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
Preacher fined over Bible verse display challenges abortion clinic buffer zones
Preacher fined over Bible verse display challenges abortion clinic buffer zones

The abortion buffer zones have been branded "censorship zones".

God is the remedy for grief
God is the remedy for grief

To have loved deeply and to have been loved in return is one of life’s greatest gifts. But when that love is taken away, grief follows. And grief, in many ways, never fully leaves.

What does new school trans guidance mean for Scotland?
What does new school trans guidance mean for Scotland?

Although the draft guidance applies only to schools in England, there are ramifications for Scotland too.

Why is 1 Corinthians 13 often read at weddings?
Why is 1 Corinthians 13 often read at weddings?

St Paul wrote a timeless definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13, known as the “love chapter”, which is one of the most famous chapters in the Bible and is often read at weddings. This is the story …