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The number of female clergy in the Church of England continues to rise with more women than men entering training for ordained ministry for the second year running, according to recently published statistics. More women, 54%, than men began training for ordained ministry in 2018, for the second year running. Just under a third, or...

The Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly has recently passed a bill to criminalise religious conversion in the northern Indian state. The Bill intends to extend a law that was introduced in 2006 which criminalised conversion by ‘fraud,’ ‘force’ and ‘inducement,’ by adding ‘coercion’ to its terms. Inducement has also been redefined under the new bill as...

Whether you’re scared of Brexit or the EU – everything is temporary, says Tim Farron. Former leader of the Liberal Democrats and Christian politician, Tim Farron, has reminded people to live for “something even better” as both Brexit and the EU “will be in ruins at some point in the not too distant future”. Tim...

Bishops issue open letter on Brexit Grant awarded for research into Messy Churches Christians have taken action to promote biodiversity for Season of Creation 2019 Amazon Rainforest fires Marriage registration changes on the way! Sports ministry receives boost from Church of England Islamist extremists attack Boga ** Editor:  A group of Bishops has issued an...

A group of Church of England bishops has issued an open letter on the prospect of a ‘no-deal’ Brexit and the need for national reconciliation, notwithstanding the potential prorogation of Parliament. The full text is as follows: The Archbishop of Canterbury has conditionally agreed to chair a Citizens Forum in Coventry and, without prejudice for any...

The Church of England is to fund new research to help deepen the faith of families and children attending ‘Messy Churches’ – non-traditional church gatherings that attract tens of thousands of worshippers across the country. A grant of £100,000 has been awarded to the Church of England’s Evangelism and Discipleship Team to study deepening the...

Church-goers across the world have been in wellies in recent weeks,  in order to clean local waterways, plant trees and promote wild areas in churchyards as part of a global initiative to encourage biodiversity and help stem the effects of climate change. From 1st September to 4th October Christians around the world, including from the...

Recently responding to the fires in the Amazon rainforest, the Church of England’s lead bishop for Environmental Affairs, the Bishop of Salisbury, Nick Holtam,  has said: “There is a climate emergency which does not know international boundaries. The Amazon is a global resource as well as a national one. “I have been asked to sign...

The Government plans to introduce a new system of registration for marriages, including church weddings, in England and Wales. It is anticipated that the new system will replace traditional marriage registers with a new ‘marriage document’ to be signed by the couple at the wedding and lodged with the local register office. Although no date...

Five-a-side football, running groups, after-school sports and a boxing club are to be supported by the Church of England as part of a drive to reach people who may never have been to church before, it was announced today. Football, netball and fitness groups are to be funded by the Church of England in Norfolk...

More than 200 people including women and children have been abducted and a church mission hospital and shops looted by Islamist extremists during a raid on Boga, Democratic Republic of Congo, a majority-Christian country. The Bishop of Boga Diocese, eastern Democratic Republic (DR) of Congo, Rt Rev. William Bahemuka, said the Muslim militant group ADF (Allied...

More than 50,000 people now attend non-traditional church gatherings Government accepts recommendations on support for Persecuted Christians Synod unanimously backs call to act on serious youth violence Archbishops launch Church’s first ever social media guidelines and charter Update on safeguarding in the C of E Synod votes to adopt Covenant on Clergy Care and Well-Being...