Church

'Male headship' campaigner appointed as CofE bishop
Leading conservative evangelical Rod Thomas has been appointed Bishop of Maidstone and will minister to evangelical parishes that do not accept the ordination of women.

Mark Driscoll uses Thrive leadership conference for message of forgiveness
The former pastor of Mars Hill may be planning a return to pastoral ministry.

Coptic bishop claims Egyptian authorities are behind Christian persecution
Local authorities are behind the persecution and harrassment of Christians in Minya, Bishop Agathon claims.

Heather Cook has resigned as a bishop and been told she is no longer a priest
The former bishop is facing manslaughter charges after she killed a cyclist in an accident last year.

Nicky Gumbel: A divided world demands a united Church
At a time when the Church is perhaps at its most divided, living out unity has never been more important, Nicky Gumbel told a packed HTB conference at the Royal Albert Hall yesterday.

Church of England fossil fuel divestment could have huge impact on business
Companies that fail to respond to the concerns of churches and others over the impact of their business on the environment will suffer serious damage to their reputations, a leading consultant in the field has warned.

Pope Francis defends California missions' founder ahead of canonization
Pope Francis defended an 18th-century Spanish priest on Saturday from accusations he brutalized Native Americans in missionary work that helped lay the foundations for the Catholic Church in the United States.

TD Jakes is asking big business to 'tie morality to money' and make a real difference in communities
Megachurch pastor Bishop T.D. Jakes of The Potter's House in Dallas, Texas is encouraging big businesses to add a "moral component" to money in order to create change and development in different communities all over America.

Royal Baby: Prayers, good wishes (and jokes) for William and Kate
The Archbishop of Canterbury was among the first of society's leading figures to welcome the arrival of the daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. He immediately prayed God's blessings on the Princess.

Real life 'widow's mite' story touches congregation: Homeless person leaves 18 cents with a note
A real live "widow's mite" donation has been left at a church in the United States with an apologetic note.

18 cent donation by homeless person moves an entire congregation
Homeless man donates 18 cents to church and says the gift is between him, the church and God

Princeton professor claims the 'Christian nation' idea was invented by corporate America
A Princeton history professor has claimed that the idea of America as a Christian nation was invented by corporations, and that the link between capitalism and religion is still strong until now.

Persecution of Christians has reached all time high in China, says rights group
The persecution of Christians has reached an all time high in China and the government is contributing to the suffering of the faithful, according to the 2014 annual report released last week by Christian human rights organisation China Aid.

Man apologises after hanging up on the Pope... twice!
An Italian man has apologised to the Pope after he hung up on him twice because he believed he was a prank caller.

Dean of Westminster defends inclusion of Muslim prayer in Abbey service
The Dean of Westminster has defended the choice of a prayer in which the prophet Muhammed was described as 'The Chosen One' at the Abbey as "within orthodox Christian worship".

Vicar loses unfair dismissal case - court rules he is 'employed by God'
A vicar has lost his claim for unfair dismissal against his Church of England diocese, as the courts upheld church law that implies he is 'employed by God'.