The Alabama Baptist is a weekly newspaper owned by the Alabama Baptist Convention with a circulation of 200,000.
Contents
History
The Alabama Baptist was founded in 1843 in Marion, Alabama by Baptist leaders to publicize the church's work domestically and abroad. One of the co-founders was Julia Tarrant Barron, who also founded Judson College and Howard College, now Samford University. After the American Civil War, J.J.D. Renfroe, a prominent Southern Baptist minister was associate editor and then editor of the newspaper (1873–76 and 1886–87), which he used as a platform to defend southern views, encourage national reconciliation, and promote his idealized view of Old South values. Renfroe was assisted by D. W. Gwin, E. B. Teague, and Edwin T. Winkler during this time. The paper was purchased by the Alabama Baptist State Convention in 1919. In July 2005 the al.com news website announced that it was adding content from The Alabama Baptist.
Today
As of 2010 the weekly paper was being mailed to more than 100,000 homes. The newspaper attempts to provide concise and balanced reporting of events related to religion, and gives editorial advice on moral and ethical issues from a biblical standpoint.