UKIP's election win: What Christians are saying

UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage smiles as he hears the results during the European Parliamentary elections count at the Guildhall in Southampton, Hampshire. (AP)

The votes are in and Nigel Farage is grinning like a Cheshire cat but what do Christians think about his historic election win?

Here's a round-up of some of the responses so far:

God loves women (@God_loves_women): "I'm thinking of getting involved in local politics. We've now got a UKIP councillor locally.

Pastor and blogger Dave Meldrum ‏(@vicardave):"blaming media coverage for these euro results is sticking fingers in your ears and singing loudly. wake up. this is serious. #ukip"

"p.s. it's not the media's fault. it's voters not voting and major parties being incompetent. #ukip"

Priest and broadcaster Rob Marshall ‏(@robmarshall33): "UKIP results are a call for #Europe to be top of the agenda again and other #europeans feel the same it seems? #europeanelections"

Vicar of St Anne's, Hoxton, Christopher Woods (@revdchris) I'm pretty afraid of the future. God please help us. What's happening? #UKIP #Elections2014"

Progressive Anglocatholic iPriest Fr Simon Rundell (@frsimon): "Also annoyed to hear UKIP blame recession on Immigrants yesterday, whereas never forget it was the Stockbrokers & banks what did us over..."

George Pitcher ‏(@GeorgePitcher) "Here we go. Europe will be at war within a generation #nationalism"

Dave Bish (@davebish): "Britain urgently needs some non-partisan political education in the next twelve months, including why vote and basic political philosophy..."

Archbishop Cranmer has blogged about Britain's place in Europe and its relationship with the EU.  He wonders why bishops seem to suffer from "Eurotica" and outlines why he feels it would not be a disaster if Britain left the EU: 

"There is something spiritually, economically and politically naive about the belief that the the answer to all our problems is 'more Europe', which will doubtless be the pan-European response to these elections. For our bishops and archbishops, it is as though Europe is the supranational way, truth and life: all things were made by it, and without it was not anything made which was made.  Both the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church are pathologically predisposed to bouts of Europhilia, sometimes verging on Eurotica.

"Let us by all means continue to pray for peace in Europe, but the EU's "ever closer union" is fast becoming a grievous cause of civil unrest and rising fascism."

Read his post in full here

News
Government announces £92m fund to support historic places of worship
Government announces £92m fund to support historic places of worship

The Church of England has cautiously welcomed the new fund.

Former Archbishop of Canterbury accuses Putin of 'heresy' over Ukrainian war remarks
Former Archbishop of Canterbury accuses Putin of 'heresy' over Ukrainian war remarks

“We’re talking about something which undermines a really fundamental aspect of religious belief, of Christian belief, which assumes that we have to defend God by violence," said Williams.

Cultivating the fruits of the Spirit: self-control that leads to true freedom
Cultivating the fruits of the Spirit: self-control that leads to true freedom

At first glance, self-control can sound as though it depends on personal willpower or moral discipline. But biblical self-control does not originate from the self at all.

Sarah Mullally defends Church reparations plan from critics
Sarah Mullally defends Church reparations plan from critics

Critics of the plan are "disappointed" by Mullally's response.