The Southern Baptist Convention, a fundamentalist church that is the largest denomination of U.S. Protestants, has been meeting this week in Birmingham, Alabama, and the main topic is sexual abuse by clergy and other ministers. That was preceded by informal but impassioned discussion of women’s ordination. Many people believe that women in positions of power and oversight can help prevent abuses, while others are Biblical literalists who think women should keep quiet in church. As the demonstrator above points out with her sign, Jesus chose Mary Magdalene as the first to know he’d left the tomb. (Julie Bennett/AP)
Daily Office Asia-Pacific 
