Baptist Briefs: Bush and Rubio to participate in Baptist forum

Two Republican presidential hopefuls—former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio—will be the first two participants in a series of civil forums for 2016 presidential candidates hosted by Russell Moore, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. Moore will interview Bush Aug. 4 during the Send North America Conference at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. The event also will feature a prerecorded video interview of Rubio. In a blog post, Moore noted he invited Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton to participate, but she declined. The SBC North American Mission Board and the International Mission Board cosponsor the Send North America Conference. Dates and candidates have not been announced for future civil forums.

Southern Baptists criticize Scouts’ policy change. After the Boy Scouts of America’s executive board voted to lift the Scouts’ national ban on gay adult leaders and employees, Southern Baptist Convention President Ronnie Floyd predicted the policy change may hasten the exodus of Southern Baptists from Scouting. “Sadly and regrettably, I believe churches who stand on the biblical ethic of sexuality will have to cease their sponsorship and involvement in the Boy Scouts of America,” Floyd said. The Scouts’ decision represents a disappointing turn from their heritage of character and faith, SBC Executive Committee President Frank Page said. “The Boy Scouts used to instill principled courage and resolute character in its members,” Page said. “Under pressure to conform to political correctness, courage withered. It deeply saddens us to see the white flag of surrender flapping in the morning breeze.” The Boy Scouts will continue to allow troops chartered by religious organizations to exclude gays from volunteer leadership positions if homosexual behavior is incompatible with chartering organizations’ religious beliefs. The Association of Baptists for Scouting released a statement lamenting that “cultural shifts and the legal landscape” compelled the organization to lift its ban on homosexual adult leaders. “We urge Baptist churches to start or continue Scouting programs, and to have them led by adults who are faithful to the moral beliefs of that congregation, thereby aiding in the spiritual development of our youth,” the association said. “We believe conditions resulting in this policy change by the BSA provide clear evidence of the increasing need for current and future moral champions in our society.” Chip Turner, a Southern Baptist who chairs the BSA National Religious Relationships Committee, insisted Scouting remains a viable ministry outlet for Baptist churches. “At no time in the history of the Boy Scouts of America has there been a greater opportunity to give voice to the Scripture on sexual conduct, as well as doing one’s duty to God,” Turner said. “Having a Scouting ministry in local churches also provides Baptists unparalleled opportunities to reach children, youth and families for Christ.”

GuideStone appeals to Supreme Court. GuideStone Financial Resources filed an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court opposing the government’s contraceptive mandate that requires some ministries GuideStone serves to provide in their employer health plans drugs and devices that may cause abortions. GuideStone, along with churches and integrated auxiliaries of churches, are exempt from the mandate and not at risk of penalties. For certain religious employers other than churches and their integrated auxiliaries, however, the government has argued it offers an accommodation to religious employers who object to the mandate. GuideStone maintains the accommodation still requires religious employers to act in ways that facilitate the delivery of abortion-inducing drugs or devices. A three-judge panel of the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver on July 14 overruled an injunction in place since December 2013 that prohibited the government from enforcing its mandate on affected ministries served by GuideStone. As part of the appeal to the Supreme Court, GuideStone will ask the Denver court to maintain the injunction until the appeal has been decided. GuideStone officials said they are optimistic the Supreme Court will accept its appeal by the end of September.