2016 National Election

During this year's U.S. presidential race, Brian Hobbs challenges Christians to consider the words of the oath of office when deciding which candidate should have their vote. "This is a sobering time for America, as well as a time to pray deeply about the decisions we make," writes Hobbs, editor of The Baptist Messenger of Oklahoma.

PHILADELPHIA (BP) -- Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's 5,000-word address to the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia July 28 devoted a total of one phrase to abortion and even less to so-called homosexual rights. The sparse mention of social issues led Walter Bradley, a former Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission trustee who served as New Mexico's Republican lieutenant governor from 1995-2002, to express concern Clinton seemed to "avoid these very important issues."

PHILADELPHIA (BP) -- Talk of Hillary Clinton's Methodist roots, an address by Planned Parenthood Federation of America President Cecile Richards and discussion of Clinton's becoming the first female presidential nominee of a major U.S. political party were among the newsworthy events July 26 at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. On the day delegates officially nominated Clinton, her husband, former President Bill Clinton, delivered a keynote address chronicling their life together and her record of public service, including its religious influences.

PHILADELPHIA (BP) -- Despite the Democratic Party's adoption yesterday (July 25) of a platform calling, for the first time ever, for direct taxpayer funding of abortion, a pro-life group within in the party is laboring at the Democratic National Convention to shift Democrats' stance on sanctity of life issues. In related news, Russell Moore, president of Southern Baptists' Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, wrote in a USA Today op-ed coauthored with a former aide to President Obama, that the Democratic platform's unprecedented pro-choice stance is "a foreboding sign for American civic life."

NASHVILLE (BP) -- Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, whose pro-life stands in state-level offices stand in stark contrast to a socially liberal voting record since being elected to the U.S. Senate, has been selected as the running mate of presumed Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. The former secretary of state and first lady announced her selection July 22 via text message to her supporters, The New York Times reported. Elected to the Senate in 2012, Kaine served as Virginia's governor from 2006-2010 and as chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2009-2011. Previously, he served as Virginia lieutenant governor and mayor of Richmond.

CLEVELAND (BP) -- Donald Trump told Americans he would solve their country's problems in accepting the Republican Party's nomination for president Thursday (July 21) but appeared unable to bridge the divide over his candidacy among Southern Baptists and other evangelical Christians. Trump closed the GOP convention in Cleveland with a nearly 75-minute speech in which he promised to restore law and order to the United States and to repair the "rigged" political system. "Nobody knows the system better than me, which is why I alone can fix it," the New York businessman and reality TV star told Republican delegates and a national viewing audience.

CLEVELAND (BP) -- Vice presidential nominee Mike Pence made a social conservative's case for Donald Trump on the Republican National Convention's third day, but the GOP runner-up -- Texas Sen. Ted Cruz -- grabbed the spotlight by refusing to endorse his party's nominee. Pence, 57, accepted the Republican nomination for vice president Wednesday evening (July 20) and offered reasons the lightning-rod billionaire should be trusted over presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. The Indiana governor made his case, however, after a wave of boos ushered Cruz off the stage in a development that assured Pence's speech would be eclipsed in the convention's latest news cycle.

[QUOTE@right@180="The president that we choose in November is not just a four-year decision but really a 40-year decision."
-- Mark Harris]CLEVELAND (BP) -- Donald Trump officially became the Republican Party's presidential nominee Tuesday (July 19) on a day when the devil was invoked at the GOP convention as part of a reason not to vote for his Democratic opponent. The controversial billionaire easily passed the 1,237 votes needed to secure the nomination during a state-by-state roll call, ending a divisive, even bitter, campaign season among Republicans.

No pastor "can be silent and ignore the volatile trends or threatening winds of change and unrest in our culture today," David McKinley writes. The Georgia pastor relays guiding principles for answering such questions as "Pastor, where do you stand on ...?"

WASHINGTON (BP) -- Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has selected a social conservative -- Indiana Gov. Mike Pence -- as his running mate. Trump announced his vice presidential choice in a tweet Friday (July 15) and said he would hold a news conference regarding his decision July 16, two days before the Republican National Convention opens in Cleveland, Ohio. The brash billionaire's choice likely will be interpreted as an effort to help him gain ...