Married lesbian Baptist co-pastors say all are ‘beloved’

The Rev. Maria Swearingen, center left, and the Rev. Sally Sarratt, center right, are welcomed into membership at Calgary Baptist Church by other clergy during a service on Feb. 26, 2017, in Washington, D.C. RNS photo by Adelle M. Banks
The Rev. Maria Swearingen, center left, and the Rev. Sally Sarratt, center right, are welcomed into membership at Calgary Baptist Church by other clergy during a service on Feb. 26, 2017, in Washington, D.C. RNS photo by Adelle M. Banks

WASHINGTON (RNS) In her sermon on the last Sunday of Black History Month, the Rev. Maria Swearingen preached about her belief that black lives, “queer lives” and immigrant lives matter.

And since it also was Transfiguration Sunday, she pointed to the story in the Gospel of Matthew where God declared Jesus “beloved.” That is a term, she said, that can be used for everyone.

Swearingen stood in the pulpit for the first time as the lesbian co-pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, her wife and fellow co-pastor, the Rev. Sally Sarratt, smiling over her left shoulder as they began their new joint roles.   Continue reading

Can a Baptist be a Catholic?

eucharistic-breadA cadre of Baptist scholars has been writing about emerging catholicity, the holy desire for unity among all ecclesial communions. Taking tradition more seriously as a source for theological construction, these Baptists urge usage of the ancient creeds of the apostolic heritage of the whole church to supplement their reading of Scripture. A leading theologian in the movement, Steven Harmon, contends, “Baptists have their own distinctive ecclesial gifts to offer the church catholic, without which even the churches currently in communion with the bishop of Rome are something less than fully catholic themselves.”

As a staunch Baptist I, too, long for catholicity. In many respects the future of Christianity depends upon a greater ecumenicity. Regular prayer with Benedictines has kindled a burning desire in me for Christ’s church to be one. When worshiping with these Christian brothers and sisters, I feel acutely the separation when the Eucharist is celebrated. While I understand the linkage of the meal to the larger sacramental system of the Roman Catholic Church, it reminds me that the unity for which Jesus prayed in John 17 is not yet realized. My spiritual friend, Abbot Gregory of Conception Abbey (a nearby monastery), shares this longing “that they might be one.”   Continue reading

Baptist Pastor: Stand for national anthem or be shot!

21083547-mmmain“If you don’t want to stand for the national anthem, you can line up over there by the fence and let our military personnel take a few shots at you since they’re taking shots for you,” the announcer said at the game versus Houston County High School, according to Facebook poster Denise Crowley-Whitfield. Crowley-Whitfield said the crowd went “crazy cheering” following the speech. The announcer was identified as Pastor Allen Joyner, of Sweet Home Baptist Church in McKenzie, according to Joyner’s relatives and friends, who also posted to Facebook and praised the statement.” –Source

If you look at the pic that I posted for the article on the left you will see that after echoing the pastor’s unChristian words, she said “I desperately needed to see some good in this world after a disheartening week.” What good is she talking about? A violent sporting event designed long ago to make violent acts against your fellow man appear not only good, but necessary when seeking some “time off” enjoying a game? Or was she talking about the pastor’s crazed comments about killing his fellow man for not standing during a national anthem? Or worse yet, was she talking about imagining lining up her friends and neighbors for a firing squad to kill them that refuse to stand for a national anthem?   Continue reading

VIDEO: Tiny Christian church in holy war with Islam

belmont-drive-missionary-baptist-sign“The church is so small it doesn’t even have a website. It’s main method of communicating with the outside world is its outdoor marquee sitting out front of its building along a highway that few travel. Harrington posted messages last month on the board that read: “Wake up Christians. Allah is not our God. Muhammad not greater than Jesus.” The other side of the marque stated “Only the Bible is God’s Word. Koran is just another book.” In a matter of days word spread to Muslim groups and their left-leaning supporters well beyond Hood River. About a dozen protesters descended on the small church with signs saying “take down this sign.” This church is so small it often can’t muster more than a dozen members for a Sunday service.” –Source

Amazing how a small town preacher with a handful of church goers can see the truth in this, but the main stream millionaires dressed up as wolves in sheep’s clothing can’t seem to realize Allah is not God and Jesus is much more powerful than a pedophile; but then this is the norm in these last days wherein if you have enough political pundits willing to spread the lie for Rome who not only has to make pedophilia the norm, they also seek to make it appear as a wise choice for those looking on who can be indoctrinated to think since learned and powerful men are pedophiles it must mean it’s the right thing to do. Don’t believe people can’t be indoctrinated into thinking child rape is the norm? Perhaps you would have laughed 40 years ago as well if told abortion and homosexual marriage would be legalized in the future?  Continue reading…

Judge sentences Catholic to Baptist church pews

RNS-JUDGE-OHIOCINCINNATI — Judge William Mallory enjoys handing out creative sentences from his bench over at the Hamilton County Courthouse.

But the one he meted out in his Municipal Court room Wednesday wasn’t even his idea.

And boy, oh boy, did he like it.

Instead of sending Jake Strotman to jail on a misdemeanor attempted assault conviction, Mallory sent the 23-year-old Catholic to a Baptist church for the next 12 Sundays.  Continue reading…