World
Chilean cardinal calls for Bishop Barros to resign over sex abuse crisis
The head of the Chilean Catholic Church said on Thursday that Juan Barros, the bishop accused of covering up clerical sex abuse, should resign. It comes just over a week after Pope Francis, who had previously defended Barros, admitted 'grave mistakes' in his handling of Chile's abuse crisis.
'I try to be optimistic, but it is difficult': The real story of what life is like for Christians in Iraq
In order to understand the plight of Christians in modern-day Iraq, it is important to go back not just to 2014, when Islamic State forced on them a brutal choice between dying, converting or fleeing the northern city of Mosul, but further: to the 2003 US-led invasion of the country.
The 'greatest miracle': Israel at 70
To me the resurrection of the State of Israel in 1948, 2,000 years after her forced demise at the hands of the Romans and subsequent occupations by Christians and Muslims (culminating in the British occupation from 1922-47) is the greatest miracle the world has known.
Vietnamese pastor imprisoned for faith says his suffering was a 'gift from God'
A Vietnamese pastor who was jailed for his faith has related the intense abuse he experienced in jail, but said that his imprisonment was a 'gift' from God.
Iraq hands down death sentences to 300 male and female ISIS militants
More than 300 men and women have been sentenced to death in two separate courts in Iraq for joining the Islamic State terror group, according to judicial sources.
Tattoo artist upholds centuries-old tradition of marking pilgrims during their visit to Holy Land
A tattoo artist in Jerusalem's Old City is using his skills to mark pilgrims with Christian symbols and images, a tradition that his family has observed for 500 years.
Myanmar pastors released in prisoner amnesty
Two Baptist pastors from Myanmar who were arrested for taking journalists to a church reportedly destroyed by military air strikes in 2016, have been released from prison, according to the Baptist News.
How a Christian charity working in West Africa has helped reduced malaria deaths to zero
Projects run by the Christian charity Compassion in Amlamé, West Africa have reported zero child deaths from Malaria since 2016.
Ukrainian churches fearful of terrorist accusations as they face clampdown from separatists
Ukrainian churches are facing closure after a government clampdown restricting how churches can operate.
Vatican rejects German bishops' proposal to allow Protestant spouses to receive Communion
The Vatican body, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, has written a letter reportedly with the approval of Pope Francis to German bishops rejecting their proposal to allow some Protestant spouses to receive Communion, various Catholic news outlets reported.
Iceland's circumcision bill threatens 'regular persecution' of Jews and Muslims, Catholic Church says
The Catholic Church in Iceland has criticised developing legislation that would prohibit the religiously-motivated circumcision of children in the country, saying it would mean the 'regular persecution' of Icelandic Jews and Muslims.
Brutal rape of 8-year-old in India: It is time for the Church to speak, says bishop
Asifa Bano was, for several weeks after her death in early January, just another tragic victim of India's systemic rape problem, where more than 100 women are raped each day.
Hundreds attend funerals of 2 Christians shot dead in Quetta, Pakistan after church on Sunday
Hundreds of Christians in Quetta, Pakistan have attended the funeral of two of their number who were killed near a church on Sunday by four gunmen on motorcycles.
US religious freedom body slams 'false allegations' against Pastor Andrew Brunson
The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (ISCIRF) has said it is 'disappointed' by the decision of a Turkish court on Monday to continue proceedings in the case of Pastor Andrew Brunson.
Syria evangelical churches condemn Western air strikes as 'unjust aggression'
Presbyterian churches in Syria have added their voices to the chorus of criticism from Christians in the country at the air strikes on the regime's chemical weapons facilities.