More stories in mission

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  Support group for same-sex attracted Christians given charitable status

  Ruth Gledhill | Tue 16 Feb 2016 14:26 GMT

  A support organisation for homosexual Christians who choose not to act on their sexual desires has been allowed to register as a charity.

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  Fewer than one in 50 large churches led by a woman priest

  Ruth Gledhill | Tue 16 Feb 2016 13:19 GMT

  Fewer than one in 50 of England's largest churches are led by women and fewer than a quarter of full-time clergy are women, according to latest figures released by campaigners for women's ordination.

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  Biblical irony: Many Christians no longer know the Bible despite its wide availability, scholar says

  Hazel Torres | Sun 14 Feb 2016 17:55 GMT

  Although the Holy Bible is a massive $2.5-billion industry, it is a bestseller that many Americans do not read much less understand, according to Christian scholar Jeremiah J. Johnston.

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  Be Still: Citywide art festival bridges gap between sacred and secular

  Florence Taylor | Fri 12 Feb 2016 10:32 GMT

  A festival in Manchester is seeking to bring together the spiritual and the secular through artworks across the city examining key Lenten themes such as stillness, temptation, prayer and mindfulness.

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  Persecuted Christians are risking their lives to translate the Bible into their local language

  Florence Taylor | Thu 11 Feb 2016 18:28 GMT

  An organisation that helps people translate the Word of God into their own languages is launching ten new Bible translation projects for the persecuted church in the next 30 days.

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  Doctors in U.S. recognising only 'male' and 'female' genders may soon face lawsuits

  Andre Mitchell | Wed 10 Feb 2016 21:58 GMT

  The United States' Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently put forth a controversial proposal that may make doctors vulnerable to lawsuits if they recognize only two genders, which are well rooted in biological sex and Biblical teachings.

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  Pope to meet group of divorced and remarried Catholics

  Ruth Gledhill | Wed 10 Feb 2016 13:51 GMT

  Pope Francis has invited a group of divorced and remarried Catholics to discuss the controversial issue of whether such individuals should be allowed officially to receive Holy Communion at Mass.

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  Pope tells missionaries of mercy: Abandon the 'cudgel of judgement'

  Harry Farley | Wed 10 Feb 2016 12:36 GMT

  Priests must abandon the "cudgel of judgement" when hearing confession, Pope Francis said in a homily to his specially appointed "missionaries of mercy" before their send-off.

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  First Catholic service in centuries takes place at Henry VIII's Hampton Court Palace

  Ruth Gledhill | Wed 10 Feb 2016 5:41 GMT

  With clouds of incense and exquisite choral music, the first Roman Catholic service for more than 450 years was last night celebrated in the Chapel Royal at Hampton Court Palace.

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  'Jesus' banned in NASA? Christian group fights alleged religious prohibition in space agency's communications

  Andre Mitchell | Tue 9 Feb 2016 23:59 GMT

  A group of Christians working in the space agency is fighting a supposed directive from NASA attorneys to refrain from using the name "Jesus" in their club's announcements, which appeared in the Johnson Space Centre (JSC) newsletter.

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  Gospel for Asia faces lawsuit for 'fraud and misuse of charitable donations'

  Harry Farley | Tue 9 Feb 2016 21:43 GMT

  Gospel for Asia, the second largest mission organisation in the US, is facing a lawsuit for fraud and misuse of charitable donations.

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  New York governor moves against gay 'conversion' therapy

  Ruth Gledhill | Tue 9 Feb 2016 12:08 GMT

  New York Governor Andrew Cuomo restricts the controversial practice of "conversion therapy" which operates on the premise that gay people can be "treated" to make them straight.