Church

• Spanish evangelicals celebrate another year of growth

  Evangelicalism in Spain is on the rise, according to official figures, with nearly 200 new places of worship registered last year.

• Happy Tuesday: God is (still) with you

  In our culture, once the festivities finish the malaise manifests.

• A two-word argument against 'transgender liturgy'

  After all, shouldn't churches welcome transgender people? Didn't Jesus come for everyone – especially those often marginalised or discriminated against?

• Ukraine Orthodox Church marks first Christmas free of Russian 'fetters'

  Hundreds of Ukrainians queued in the snow after the lavish two-hour liturgy at Kiev's St Sophia Cathedral.

• Why the First Commandment is crucial for religious liberty

  Those officials see very clearly that if believers are allowed to proclaim the lordship of Christ, their ultimate loyalty cannot be to the state.

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  Pope says boats carrying 49 migrants stranded in the Mediterranean should be allowed to dock

  The Pope made a 'heartfelt appeal' to European leaders on Sunday to end their stand-off over two rescue boats carrying 49 migrants in the Mediterranean.

• Egypt's President Sisi opens mega-mosque and Middle East's largest cathedral in New Capital

  Copts, the largest Christian minority in the Middle East, held a a midnight mass in the Cathedral of the Nativity.

• 'We are witches': Abuse scandal divides parishes and politics in Poland

  Many parishioners believe she and other mothers of those molested 'simply convicted an innocent man', she said.

• Cardinal's trial puts French Church in glare of Catholic abuse scandal

  Cardinal Philippe Barbarin is the highest-profile cleric to be caught up in the paedophile scandal inside the Catholic Church in France.

• How Israel's Christians are fighting moves to take their land away

  Previous attempts to impose the so-called 'Tenants' Rights Bill' received worldwide condemnation and even led to the temporary closure of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City.

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  Ecumenical Patriarch hands over decree, sealing Ukraine church independence

  The spiritual leader of Orthodox Christians worldwide on Sunday presented the head of the Ukrainian church with a decree granting it independence from Moscow, a historic split strongly opposed by Russia.

• What do Christians really celebrate at Epiphany?

  This Sunday churches in the Western tradition will be marking Epiphany, traditionally the end of the Christmas season.

• Pope tells US bishops to rethink their approach to sex abuse scandal

  The bishops are meeting for a spiritual retreat directed by the Preacher to the Papal Household, Fr Raniero Cantalamessa.

• GAFCON chair slams CofE transgender guidance as 'false teaching'

  Okoh said calls for 'dialogue' masked the continuing spread of 'false teaching'.

• Methodist ANC chaplain faces protests over leaked recording of crude comments about women ministers

  Rev Dr Vukile Mehana was recorded discussing the robing of men by women with Methodist church member Raymond Sibanga.