Joseph Hartropp

• Head of Martin Luther's monastic order calls the reformer 'obstinate, intolerant, abusive and rude'

  The head of the Catholic Order of St Augustine – of which Martin Luther was once a part – has offered a stinging rebuke of the famed Protestant reformer, describing him as 'obstinate, intolerant, abusive and rude'.

• The dark side of the Reformation: John Calvin and the burning of heretics

  On this day in 1553, the condemned heretic Michael Servetus was burned at the stake in Geneva, largely thanks to the efforts of theologian and Protestant reformer John Calvin. His involvement in this execution remains an unforgettable reminder of how theology can turn sinister.

• Freedom of Belief Day: 4 reasons religious liberty still matters

  Today, October 27, is International Freedom of Religion or Belief Day, an occasion to celebrate freedom where it exists and raise awareness of where it's sorely lacking. Here are four reasons freedom of belief matters for all across the world, religious or otherwise.

• The biblical command most British Christians don't care for – and why they're dangerously wrong

  The Old Testament's famous command against idolatry is seen as irrelevant to most Brits, including Christians. It might sound like just another 'rule' but it points to the longing of the human heart - and the Church ignores it at its peril.

• Church Clarity wants answers on homosexuality – but what if ambiguity's what we need?

  'Church Clarity' is a divisive new database that's pressuring pastors to clearly declare their stance on homosexuality. Some are celebrating, others fear what's next. Christians should love the truth, but in an ever-polarised world - can't we learn from ambiguity too?

• Church Clarity: US pastors pushed to define the 'limits of their welcome' for LGBTQ persons

  A new online initiative is pressuring US churches to clearly declare their stance on homosexuality, separating the 'affirming' from the 'non-affirming'.

• How a megachurch tragedy nearly destroyed 'Prince of Preachers' Charles Spurgeon

  The famed, fiery Baptist pastor Charles Spurgeon was a celebrity pastor of his era – and continues to inspire today – but one tragic megachurch event nearly ended his ministry completely.

• Handwashing Day: Sesame Street team and World Vision unite for life-saving children's program

  Today – October 15 – is Global Handwashing Day. It will this year see the team behind the children's programme Sesame Street unite with humanitarian agency World Vision for a major expansion of a program that empowers young people with life-saving education about hygiene and healthy sanitation.

• Hell House: The evangelism strategy that aims to scare people into heaven

  One US church has for decades been promoting salvation through a fiercer, more fiery means: an 'experience' known as a 'Hell House'.

• Hungary's Prime Minister vows to combat Middle East persecution, return displaced Christians home

  Hungary's Prime Minister has pledged to support Middle Eastern Christians suffering persecution, highlighting the plight of those belonging to 'the most persecuted religion in the world today'. The Prime Minister implicitly rejected immigration as a solution for refugees, and plans to serve the afflicted by helping them return to their 'ancestral homes'.

• Coptic Orthodox priest stabbed to death in Cairo, Bishop Angaelos laments 'negligence and injustice'

  A Coptic Orthodox priest has been stabbed to death in Cairo, Egypt. The head of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the UK has decried the injustice surrounding the crime.

• True leaders bleed: Why Justin Welby's honesty on depression is a gift to the Church

  The Archbishop of Canterbury has once again shown humble, inspired leadership for the Church, describing his mental health struggle with the 'black dog' of depression.