Category: Faith

Some Evangelicals Object to Refugee Restrictions

Wendy Wilson

A group of 100 evangelical leaders and pastors published a full-page ad in The Washington Post on Wednesday objecting to President Trump’s executive order on refugees. The ad featured an open letter to President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence and criticized the moratorium placed on the national refugee program and reduction in the number of refugees to be allowed into the U.S. this year. Parts of the order, which also temporarily blocks visas from seven Muslim-majority countries, are held up in court, but the yearly cap on refugees is not affected. World Relief, a national Christian refugee resettlement agency with a large presence in  Nashville, coordinated the letter. Signatories included nationally known writers and ministers such as Tim and Kathy Keller, Bill and Lynne Hybels, Ed Stetzer, Ann Voskamp and Max Lucado. Scott Sauls, pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, also signed the ad. Sauls previously served under Tim Keller at a church in New York City. Christ Presbyterian is affiliated with the conservative Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). “As Christians, we have a historic call expressed over two thousand years, to serve the suffering,” the letter said. “We cannot abandon this call now. We live in a dangerous…

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Archaeologists get set to dig at Masada, after 11-year hiatus

Tennessee Star Staff

Tel Aviv University Team will excavate rebel dwellings, Herod’s gardens in month-long expedition at UNESCO heritage site By Ilan Ben Zion Aerial view of Masada (Andrew Shiva/Wikipedia/CC BY-SA) For the first time in over a decade, archaeologists are commencing new excavations atop Masada, studying previously untouched areas of the legendary desert mountain fortress, including the residences…

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Dana Hunsinger Gill Named Faith Editor of The Tennessee Star

Tennessee Star Staff

Dana Hunsinger Gill has been named Faith Editor of The Tennessee Star, managing editor Christina Botteri announced on Monday. Dana is national co-chair of Lift the Vote (www.liftthevote.org) and co-founded 4LOVE Magazine, a Christ centered Christian Lifestyle publication, for which she served as Senior Editor until the publication was sold. She has worked extensively with Christian organizations across the country and with major advertisers and donors to those organizations. As Faith Editor, Gill will work to build a network of Faith Commentary Contributors to The Tennessee Star. In addition, she will coordinate with local churches and synagogues to promote their sermon series and specific community events.      

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Baptist Pastor Resigns From Board Over Mosque Dispute

Wendy Wilson

The pastor of a large church near Knoxville has resigned from the board of a Southern Baptist missionary agency because of the board’s support for the construction of a New Jersey mosque involved in a legal dispute. Dean Haun, senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Morristown resigned in November from the International Mission Board (IMB), on which he had served as a trustee. Haun objected to the IMB joining a friend of the court brief last May supporting the Islamic Society of Basking Ridge, N.J., in a religious discrimination lawsuit. Haun told the Baptist Press that Southern Baptists and Muslims advocate different doctrines and that Scripture forbids “unholy alliances.” “I understand the religious liberty aspect of the entire argument. But I do not understand why the International Mission Board, with our mission to reach the world for Christ, would have to jump into the fray of a mosque being built in New Jersey,” Haun said. In December, a judge ruled that a local planning board violated federal law by requiring the mosque to include more parking than is required for churches and synagogues. The township, which is considering an appeal, maintained that more parking was needed because of the mosque’s unique…

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Religious Savagery Must Not Go Unchecked

Tennessee Star Staff

February 5, 2017 Reprinted with permission from the personal blog of Mateen Elass, Random thoughts from an Arab, Reformed theologion By Mateen Elass News of the recent heinous attack on a Muslim house of worship in Quebec City, Canada, was reported around the world. The perpetrator has been arrested and charged with five counts of murder and six counts of attempted murder. As yet, nothing about Alexandre Bissonnette’s motives has been released to the public. It’s a bit surprising that he has not been charged with any terrorism-related crimes at this point, but there is much to which the public is not privy for now. What we do know is that hundreds of lives are now shrouded with grief and anger over this hateful attack. Our prayers are important — may God grant the families and friends of the victims comfort and peace. Unfortunately, this attack is not the only violence against worshipers in the month of January. About two weeks ago, in a largely Muslim community, another house of worship was attacked during evening prayers, this time by a mob of about 90. They broke into the building, cornered roughly half the worshipers who had not been able to…

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