World
Trump sacks Rex Tillerson and replaces him with 'Christian zealot' Mike Pompeo
US President Donald Trump has sacked his secretary of state Rex Tillerson and replaced him with a 'Christian zealot' Mike Pompeo, who is currently head of the CIA.
On Pope Francis's 5th anniversary in the role, Benedict XVI lavishes praise on his successor
The former Pope Benedict XVI has said there is an 'inner continuity' between his pontificate and that of Pope Francis, and praised his successor as a 'man of profound philosophical and theological formation'.
Exclusive: Pope's spokesman Greg Burke on Francis's 'extraordinary' message of love to whole world
The pope's director of communications has told Christian Today that Francis's legacy five years after being elected is one of spreading love and forgiveness throughout the world, to Catholics and non-Catholics alike, saying the pope 'has done an extraordinary job getting that message out'.
China's attendance at Vatican organ conference hailed as sign of progress
Communist China and the Vatican do not have formal diplomatic relations but negotiations towards what would be a breakthrough agreement on the appointment of bishops have made progress.
Lightning strikes Adventist church in Rwanda, killing 16
At least 16 people were killed and dozens injured when lightning struck a Seventh-Day Adventist church in Rwanda on Saturday, an official said.
Muslims hide in church in Central African Republic in fear of lives
More than 1,000 Muslims have been hiding from a hostile militia inside a Roman Catholic Church at a compound in Bangassou, Central African Republic.
Thousands rally against bid to loosen Irish abortion laws
At least 10,000 people rallied in Dublin on Saturday against Irish government plans to ease some of the world's most restrictive abortion laws, with some activists saying opinion polls were failing to fully reflect anti-abortion sentiment.
Pakistan rules that all citizens must declare religion when applying for ID docs
A Pakistani court ruled on Friday that all citizens must declare their religion when applying for identity documents, a move human rights advocates say is another blow for the country's persecuted minority communities.
Saudi Crown Prince signs off UK visit with push for fighter deal
In Riyadh, images of the 32-year old Saudi meeting the Christian cross-wearing head of the Anglican church on Thursday dominated newspapers, with headlines citing it as an example of the conservative kingdom's more tolerant approach to religion.
Bodies of 21 Christians murdered by ISIS in Libya to be returned to families
The bodies of 21 Christians infamously beheaded on the Libyan coast in February 2015 are to be returned to their families three years after their deaths, according to the persecution website World Watch Monitor.
If Cameroon becomes another Rwanda, we all pay the price
Cameroon, a central African country best known for soccer, is sliding toward ethnic cleansing. Yet, our politicians offer the usual clichés ('we urge all sides to exercise restraint').
Turkey Catholic Church suffers second attack this year
A Catholic church in Trabzon, Turkey has suffered its second attack this year. A gun-attack this week followed a failed pipe bomb at Saint Maria Catholic Church; there have been no causalities but locals have warned that anti-Christian hate crimes are on the rise, with little concern from authorities.
Serbian Orthodox Church plans controversial nationalist rename
The Serbian Orthodox Church plans to change its name to stress connections with Kosovo, the former Serbian province that gained independence in 2008. The controversial move is seen as clashing with the Serbian government's conciliatory efforts with Kosovo.
Belgian Catholic baptisms in major decline amid rise of evangelicals and Muslims
For the first time, fewer than 50 per cent of Belgian children were baptised as Catholics last year, according to figures from the Belgian Bishops Conference in cooperation with the University of Louvain and reported by Evangelical Focus.
Saudi crown prince vows to promote religious freedom in meeting with Welby
Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince has vowed to promote religious freedom in a private meeting with the archbishop of Canterbury in Lambeth Palace today.
Five Pakistan Christians attacked by mob while building a church wall
Five Christians were attacked by a mob of 20 as they tried to build a wall around their church in Pakistan on Sunday, according to the persecution website World Watch Monitor.