A farmer I met had just left the Lutheran Church and joined a neo-pagan community. “Unlike Christianity, people here live in harmony with nature”, he told me. “Here, man is still man and woman - woman”.

What the recent films ‘Anatomy Of A Fall’, ‘The Zone Of Interest’ and ‘Fallen Leaves’ tell us about marriage.

Religion has shaped our past, for better and for worse, and remains an integral part of the social, political and cultural fabric of life in Northern Ireland.

For several years our church was home to a community of Persian Christians. We worshipped together, studied scripture, and grew to be best friends. Years later, and dispersed ‘round the UK, almost all of them are still living as Christians.

Discretion and integrity are essential, but they shouldn’t go so far as to become scepticism and distrust. The roles of church leaders and immigration officials need clear differentiation.

Today, secular Europeans have a very acute radar. They crave substance, not hype; what is real, not what is fake. They want God, not Christianity-lite. How can we meet this commendable need? By raising the bar spiritually.

With a "declaration" of high hierarchical value, Roman Catholicism is now officially in favor of blessing gay unions, as are many liberal Protestant churches around the world.

The victory of the Freedom Party shocks the European scenario. While traditional Christian parties suffer losses, “it is no secret that some believers love Wilders”, says journalist Evert Van Vlastuin.

Does the friendly image of the member of the Parliament hide an ultra-conservative woman full of hatred?

In France, evangelical Christians are more engaged than others in ecological matters. But some are also suspicious about ideological trends, a survey has found. We asked Jean-François Mouhot, director of A Rocha, about creation care, theology and churches.

Around 1980 the center of gravity of the church had moved out of the West into the Majority World. With this shift, some of the relative strengths and weaknesses of Western Christianity have become increasingly clear.

Remember how 2020 was expected to be a watershed year? The hopes that Covid-19 would force lifestyle changes? 

The Assemblies of God in the capital, Niamey, say that “the population seems to have accepted” the situation, although other voices refer to an “unexpected” situation.

Christians are against desecrating holy books, says Olof Edsinger, leader of the Swedish Evangelical Alliance. But “something is terribly wrong when totalitarian regimes are trying to force us to abandon our hard-won human rights”, he adds.

Researcher Margunn Serigstad Dahle analyses the cultural debates around the global entertainment company. “The Disney universe’s commitment to individualism is increasingly becoming marked by expressive individualism”.

Large-scale AI systems consume enormous amounts of energy. Yet the material details of those costs remain vague in the social imagination.

The outcome of the Spanish general election reflects a huge divide in the country. The “collective mentality of Spaniards” must change, says X. Manuel Suárez of the Evangelical Alliance.   

Matthieu Sanders, a pastor in Paris, analyses the background of the riots in France. “Pray that the French church would be equipped for effective witness and peacemaking in an often tense national climate”.

What are the challenges posed by the exponential evolution of AI in recent months, and should we be optimistic about the future? Computer scientist Charlie Catlett, a researcher of the internet since the early days in the 1990s, answers key questions.

His ability to “connect with the average Italian” contributed to the “demeaning of women and the spectaculisation of politics”. Three evangelical leaders shared their views with Evangelical Focus.

Revival groups remain in the Lutheran Church but have their own dynamics. An explainer for those outside Finland.

Xi Jinping is introducing “more intrusive Party control of the two main components of the country’s nervous system: money and the Internet”, says expert Massimo Introvigne.

In the race to become Scotland's First Minister, citizens picked up on the underlying message Kate Forbes was delivering: I am not going to hide who I am.

A decade later, Francis still faces unresolved challenges. “As a good Jesuit, he resisted making decisions so far”, says evangelical theologian in Rome, Leonardo De Chirico.

A university professor in Nigeria analyses the socio-political context before the 25 February presidential election.