French police have shot dead a man who attacked them with a knife in a police station while shouting "Allahu Akbar", a source says.

A Rangoon court has upheld charges of insulting religion against a New Zealand bar manager and his two Burmese colleagues.

A New Zealand manager accused of insulting Buddhism in a promotional poster for a bar in Rangoon, Burma, has pleaded not guilty to three charges.

New Zealand Muslims were brought to tears by a social media display of solidarity in Sydney during the Lindt cafe siege.

Destiny Church has amassed a $20 million empire in cash, property investments and other assets as a result of its tax exempt status, accounts show.

A Wellington man facing up to two years in a Burmese prison after he allegedly insulted Buddhism only moved back to the area in October with his partner and baby daughter.

Employers are changing the way they run Xmas parties to cater for more diverse workplaces, including an increase in Muslims who don't eat ham or drink alcohol.

Parliament's Speaker David Carter today announced that the traditional prayer he uses to open daily sittings of Parliament will remain as is, with its Christian references.

Self-appointed bishop Brian Tamaki was immensely proud of the money raised by his self-created Destiny Church this week. He asked parishioners to put their tithings on stage.

It's not easy being a member of the Swiss Guard. There's the silly uniform to wear, and occasionally you might have to step in and risk your life to save the boss.

A kayaking Anglican bishop is about halfway through a 250km water pilgrimage from Auckland to the Bay of Islands.

It looked as if it was raining money at Auckland's Destiny Church on Sunday, in photos tweeted by church leader Bishop Brian Tamaki.

Bicentenaries are still rare in New Zealand, where reliably recorded history has a frustratingly short reach.

Actor Christian Bale plays Moses in Ridley Scott's upcoming film Exodus: Gods and Kings. What light does it cast on the historical figure of Moses?

We've had reports of abuse by Kiwis who think all Muslims are terrorists. I say to those responsible: when you scream at them as you drive by, you are terrifying them.

The site in Mecca where the Prophet Muhammad is said to have been born is about to be "buried under marble" and replaced by a huge royal palace.

Pope Francis faces a diplomatic quandary when he visits Turkey, after Turkish architects urged him not to set foot in a 1000-room palace built by the President.

The site in Mecca where the Prophet Mohamed is said to have been born is about to be "buried under marble".

A former Auckland teacher posed as a God-fearing churchgoer but behind closed doors molested children while reading passages from the bible, a court has heard.

People living in hardship are more likely to believe in moralising, high gods, according to a major new study co-authored by New Zealand researchers.

Lost Gospel found in the British Library claims Jesus married the prostitute Mary Magdalene and had two children.

Three NZ Defence Force personnel have already left for the Middle East to scope out a role for New Zealand forces to help train Iraqi forces fight ISIS.

A "group of free thinkers" has been chosen to detect unseen threats to New Zealand's national security, advising the Prime Minister of danger before it arrives.

John Key says any NZ commitment to the campaign against Isis in the Middle East would be for a long time, pointing to the 10-year deployment of troops to Bamiyan.

A large-scale uprising by people living under the totalitarian regime of Isis (Islamic State) is the most likely trigger that will lead to the undoing of the self-declared caliphate.