Joseph Hartropp

• 'He says what's in his heart': Falwell Jr continues to back Trump after Liberty alumni return diplomas in protest

  Liberty University president Jerry Falwell Jr continues to defend President Trump, after several Liberty alumni said they were returning their diplomas in light of the institution's political affiliation. Falwell said he backs the president because 'he doesn't say what's politically correct, he says what's in his heart'.

• Christian cathedral provides refuge for thousands fleeing civil war in South Sudan

  Civil war, intense famine and a refugee crisis have ravaged South Sudan in recent months. The situation is now so stark that thousands in the country have fled their homes and sought refuge in a Christian cathedral.

• Darkness looms with the solar eclipse: is it a sign of the end times?

  Today, a Solar Eclipse looms for North America: the Moon will pass in front of the Sun, shrouding the land in darkness. What are Christians saying about it, and why?

• Hillsong's Brian Houston warns of 'wide-ranging ramifications' in Australia's gay marriage vote

  Hillsong pastor Brian Houston has been among prominent conservative Christian voices warning of 'wide-ranging ramifications' in Australia's referendum on legalising gay marriage. The Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne has said any Church employees who had same-sex marriages would be fired.

• It's worse than you think: Four things Christians get wrong about 'sin'

  A recent survey by LifeWay Research probed American views on 'sin'. But sin, a theological concept at the heart of Christianity, can be tragically misunderstood both in and outside the Church.

• Character counts: Trump failed the nation, but this forgiving family showed true leadership

  Character counts. Leadership matters. In crisis, we need hope, faith and love – not hate. President Trump doesn't understand, but this week two grieving, everyday American parents showed how it's done.

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  How does the average American pray – and what for?

  The vast majority of Americans pray. But how do they do it, and what do they pray for? New research has shed light on the intercessory habits of Americans.

• US Secretary of State takes aim at ISIS and global failure to stop persecution in new religious freedom report

  US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has condemned the prevalence of religious persecution across the world, alongside the release of the state department's 2016 International Religious Freedom Report.

• Robert Jeffress: I didn't say 'God ordained President Trump to nuke North Korea' - but he can use force

  Controversial pastor and Trump-ally Robert Jeffress has clarified widely criticised comments he made about God's support for US military action against North Korea, insisting he wasn't saying 'God ordained President Trump to nuke North Korea.'

• What is the 'Assumption of Mary' – and why don't evangelicals celebrate it?

  Today is the feast day of the Assumption of Mary, a revered occasion celebrated by Catholic and Orthodox wings of the church, but essentially ignored by most evangelical Protestants. What is it?

• White supremacy angers Jesus, says Russell Moore, calls it 'terrorism, Satanism and devil worship'

  Leading US evangelical and Southern Baptist Russell Moore has offered blistering critique of white supremacy following the events at Charlottesville, calling the ideology 'terrorism, Satanism and devil worship.'

• Franklin Graham calls 'shame' on Trump critics over Charlottesville violence, says 'Satan is behind it all'

  Franklin Graham has defended Donald Trump over criticism of the President's response to the white supremacist violence in Charlottesville, Virginia this weekend. The evangelist poured 'shame' on Trump's detractors and said that 'Satan is behind it all'.