Police are investigating whether a fire at an Auckland mosque that has been at the centre of allegations of extremist Islamic teaching was deliberately lit.

Terrorism is an affront to our freedom, human dignity and right to life.

A controversial plan to separate women wearing the burqa at Australia’s Parliament has been dropped following outcry.

Destiny Church bought five cars - including a luxury Audi - through one of its charities that is more than a year overdue in filing an annual return.

Two teenagers who became poster girls for the jihad in Syria are now desperate to come home after becoming disillusioned with life in the war-torn country.

'Look at the Earth sitting on top of itself," the Aboriginal man said to me in an Outback mining town, writes Lucy Lawless.

Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, is about two weeks away but the celebrations will kick off in Auckland this weekend in a big way.

Act leader Jamie Whyte calls the Green Party "not so much a political party as a religious movement, worshipping snails and ferns and all things Gaia".

A church whose congregation helped to shape Auckland is facing demolition after failing to meet new earthquake standards.

The Greek philosopher Aristotle referred to teaching and politics as the "noble professions".

Destiny Church wants its private school to become part of the state system, which would earn it a large boost in taxpayer funding.

Exhausted but overjoyed Meriam Ibrahim had an emotional reunion with family and friends in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Wearing a bright hijab, black blazer and long denim skirt, Mariam Abultewi sat in a taxi she had just ordered using Wasselni, a taxi-ordering and carpooling app she launched in Gaza four months ago.

The high number of babies being born in a reclusive Christian community on the West Coast is likely to offset any exodus, says someone who left.

Former Gloriavale Christian Community members have revealed that hundreds have left since its early days, including several families in the past year or so.

Eric Watson writes: Are there potentially a large number of Kiwis who feel aggrieved because our "most important" public holidays are Christian holy days?

Outspoken Anglican vicar Michael Hewat walked out of the church yesterday over its recognition of same-sex relationships.

A Sudanese Christian woman spared a death sentence for apostasy after an international outcry, met Pope Francis in the Vatican today.

A Catholic priest has been arrested in Italy on suspicion of dealing drugs at a party.

Pope Francis has said 2 per cent of the Roman Catholic clergy worldwide, the equivalent of 8000 members, are paedophiles.