Gay Anglicans are reacting with a mix of fury and resignation after the Anglican Synod today failed to approve the blessing of gay marriages.

Liberal Anglican priest Dr Helen Jacobi says she is ashamed of her Church after it postponed "blessings" for gay marriages for at least two years.

Maori prayers could be banned from the classroom if campaigners are successful in their bid to remove religious instruction from state schools.

It took some time to adjust to the gloom after the bright sunshine outside.

A nurse has described a bizarre community exorcism in Auckland where a travelling pastor allegedly punched her in the face to cleanse her of demons.

Secular education campaigners have faced a significant setback in their legal fight to ban the Bible from public schools.

The moderation and maturity of Muslims in New Zealand was evident once again in their response to the Egyptian initiative.

Egypt is sending imams as part of new drive to reduce radicalisation and counter jihadism.

A woman claiming to have suffered stigmata -- the injuries Jesus suffered when he was crucified -- has become the subject of hot debate.

Shorter fasting days during the Islamic holy month could be the attraction to draw wealthy Muslim tourists to New Zealand, a University of Auckland academic says.

COMMENT: It's time to let Easter go. Its spiritual significance is non-existent and its recreational function an annoyance.

When others let us down the hope present in the Easter story still stands. It's a hope that stands for eternity.

COMMENT: Something remarkable happens tomorrow in countries such as New Zealand.

COMMENT: The tenets of Muslim belief are not compatible with a secular society, writes Alan Duff.

Judas may be one of the hardest of all historical figures to present in a good light, but prominent clerics have lent voices to calls for a reappraisal.

COMMENT: Alan Duff's vitriol and vilification of religion is counter-scientific and unwarranted.

COMMENT: Humans invented God - not vice-versa - as handy tool for manipulating others.

Australian Cardinal George Pell has laid blame for failing to act against a paedophile priest on the dying former bishop of Ballarat.

Leaders of the Gloriavale Christian Community have opened up to the public after revelations the group has more than $40 million in assets.

Pope Francis has added the strongest voice yet to a growing chorus of world leaders taking a stand against the celebrity candidate.

Well-known atheist and biologist has been forced to cancel his upcoming New Zealand tour due to health problems.

Scientists have found a long-awaited explanation as to why humans have for centuries maintained orderly societies: the fear of an angry god.

Food is key to Chinese New Year, and families and restaurants will ring in the Year of the Monkey with special feasts.

Destiny Church wants its faithful to dig deeper this year, almost doubling the cost of tickets to attend its annual conference.

Muslim women can be banned from wearing veils in schools, courts and other British institutions, Prime Minister David Cameron has said.

Many of us want to know what makes Muslims tick, writes Alan Duff. Don't send me death threats yet, you of Muslim faith. This columnist is not out to get you.

A look at Islam's two main denominations to help make sense of the Saudi-Iran crisis.

The beheadings sent a clear message to militant Islamists and the Shi'a that the state would not hesitate to employ its monopoly on violence against those who challenged its authority, writes Ben Rich.

Islamic law forbids the enslavement of Muslims, but all that did was to encourage a roaring trade in the enslavement of non-Muslims that lasted for over a thousand years, writes Gwynne Dyer.