Ruth Gledhill

• Thousands of churches could become Christmas and Easter 'festival' churches

  Thousands of churches could be designated "festival churches" and closed down except for festivals such as Christmas and Easter under plans published today by the Church of England.

• Katie Hopkins: 'I am the new Jesus'

  Television personality and columnist Katie Hopkins, who once compared migrants crossing the Mediterranean to cockroaches, has claimed she is the "new Jesus".

• Openly gay clergy celebrate election victories to CofE General Synod

  At least four openly gay clergymen have been elected to the General Synod of the Church of England.

• Results on investigations into fragments of the True Cross coming soon

  Oxford University has launched a centre to study ancient Christian relics such as bones claimed to be those of St John of the Gospels, John the Baptist and fragments purported to be from the true Cross.

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  Female Christian missionary shot dead in Haiti

  Roberta Edwards, 55, director of SonLight Children's Home, was murdered in the Haiti capital of Port-au-Prince while driving to a petrol station.

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  Avoid conspiracies, Pope tells Synod fathers in Rome

  Thirteen traditionalists have written to Pope Francis warning him that the Synod on the Family is being manipulated by "progressives".

• Rise in child abuse investigations linked to fears of witchcraft

  Police are investigating increasing numbers of cases where children are being assaulted because of suspicions about witchcraft.

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  Heard the one about the Pope and the Rabbi? It's no joke!

  Pope Francis has an official comedy adviser... who is a rabbi.

• Republican candidate Ben Carson says guns could have mitigated Holocaust

  Republican presidental candidate Ben Carson has claimed that arming German citizens with guns could have helped prevent the Holocaust.

• Prime Minister of India comments on Muslim murdered over beef eating claim

  In his first comment on the murder of a Muslim man, the Prime Minister of India has called for Hindus and Muslims to stop fighting each other and unite in fighting poverty.

• Putin 'serves the Christian cause', airstrikes are a source of hope - Syria Archbishop

  The Melkite Greek Catholic Archbishop of Aleppo has welcomed Russia's military action in Syria in support of President Bashar al-Assad.

• Relativism is a temptation of the devil, warns Pope

  The Pope has called on world leaders to work together to resolve the conflicts in the Middle East.