World religion briefs

3 run for Southern Baptist president

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Three clergyman will be in the running to become the next president of the Southern Baptist Convention at the denomination's annual meeting.

The expected nominees so far are Ted Traylor, pastor of Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola, Fla.; Bryant Wright, senior pastor of Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in Marietta, Ga.; and Jimmy Jackson, president of the Alabama Baptist State Convention, according to Baptist Press and other Baptist outlets.

The three will be vying to succeed Johnny Hunt, pastor of First Baptist Church of Woodstock, Ga., who is completing his service as Southern Baptist president after finishing two one-year terms. With more than 16 million members, the denomination is the second-largest in the United States, behind the Roman Catholic Church.

Lebanese march for secularism

BEIRUT (AP) — Thousands of Lebanese marched for secularism in their deeply divided country.

More than 2,000 people took part in the "Laique Pride," or "Secular Pride," march organized April 25 by civil society groups. Participants headed toward parliament in downtown Beirut but were kept about 100 meters (328 feet) away from the compound by Lebanese troops.

A small Mediterranean nation, Lebanon is home to 18 religious sects and is deeply divided along sectarian lines. It experienced a ruinous 15-year civil war between Muslims and Christians that ended 20 years ago. Since Lebanon gained independence in 1943, the president has always been a Maronite Christian, the prime minister a Sunni Muslim and parliament speaker a Shiite Muslim.

Jewish law or family's request?

PITTSBURGH (AP) — An Allegheny County judge must decide whether civil law or Jewish religious law governs a family's request to exhume the remains of a long-deceased family member so the remains can be moved to another cemetery.

Judge Lawrence O'Toole heard arguments Monday from the family of Howard Tobin, who died 45 yeas ago, and an attorney for Poale Zedeck, the Orthodox Jewish cemetery north of Pittsburgh where Tobin is buried.

Tobin's family say they want his remains moved to a Pittsburgh cemetery. But Rabbi Ari Goldberg says Jewish law prohibits exhumation.

Teacher forced prayer, says group