approve the stalled Equal Act. Published June 8, 2022
Americans open to visiting different church denominations, survey finds
Most Americans -- even non-Christians or those of no faith -- said they won't rule out attending a church because of its denominational affiliation, a new survey has found. Published June 8, 2022
