The University of Richmond's chapel is one of many churches across North America offering Blue Christmas services this year, aimed at addressing a season that brings many people depres  read more »

Next Friday, staffers from Next Level Church of Matthews will go to bars in the Ballantyne area of Charlotte to hand out shot glasses which ask patrons to "give us a shot" and be  read more »

Jesus Pizza, as the students call it, is warm. It's good. It's free. And it's available to T.C. students for lunch every Wednesday at the First Baptist Church of Alexandria. Some weeks, as many as 150 students or more trek the half-mile down King Street from the school to lounge on old couches, thumb through Bibles or play pool while waiting for free slices and sodas in the church basement.  read more »

Two French Protestant churches have agreed to start discussions with the aim of creating a united denomination by 2013 bringing together Reformed and Lutheran Christians.

Leaders of one of Georgia's oldest churches have voted to leave the Episcopal Church over its liberal-leaning interpretation of Scripture and acceptance of homosexuality.

About 15,000 DVDs of the film "Jesus Christ/Joseph Smith" were dropped off at homes in Mesa, Gilbert and Tempe over the weekend, said Jim Robertson, executive director of Concerned Christians, an organization largely made up of former Mormons.  read more »

The atmosphere was tense, laced with nearly a century of mistrust and bitter feelings, when President Vladimir V. Putin met in New York in 2003 with leaders of an émigré church that had broken with the Russian Orthodox Church after the Bolshevik Revolution.  read more »

A church that wanted to do something special for Hurricane Katrina victims gave a $75,000 house, free and clear, to a couple who said they were left homeless by the storm. But the couple turned around and sold the place without ever moving in, and went back to New Orleans.

Mitt Romney’s run for president has put his Mormon faith in the spotlight, but the religion remains a mystery to most.FOXNews.com compiled a list of 21 questions representing some widely  read more »

Four Mormon missionaries were released unharmed Wednesday after being held hostage for more than three days by kidnappers in Nigeria's oil region, church officials said.

More than a quarter of all Americans identify themselves as evangelical Christians, and the number is growing. There were dozens of fascinating stories in American religion in 2006, and on Monday, Christmas night, we'll be taking a look back at some of the people and trends that defined the year in Jesus.

A new resolution adopted by the General Synod of the United Church of Christ (UCC) on June 24 calls for the group to undertake an in-depth and balanced study of the Middle East conflict, and to factor in previously ignored key issues such as the teaching of hate and violence in schools and through the media, Israel's disengagement from Gaza, and the rising internecine violence between Hamas and Fatah.

The worldwide Anglican Church is expected to split radically by the end of the year under plans being drawn up by a leading conservative archbishop to "adopt" a breakaway group o  read more »

The worldwide Anglican Church was battling to survive last night after talks broke down amid acrimony during the final stages of the primates' meeting in Tanzania.

The synod of the Anglican Church of Canada's Ottawa diocese has voted overwhelmingly in favour of same-sex blessings.

In response to the take-down of the Cruise video, a group of vigilantes--calling themselves Anonymous, or Anon--have retaliated against what they consider to be Internet censorship.  read more »

Dr Rowan Williams called for divine guidance after he flew into Dar Es Salaam in Tanzania for the five-day primates' meeting, that will be dominated by the bitter row over homosexuality that could split Anglicanism.

Two women who made Roman Catholic religious history say they are ready to be the new face of the priesthood, even as Archbishop Raymond Burke moved to formally penalize them for violating  read more »

Dr Rowan Williams has admitted that the Church of England’s handling of sex abuse cases had been incompetent, and promised to help stamp out abuse.

A gunman opened fire in the parking lot of a Colorado Springs church on Sunday, striking four people, the church's pastor said.The conditions of the people shot outside the New Life Ch  read more »

Atheists are under attack these days for being too militant, for not just disbelieving in religious faith but for trying to eradicate it. And who's leveling these accusations? Other atheists, it turns out.

A suburban Atlanta couple was convicted of murder Friday in the beating death of their 8-year-old son, a case that prompted authorities to raid the parents' church because it supports  read more »

The Catholic Church in Australia has always been a strong supporter of the human rights aims and goal of Amnesty International. But, now that AI has adopted a pro-abortion position that runs counter to the Church's pro-life teaching, that long-standing relationship may be over.

Federal Way police said a newborn baby boy was found wrapped in a blanket Monday on the doorstep of Calvary Lutheran Church.

The Baptist General Convention of Texas has started posting the names of convicted sex offenders who have worked in its churches on a Web site.

Delegates to the Baptist State Convention have voted overwhelmingly to expel a Charlotte church for welcoming gays and lesbians without trying to change them.  read more »

The Baptist State Convention of North Carolina could expel any church that endorses homosexuality after its annual meeting this week.

A former Southern Baptist missionary who got her start as a church secretary is likely to become the first woman president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas.  read more »

The Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, in an effort to stem the growing tide of a national effort to legitimize what it says is the sin of homosexuality, last week voted to place the lettering “Gays not welcome” on the church marquee.

A politically powerful San Antonio megachurch is pushing Texas lawmakers to let its small Christian school join the state public schools' athletic league.

Jabalpur, India Bishop Gerald Almeida has called on Catholics to engage in "soul searching" after the eyes of a life-size statue of the Sacred Heart in a church yard began to ooze a blood-like substance.

When his parents discovered his secret stash of DVDs, which included the "Die Hard" series and comedies, they burned them and gave him an ultimatum.  read more »

An overwhelming majority of the Britons see religion as a cause of division and tension and think it causes more harm than good.

A conservative diocese of the Episcopal Church has gotten a formal invitation to break with the national church over the ordination of gays and women.

A Catholic Church official seeking to provide wine for services and a scenic backdrop has planted a vineyard on three acres of a California diocese graveyard.

Mayor Paul Miller, who called United Church of Christ congregants irresponsible for "harboring an illegal immigrant," told the City Council on Monday that he was ready to issue t  read more »

An Alabama County circuit judge has ordered a millionaire to pay the Alabama-based Caritas religious group two (m) million dollars for violating a confidential April 2005 settlement of an earlier lawsuit.

A senior American cardinal has asked Jews to reconsider descriptions of Jesus as a "bastard" in exchange for a softening of traditional Catholic prayers calling for Jews to be co  read more »

A day after discovering hateful graffiti at their church, members of the Campbell United Church of Christ plan to take their cleanup to the neighborhood.  read more »

The Anglican Church of Canada could elect its first woman leader during a national assembly this summer.Edmonton Bishop Victoria Matthews is among four nominees for archbishop, or primate, who were chosen Thursday by Canada's Anglican bishops during a private meeting in Niagara Falls, Ontario.

THE Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney has withdrawn plans to have its 167 school principals, deputy principals and religious education co-ordinators commit publicly to a "vow of fidelity  read more »

The Roman Catholic Church here announced Thursday it has excommunicated members of a Canadian group called the Army of Mary, led by an 86-year-old who claims to be a reincarnation of Jesus  read more »

Mexico on Wednesday learned that the father of the nation's independence movement did not die excommunicated nearly 200 years ago, clearing a stain from his legacy ahead of the 2010 bi  read more »

Catholicism is set to overtake the state Church of England to become Britain's most practiced religion for the first time since the Protestant Reformation almost 500 years ago, according to a new report.

Catholics disconnected from Mass attendance and other parish life believe the Catholic Church is out of touch with the world today and is not relevant to their own lives, according to a new study commissioned by the Australian bishops.

The Center for Reclaiming America for Christ, founded more than a decade ago to propagate a largely anti-abortion, anti-gay message, has closed its doors.

A Lutheran church in Chicago has ordained a lesbian who refuses to take a vow of celibacy, becoming the first to test a new resolution that gives bishops leeway in disciplining such violat  read more »

The leader of a Chinese Christian sect and at least 11 of his subordinates have been executed for ordering the murder of members of a rival religious group, as authorities sought to suppress big underground churches that they deemed cults.

Christian and Muslim Britons joined forces yesterday to tell city officials to stop taking the Christianity out of Christmas, warning them that this simply fuels a backlash against Muslims.  read more »

The director of a Christian boot camp and an employee were arrested Friday for allegedly dragging a 15-year-old girl behind a van after she fell behind the group during a morning run, auth  read more »

Spring Arbor University and fired transgender professor Julie Nemecek reached a financial settlement Monday (March 12) in her discrimination suit.

The South Australian Attorney-General has admitted dropping a planned ban on religious-based discrimination from a new law because of fears from Christians they would be prevented from converting non-Christians.

Gaza Baptist Church has opened a new building, partially subsidised by Open Doors, to be used as the only Christian public library and to enable the Christian community to witness in that hostile environment.

Evangelicals from across Brazil flooded San Paulo Thursday for the “March for Jesus” event as live Christian bands accompanied the more than one million marchers.The annual march, organized by evangelical churches, featured a concert with 30 Christian bands carried on 17 flatbed trucks performing live as participants marched through Brazil’s financial capital, according to Agence France-Presse.  read more »

Increasing interest in Christianity among Chinese intellectuals is transforming the country's religious landscape, says Edmond Tang, an academic and consultant on China for British and  read more »

Methodists, Baptists and United Reformists have protested the Government’s plans to replace Trident as they joined thousands of other demonstrators in a peace rally in central London Saturday.The Methodist Church’s Coordinating Secretary for Public Life and Social Justice, Anthea Cox, and Head of Faith and Unity in the Baptist Union of Great Britain, Graham Sparkes, led an ecumenical service prior to the rally organised by the three Churches.

The Evangelical Alliance has unreservedly condemned all forms of child abuse, and said that it considers any accusation of witchcraft levelled at a child to be abusive, immoral and unbibli  read more »

Christian churches have splintered into opposing camps over the Mosque and Miracles conference which will discuss the "threat" of Islam in New Zealand.

The Destiny Church-backed Destiny NZ party yesterday confirmed its intention to de-register and throw its weight behind a new political party, co-led by Destiny NZ leader Richard Lewis.Fut  read more »

Some leading scientists and evangelical Christian leaders have agreed to put aside their fierce differences over the origin of life and work together to fight global warming.

A sticky-fingered Grinch and his accomplice swiped nearly $30,000 in holiday donations from a New York City church yesterday, slipping past two guards and opening a locked safe during a Christmas-morning Mass.

IN THE church business they are referred to as Cs and Es: the churchgoers who turn up only at Christmas and Easter.

The Church of England is guilty of "corporate failure" because it has not properly spread the message of Christ, the Archbishop of York has said.

A Catholic Church was involved in forced evictions in Angola, said Amnesty International (AI) in a report released on Monday.

New marriage guidelines are being drawn up by the Church of England amid fears that its clergy may be unwittingly conducting bogus weddings.

A Church of England-backed book suggests youth workers should try to make religion relevant to children by showing them episodes of cartoon show The Simpsons.

A megachurch canceled a memorial service for a Navy veteran 24 hours before it was to start because the deceased was gay.  read more »

The leader of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales has condemned plans to make it easier for lesbian couples to use IVF to become parents.

The Church of England yesterday edged closer to giving couples a wider choice of churches in which they can be married.

The US Episcopal Church has been given seven months to change its ways or face being kicked out of the Anglican Communion.

MEMBERS of the Church in Wales have voted not to approve a draft version of the Anglican Covenant.Dr Barry Morgan, the Archbishop of Wales said he fears the draft covenant will lead to one  read more »

The return to church disciple has been gaining momentum for several years.

A national review committee of the Episcopal Church has dismissed all the religious charges brought against Connecticut Bishop Andrew Smith by leaders of six conservative parishes, the bishop said Friday.

Ten people have been injured in clashes between Muslims and Coptic Christians in a village south of Cairo, Lina al-Ghadban, Al Jazeera's correspondent, reports.

Three congregations that broke away from the Episcopal Church over the appointment of a gay bishop are not entitled to property claimed by the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, a Californi  read more »

A church that stumbled onto a valuable oil painting while cleaning out an old brick farmhouse more than 20 years ago has sold the work for $90,000.

An Ocean Grove church group is suing New Jersey, saying that the state is pressuring it to allow a civil union ceremony for a lesbian couple at its oceanfront pavilion, thereby violating t  read more »

More than 150 homeless people consider the cramped spot at First Presbyterian Church to be their last refuge after police and city officials recently moved them from nearby streets.  read more »

A new religious community is rising from the ashes of the Branch Davidian compound here, 14 years after nearly 80 people died in a blaze that ended an armed standoff with federal authorities.

A leader of the Southern Baptist Convention says the denomination should not support new churches whose outreach includes alcohol, gambling or R-rated films.

HILLSONG church is not ruling out legal action against Channel 7 after Today Tonight last week claimed the religion was stacking votes in favour of its members in the Australian Idol final  read more »

Attorneys for parishioners of the closed St. Jeremiah Parish in Framingham today urged a Middlesex Superior Court judge to rule that the parishioners -- not the Archdiocese of Boston -- are rightful owners of St. Jeremiah's land and buildings.

Senior Church of England conservatives are plotting a new coalition to mount their biggest offensive yet against their liberal opponents over issues such as gay priests.

Bishops at the Church of England have drafted a "rule book" of traditional beliefs that would force out those unwilling to abide by them. The proposals call for a "narrower definition of Anglican belief" and are partially meant to keep out homosexual clergy members, Britain ' s Sunday Telegraph reported.  read more »

The Church of Scientology issued this statement to the TODAY show on Jan. 14, 2008 in advance of author Andrew Morton's appearance on the show today.  read more »

St. Paul's Collegiate Church, a post-denominational congregation in Storrs. So, starting in August, the church will hold Monday night services at The Hartford Funny Bone, a comedy club  read more »

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney will be in Bellevue tomorrow for a fundraiser. The event is closed to the press so I'm not sure how much coverage Romney will get. But the local Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints figures if Romney is in town it's more than likely there'll be some inaccurate reporting on the church to follow.

The board that runs the Presbyterian Church's publishing wing is criticizing a book it printed that alleges the Bush Administration was behind the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

In the new interpretation, the shepherds are transformed into Sir Alf Ramsay's 1966 World Cup-winning England football squad, and perform the chart-topping Good Vibrations.

Under pressure from the European commission and Romano Prodi's centre-left government, the Roman Catholic church has signalled its willingness to give up some of the tax breaks it gets  read more »

The priest at their church has reportedly said that if news hadn't got out about them being a lesbian couple the public wouldn't have known and the church would not have had an issue with them as members.  read more »

The Vatican reversed the annulment of former Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy II's first marriage, a union that had lasted 12 years and produced two sons.

Pandemonium broke out in a packed church of the Fire Chapel International at Oforikrom, a suburb of Kumasi, last Friday afternoon when a man who had been sent there for healing broke free from a secured room and entered the main church hall with a sharp machete threatening to kill the pastors.

A church is continuing to defend a Georgia couple convicted of beating their 8-year-old son to death, and has set up a legal fund to pay for their appeal.

Church leaders have accused Sony of the "desecration" of Manchester Cathedral, after the firm set one of its top-selling games inside the place of worship. The new PlayStation3 game, entitled 'Resistance: Fall of Man', which has sold more than a million copies, sees a virtual shoot-out between rival gunmen with hundreds killed during a gun battle inside the cathedral in an orgy of blood.  read more »

The Catholic Church has agreed to help in a fresh appeal for information on the location of bodies of people killed and secretly buried by the IRA.

A temporary church will be set up in the Olympic Village during the 2008 Games for Catholic athletes, and all churches in Beijing will be open to Catholic tourists, a senior official has s  read more »

T-shirts of a Mormon angel with coffee flowing into his trumpet are selling well at a Utah coffee shop. But church leaders aren't happy about it.

Values best exemplified by Jesus Christ such as respect, self-control, responsibility, community service, self-confidence, perseverance, and love is now being translated into Karate kicks  read more »

Sweden, already a pioneer in giving same-sex couples the right to adopt children, looks set to allow gays to marry in the Lutheran Church, with plans to introduce a new marriage law in Jan  read more »

THE Anglican Church is looking to woo brides and grooms back to their chapels by relaxing the requirement that at least one partner be christened in the church.

Some, including Contemporary Theatre of Dallas and Risk Theater Initiative, have taken over church buildings that have lost their congregations.  read more »

Radical proposals to reunite Anglicans with the Roman Catholic Church under the leadership of the Pope are to be published this year.

Parishioners at Frontline Church in Ann Arbor joined with thousands of other churchgoers today in an effort to end slavery worldwide.

Churches in a handful of U.S. cities are preparing to launch a “sanctuary” movement to help illegal immigrants avoid deportation and unite faith-based groups in a push for immigration  read more »

Delegates from a dozen churches in Memphis and across the South will ask the Anglican Church of Kenya to form a diocese and appoint a bishop for them in America.

Several churches started an advertising campaign in Indianapolis this week, hoping to challenge the Christian assumptions about homosexuality. Five different billboards is being placed around the Indianapolis area with pro-gay messages.

Pines Baptist has been holding Super Bowl events for a few years and expects about 300 people, mostly men, at its flag football game and watch party this year. The church drew about 250 people at a football-themed block party Jan.  read more »

United Methodist clergy in Baltimore are asking for the denomination's highest legal authority to review a bishop's decision to reappoint a transgender pastor to lead a city congregation.Bishop John R.  read more »

But what is a greater issue is that Lifeway clearly has no respect for freedom of the press.  read more »

The Shoreline Church in Old Saybrook, Conn., has joined the fight against today's Internet porn issues.

A powerful Nigerian Anglican archbishop defied top church leaders yesterday by coming to Northern Virginia and installing as one of his bishops a local minister who recently broke with the U.S.  read more »

About 30 of the nearly 11,000 Presbyterian congregations have voted to leave the national church since the denomination's national assembly session in 2006, according to The Layman, a  read more »

Delegates to the 63rd Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod July 18 approved a resolution (Res. 5-01B) to establish a new seminary track for “preparing men as quickly as possible to be called and ordained in order to meet the urgent mission needs of the church.”

Buildings used by three Episcopal parishes that broke away from the mother church in a dispute over a gay bishop should be placed under the control of the Los Angeles diocese, an appeals c  read more »

The 2007 synod of the Christian Reformed Church voted Tuesday night to allow women to have greater roles in the church.Women now serve as ministers and deacons in some churches, but the an  read more »

New Zealand: A Christchurch Archdeacon is sad his parish has been forced to stop ringing its church bell.

German Muslim leaders have robustly criticized a forthright "position papier" issued last November by the EKD, the umbrella body for 23 Lutheran churches in Germany. In characteristically Protestant fashion, the document suggested Muslims should be more critical about themselves and it starkly set out why Lutherans disagree with Islam.

An Episcopal diocese in central California voted Saturday to split with the national denomination over disagreements about the role of gays and lesbians in the church.Clergy and lay member  read more »

The campaign of Dalit Christians for Scheduled Caste status took an interesting turn on Wednesday with a sceptical Supreme Court responding to their demand by asking whether Christians als  read more »

A church in Watertown, New York, is fighting for what it says is its constitutional right to use the same meeting facility as other community groups — a facility located in a government  read more »

Presidential hopeful John Edwards took to the Morningside Heights pulpit where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. famously warned against escalating a war 40 years ago to urge lawmakers to bl  read more »

The Episcopal Church House of Bishops has finally fallen on its sword. It has declared its independence from the Anglican Communion. By rejecting the Primates ultimatum set out in the communique in Tanzania that it must be in full accord with the Windsor Report, it has chosen to walk apart.