Church
Indonesia: Christians 'living in fear' as Islamists force church closure
An Islamist group has forced an Indonesian church to close, demanding the local mayor cancel its permit, just weeks after it opened on March 7, according to World Watch Monitor.
Pope Francis tells critics of his 'The Joy of Love' treatise on marriage and the family: 'Open your hearts to God's truth'
Pope Francis acknowledged the backlash from the release of his landmark treatise on marriage and the family last week, telling the critics that emphasis should be placed more on the intent of the apostolic exhortation rather than the letter of the law.
New Bishop of Oxford announced
Rt Rev Dr Steven Croft, currently the Bishop of Sheffield, will take up the role later this year, Downing Street announced today.
Shakespeare's Hamlet to debut at the Vatican on Wednesday
William Shakespeare's Hamlet will be staged at the Vatican on Wednesday, marking the first time the playwright's work has been performed in the world's smallest country, according to Vatican Radio.
Sudan: Church leaders kept under daily surveillance as 'indiscriminate harassment' against Christians continues
Sudanese authorities have kept six Christian leaders under surveillance and two detained since mid-December, despite having no official charges filed against them, according to World Watch Monitor.
Bible is one of the top 10 most 'challenged' books in America
The Bible is now one of the most objected to books at US schools and libraries, it has been announced.
U.S. bishops extol Pope Francis' 'love letter' to families, warn against 'rushed reading of the text'
The United States bishops are upbeat with Pope Francis's love letter to families in Amoris laetitia, which invites all people to grow in love and trust in God's mercy in the face of many challenges.
Christian couple to open first home for sex trafficked boys in the US
Christian couple Chris and Anna Smith are opening the first ever shelter for sex trafficked boys later this year, and the couple believes the project was completed because of God's will.
Prophet Mboro 'heaven selfies' apparently lost in carwash
Days after Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Cultural, Religious, and Linguistic Communities expressed an intent to reinstate extortion charges against him for charging fees for his "heaven selfies," South African pastor Prophet Mboro has claimed that the evidence is already lost.
Top Anglican condemns forgery allegations as 'scurrilous' and 'untrue'
A leading Anglican official has condemned allegations of forgery around a meeting of Anglican leaders in Africa as "scurrilous", "untrue" and "against all biblical principles of appropriate behaviour".
Muslims in Bulgaria pull together to rebuild Christian church
Muslims in a small village in Bulgaria have raised the funds and contributed the labour to restore a century-old Eastern Orthodox church.
Lutheran Church of Norway votes in favour of gay marriage
Gay marriage campaigners are celebrating in Norway after the country's Lutheran Church today voted in favour of same-sex unions.
Why focus on sin and repentance when God is a God of mercy and grace? F. Dean Hackett answers
Some people, especially the young, are still confused on why people had to confess their sins and repent when the Bible speaks of a loving God who always forgives them when they do wrong.
Pope Francis asks: When you give to the poor, do you look at them in the eyes?
In giving alms to the poor, do you look at them in the eyes? This question was raised by Pope Francis during his address to the monthly Jubilee of Mercy general audience at the Vatican on Saturday, the Catholic News Agency reports.
The top 5 reasons people like Pope Francis
He's one of the most popular public figures in the world. So what is it that people say they like about Pope Francis, and what can it teach us about leadership?
Faith leaders praise Welby's dignity and maturity
Faith leaders rallied around Justin Welby on Saturday after it emerged his real father was not Gavin Welby as he had always thought but Winston Churchill's private secretary, Sir Anthony Montague Browne.