Baptist Press Archive

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

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  • Artificial intelligence spawns ethical concerns
    by David Roach, posted Tuesday, October 18, 2016 (7 years ago)

    Image: iStock
    NASHVILLE (BP) -- The ethics of artificial intelligence (AI) has drawn comments from the White House and British House of Commons in recent weeks, along with a nonprofit organization established by Amazon, Google, Facebook, IBM and Microsoft. Now, Baptist computer scientists have called Christians to join the discussion.

    Louise Perkins, professor of computer science at California Baptist University, told Baptist Press she is "quite worried" at the lack of an ethical code related to AI. The Christian worldview, she added, has much to say about how automated devices should be programmed to safeguard human flourishing. Read More

  • NOBTS to launch Adrian Rogers Center for preaching
    by Gary D. Myers, posted Tuesday, October 18, 2016 (7 years ago)

    File photo
    NEW ORLEANS (BP) -- New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary trustees have approved the establishment of an Adrian Rogers Center for Expository Preaching.

    Additional initiatives also were approved during the trustees' fall meeting to enhance the training of local church pastors and other church leaders -- a Christian leadership major in the doctor of philosophy program and several enhancements to the seminary's master of divinity program. Read More

  • Church's 'micro mission trips' nurture its reach
    by Raegan Melfe , posted Tuesday, October 18, 2016 (7 years ago)

    CARMICHAEL, Calif. (BP) -- The Church on Cyprus called them "micro mission trips," short-term initiatives that were affordable and close to home to increase missions participation.

    There are "all kinds of reasons" why some people shy away from mission trips, said Peggy Tumlinson, a missions committee member at the church, named for its location on Cypress Avenue in Carmichael, Calif.

    "[S]ome find it frightening; some find it hard because of finances; some just are not sure what to expect," Tumlinson said, so the church sought to make missions outreach "accessible to anybody including children in the family." Read More

  • N.Y. Baptists affirm marriage & gender, increase CP
    by Staff, posted Tuesday, October 18, 2016 (7 years ago)

    Photo by Cathy Meyer.
    SCHROON LAKE, N.Y. (BP) -- Messengers to the Baptist Convention of New York increased giving to Southern Baptist Convention missions and ministries for the second year in a row and discussed proposals to affirm the biblical definitions of marriage and gender in the convention's constitution.

    Messengers also heard addresses from SBC Executive Committee President Frank S. Page and Todd Starnes of Fox News during their Sept. 25-27 sessions at Word of Life Conference Center in Schroon Lake, N.Y. In addition to 90 registered messengers, 21 guests were present for a total of 35 churches represented. Read More

  • FIRST-PERSON: A tiny handshake & squeaky voice
    by John Weaver, posted Tuesday, October 18, 2016 (7 years ago)

    John Weaver recounts the joy reaped from 6-year-old son Noah's handshakes and "Hey Low! How wa you?" greetings at a hospital eye clinic. "It has been so cool to watch as frowns are quickly turned upside down," the Missouri pastor writes. Read More