Christian Today staff writer

• Church leaders in Northern Ireland call on politicians to help struggling families and 'protect the common good'

  Church leaders in Northern Ireland have called on politicians to 'alleviate the hardship' of families on the poverty line, in a new year message.

• Peace and poverty: the Archbishop of York on fears for 2018 – yet where there is Christ, there is hope

  The Archbishop of York: "The evidence across the world seems to be devoid of hope, and yet as a follower of Jesus Christ I know the moment where there appeared to be the least hope: Jesus dying on the cross and buried."

• 2017 on Christian Today: A year of triumphs and tragedies

  It's been a momentous year. As well as the usual views and reviews, these are some of the news stories covered by Christian Today during 2017.

• Top Christian academic appointed knight in New Year Honours

  Professor Iain Torrance, a former Moderator of the Church of Scotland, has been honoured for his service to the Church, theological education, interfaith dialogue, the British Army and work to combat homophobia.

• The UK's Archbishop Angaelos, Egypt's Muslim leader and more join in condemning Egypt church terror attack

  Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayyeb, warned that such attacks threatened national unity in Egypt. He called on all Muslims to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ

• How to pray for persecuted Christians in 2018

  Release International, which campaigns for persecuted Christians worldwide, has highlighted China, Nigeria and India as 'countries of concern' in 2018.

• Church of Scotland has launched its own tartan

  Tartans were traditionally associated with different regions in Scotland, but patterns were assigned to specific clans and institutions in the 19th century.

• Pastor's son accidentally shoots dead his cousin

  A pastor's teenage son has accidentally shot and killed his younger cousin while they were searching for intruders at the church attached to his home.

• Christians murdered in Nigeria's Kaduna state over Christmas

  Fulani herdsmen have launched two attacks on Christian worshippers in Nigeria's Kaduna State in the Christmas period.

• Obama and Prince Harry: Former President warns against misuse of social media

  He warned against the harmful effect of social media in which people were increasingly split into hostile tribes.

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  Warnings over new relationships education that will teach British school children about transgender issues

  The lessons will address sex, sexual health, and LGBT issues, including transgenderism.

• Why do Matthew and Luke have different Nativity stories?

  Two of the four Gospels don't feature the story of Jesus' birth at all. Mark and John jump straight into his baptism and ministry without reference to how or where he was born