I58-Network

Leading evangelical Christian celebrity Sir Cliff Richard, who is now aged 67, thinks the church should be supportive of committed gay relationships and says he is sick of intrusive speculation about his own sexuality.

A pastoral delegation sent by the World Council of Churches to Georgia and Russia in the wake of the bitter conflict there has not been able to get safe passage to visit South Ossetia from the Georgian side of the ceasefire line.

Black church leaders have joined health experts in welcoming findings from a new opinion poll showing widespread public opposition to adding the DNA of innocent mental health patients to the National Criminal DNA database.

Religious groups will have their capacity to participate alongside others in regional policy-making in England enhanced thanks to the new Regional Networks Support project, says Faithworks, which has established the initiative.

The World Council of Churches and the Lutheran World Federation have called on the Prime Minister of India requesting his intervention to end the violence in the state of Orissa. They are also backing Christian prayer and solidarity.

Those who defend discriminatory practices for faith schools are losing the argument on principle, in terms of community cohesion and on the research evidence about standards, says Andrew Copson. Let's open schooling up for all.

In a surprise move, a major Anglican newspaper has joined a growing number within the Church of England, who are asking whether it is time to open up, or even 'call time' on church schools.

US police have staged preemptive armed raids targeting protesters and alternative media around the Republican National Convention - including thousands of people demonstrating about war world poverty throughout the week.

The United Nations Peacebuilding fund has been hailed for its creative work in preventing or reversing conflict. But the practice of active peacebuilding needs to be much more widely understood and backed, says a new report.

Following a series of horrific attacks in Orissa, Indian church and human rights organisations have been keeping up pressure on the government for decisive action against militants, and are asking for world attention to the crisis.

A pastoral delegation from the World Council of Churches is visiting Russia and Georgia today. Participants will listen to churches in both countries, encourage efforts for peace and visit displaced people and church aid programmes.

Despite the official end of Russian military operations in Georgia, campaigners say Russia has been dropping cluster bombs on civilians in the Georgian republic - killing, wounding and spreading dangerous unexploded bomblets.

A Christian is taking an art centre to court over an exhibition which included a statue of Jesus she believes was lewd and offensive. Civil rights activists say this is an attempt to reinstate blasphemy laws by the back door.

A conference in Bern this month will discuss the often thorny concept of the "Promised Land" and related theological issues with a view to helping more churches become advocates for a just peace in the Middle East.

As focus turns to the climax of the Republican convention and the running mate by their candidate, John McCain, Democrat Barack Obama is turning his attention to winning over sceptics - including some religious voters.

Civil rights organisations and national leaders are expressing alarm at a United Nations General Assembly resolution that demands respect for religion but which critics say has been used to justify suppression of religious minorities.

The North American Mennonite relief and development agency MCC is supporting summer 'peace camps' which bring young black people together to find out more about being creative peacemakers in their neighbourhood and aas leaders.

Christian and Muslim groups are urging a peaceful resolution following attacks allegedly by groups linked to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Mindanao in the Philippines, and retaliation by government troops.

Patriarch Ilia of Georgia and Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Aleksei II are doing all they can to ensure that the conflict between their nations does not become "a people's war, a holy war", echoing earlier nationalistic fervour.

The UK-based development agency Christian Aid has launched an emergency appeal in response to the devastating floods in Bihar, India. More than 2.5 million people have been affected and it's feared that thousands have died.