Ruth Gledhill

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  Religious education is outdated and needs overhaul, says study

  The RE For REal study says that RE is currently a "20th century settlement for a 21st century reality".

• Public sex abuse inquiry to focus first on Anglican and Catholic churches

  Justice Lowell Goddard said the five-year inquiry is the most wide-ranging ever of its kind in England and Wales and will consist of 12 separate investigations that will also look into public institutions and people of "public prominence".

• Church installs ice rink to celebrate Christmas

  Father Stuart Craddock of the 14th century St Wulfram's church, Grantham put an ice rink in the nave as part of the church's first Christmas tree festival and promptly fell over when demonstrating for the BBC.

• Church of England appoints its eighth woman bishop

  Karen Gorham is to be the suffragan bishop of Sherborne, in the Salisbury diocese, where she will oversee parishes in Dorset.

• Churches launch call to prayer to reverse negative views of Jesus and Christianity

  The New Year Prayer day, on Sunday 3 January 2016, comes after new research showed that when Christians talk to friends about Jesus, in eight out of ten cases they put them off.

• Pope's personal preacher sings praises of the Reformation at Synod

  The Pope's personal preacher has spoken out in praise of the Reformation, calling for a renewed teaching by the whole church of the Protestant doctrine of "justification by faith".

• Queen to speak at General Synod

  The Queen will attend a service at Westminster Abbey and then deliver a speech at Church House this morning to inaugurate the General Synod, the governing body of the Church of England.

• Kenya priests sue for libel over homosexuality charges

  Three Kenyan priests suspended by their diocese for "the sin of homosexuality" are suing for an apology and exemplary damages for libel.

• Rare New Testament fragment found on eBay

  A rare Greek New Testament papyrus with lines from St John's Gospel has been rescued from sale on eBay.

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  New fears that UK faith schools are under threat

  A Church of England diocese has complained to education secretary Nicky Morgan warning that faith schools are under threat.

• Church 'bewildered' by refusal to screen Lord's Prayer ad

  The Church of England said the refusal of top cinemas to show the 60 second ad featuring The Lord's Prayer was "plain silly" and could have a "chilling effect" on free speech.

• Archbishop of Canterbury speaks of 'profound sadness' over Paris attacks

  Asked "Where is God", Archbishop Justin Welby said: "Where is He in all this? He's alongside with that deep involvement in the suffering and pain of the world that took him to the cross."