News

Chinese pastor sentenced to nine years in prison
Wang Yi, pastor of the Early Rain Church in Chengdu, Sichuan province, was imprisoned on charges of "inciting to subvert state power" and "illegal business operations".

The books you should not leave off your 2020 reading list
Christian Today's contributors and advisers share their favourite reads from the last year.

Gunman opens fire in Texas church before being shot dead, surrounded by armed congregants
A gunman has opened fire in a Texas church as a Sunday service was being livestreamed online, killing two and critically injuring another before an armed member of the congregation shot him dead.
Notre-Dame has only '50 per cent chance' of being fully restored - church official
Notre-Dame Cathedral, a symbol of France, has only a "50 per cent chance" of being fully restored after fire ravaged the iconic building earlier this year.
Terrorist group claims to have killed 11 Christian aid workers in Nigeria
The men were slain the day after Christmas.

Criminal inquiry a possibility for vicar accused of spiritual abuse
The Rev Jonathan Fletcher has been accused of using ice baths, naked massages and beatings on men as a form of spiritual discipline.

Vikings didn't just murder monks and pillage monasteries â they helped spread Christianity too
Vikings are often seen as heathen marauders mercilessly targeting Christian churches and killing defenceless monks. But this is only part of their story. The Vikings played a key role in spreading Christianity, too.

All year resolutions
I don't think I would call myself a full on New Year's resolution kind of person, but I sure like to see a checklist or have some ideas of what I would like accomplished in the next year.

Wife of pastor who drowned with two kids says all three could swim
The wife of a pastor who drowned with two of their children at a Spanish resort on Christmas Eve has insisted that all three could swim.

Mother offered full-term abortion because her son had Down's syndrome
A mother has opened up about the consistent pressure she received from doctors to abort her baby son, even at full-term, just because he has Down's syndrome.
British faith leaders call on Government to take action on Hong Kong
Faith leaders in the UK have called on Dominic Raab and Boris Johnson to take "concrete action" following months of violent protests in Hong Kong.

New Year Honours for new Bishop of Dover and Soul Survivor founder Mike Pilavachi
The new Bishop of Dover, the Rt Rev Rose Hudson-Wilkin, and Soul Survivor founder Mike Pilavachi are among the Christians to have been recognised in the New Year Honours List.

Most Christians misunderstand what Heaven really is, says NT Wright
Prominent theologian NT Wright says the New Testament does not say what most people believe it says about Heaven, which is that it's merely a place one goes after death. In truth, he says, it's about creation being restored through God's ever-advancing Kingdom.

The holidays remind us that grief cannot be wished away
The holidays for many are not always about joy. Grief is a significant part of the holidays for those who have lost loved ones in the past year.

Pastor and his two children drown in Spanish resort
Tributes have been paid to a pastor and his two children who drowned at a resort on the Costa del Sol on Christmas Eve.

Climate crisis is 'everybody's problem' - Rowan Williams
The former Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has challenged everyone to take responsibility for climate change.