Harry Farley

• Evangelical Alliance rubbishes 'spiritual abuse' language: It could 'criminalise' conservative teaching on sexuality

  An influential evangelical body in the UK is rubbishing the term 'spiritual abuse', warning it could 'enshrine religious discrimination on the statute book'.

• Welby under pressure as General Synod members asked to back motion of 'regret' over Bishop George Bell case

  The Archbishop of Canterbury will be under renewed pressure at the Church of England's ruling general synod this week to renounce his claim that a 'significant cloud' remains over George Bell, a highly-respected bishop accused of sex abuse.

• Church of England clergy say mental health of parishioners 'major' concern

  Mental health among parishioners is now a primary concern for Church of England clergy, a new survey suggests.

• Bishops under pressure to explain 'dismissive' rejection of transgender services

  Church of England bishops are under pressure to explain their 'dismissive' consideration of transgender liturgies.

• Landmark Vatican-China deal over 'illegitimate bishops' ready to sign

  A breakthrough deal between the Vatican and China over the appointment of bishops could be signed within days, according a source quoted by Reuters.

• City Harvest Church's Kong Hee escapes longer jail time for fraud

  A megachurch pastor accused of misusing millions of dollars in donations has escaped a longer jail sentence.

• Home Office rejects calls to regulate sharia courts in Britain

  The Home Office is rejecting calls for the government to regulate sharia courts, warning that to do so would legitimise the quasi-legal structures that operate outside the British legal system.

• EXCLUSIVE: Bishop blasts disgraced priest allowed to defend George Bell at Church of England's headquarters

  It is 'outrageous' that a disgraced priest banned from ministry has been allowed to speak at the Church of England's headquarters, a bishop said today.

• Ofsted chief rebukes Church of England: We need powers to inspect Sunday schools

  Ofsted inspections of Sunday schools are back on the cards, the inspectors' chief revealed today.

• Religious extremists use schools to 'indoctrinate impressionable minds', Ofsted chief warns

  Some religious schools are being used to 'indoctrinate impressionable minds with extremist ideology' under the guise of religious belief, the head of Ofsted is warning.

• CofE and Methodist unity plans 'threaten the fundamentals' of Church, Anglo-Catholics warn

  Anglo-Catholics are warning proposals to end 200-years of schism with the Methodist Church 'threaten the fundamentals' of the Church of England.

• Pope investigates Chilean Bishop Barros after new information emerges

  Pope Francis is sending the Vatican's top expert on sex abuse to investigate the case of a Chilean bishop accused of covering up a paedophile priest's crimes.