Church

Hong Kong cardinal urges release of abducted underground Chinese bishop
Hong Kong's Cardinal Joseph Zen has implored the release of Cui Tai, an underground church bishop reportedly abducted by Chinese authorities in April.

Church of England insurer launches competition celebrating church volunteers
The Church of England's insurer, Ecclesiastical, has launched a national competition open to every Anglican church in the UK, to celebrate the work of church volunteers.

Baptist church removes statue of Jesus because it looks too 'Catholic'
Members of a Baptist church in Red Bank, South Carolina, have caused a stir for recently voting to remove a statue of Jesus from the front of their building because it appears too "Catholic in nature."

Hindu extremists beat parishioners and threaten to kill pastor in Pentecostal church in India
Radical Hindus armed with wooden sticks have reportedly attacked parishioners at a Pentecostal church in India while looking for the pastor.

Church accused of breaking canon law by ordering priests to report abuse heard in confession box
Priests are accusing the Anglican diocese of Canterbury of breaking church law by ordering clergy to report confessions of sex abuse.

Church of England fends off sexuality debate as bishops work on new teaching document
The Church of England is holding off any proposed changes to its stance on gay marriage, allowing bishops to work on a major review of their teaching on sexuality.

Timetable slips for Methodist statement on same-sex marriage
The Methodist Church will not consider a statement aimed at potentially redefining marriage to include same-sex couples at its forthcoming conference after a working group was hit by unexpected delays.

Westminster Abbey to open previously hidden gallery regarded as 'best view in Europe'
A previously hidden space on top of Westminster Abbey in London which was once used for storage has been turned into a new gallery with a spectacular view on the nave that opens to the public on June 11.

Climate change course aims to persuade evangelicals to go green
A new climate change course is targeting evangelical Christians, hoping to persuade the notoriously skeptical group to go green.

Texas pastor killed in a motorcycle accident
The pastor of Seth Ward Baptist Church in Plainview, Texas has been killed in a vehicle accident while riding his motorcycle on a service road.

Christian leaders in Nigeria ask British government for help in securing release of Boko Haram captives
The Nigerian Christian Elders Forum (NCEF) is pleading with the British government to help secure the release of girls who were kidnapped by the Islamic group Boko Haram.

GAFCON head says breakaway provinces are Anglican too
Continuing tensions in the Anglican Communion over the status of breakaway provinces have been highlighted by the general secretary of the conservative GAFCON group.
Pope expresses fears of church closures in Europe due to declining number of priests
Pope Francis has warned that some seminaries, churches and monasteries in Europe could be shut down in the future due to the shortage of priests and nuns.

Former gays and lesbians blast California law banning conversion therapy
Eight California residents who were formerly gay and lesbian have appeared in a recent video denouncing pending legislation that would ban any therapy that attempts to change an individual's sexual orientation.

A legacy of souls: Why we should be grateful, not sad as Soul Survivor closes
It's the news that no one in UK youth ministry ever wanted to hear, and the announcement we all knew one day would come.

End of the line for Soul Survivor summer festivals
The British Christian youth organisation Soul Survivor has announced that it is closing its long-running summer festivals next year.