A news service that focuses on religious stories across the globe has announced that they will be suspending their operations for the immediate future due to lack of funds.

Ecumenical News International, a source of religious news founded in 1994 and supported by several interdenominational groups, made the announcement on Monday.

The Rev. David Harris, president of ENInews, told The Christian Post that funding issues regarding its four original major supporting organizations were the cause of the suspension. more >>

WASHINGTON -- A prominent black church leader believes that the level of civil discourse in our country regarding politics and faith is at an "all-time low."

The Rev. Franklyn Richardson, chair of the National Conference of Black Churches, made that assessment Thursday. He was one of several church leaders invited to an event on public discourse.

Richardson said that the key element of the low level of good discourse could be found with "articulated intolerance." He told CP that he felt in order to raise the level of civil discourse, the Church must "own its part" in creating the poor environment for civility. more >>

Christians from around the world have been flocking to Germany's oldest city to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Pilgrimage of the Holy Robe, the seamless garment believed to be worn by Jesus shortly before his crucifixion.

The garment went on display for the first time in 16 years on April 13 in Trier, Germany as a part of the "Holy Robe Pilgrimage 2012," hosted by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Trier.

According to the Trier city website, 700,000 people made the Holy Robe pilgrimage in 1996, the last time the robe was shown. This year, 500,000 people are expected. more >>

Major ecumenical organization National Council of Churches will be examining its financial problems at its upcoming leadership meeting later this month.

NCC will hold an executive committee meeting Feb. 23-24 in Chicago, where reports will be presented by three task forces: financial sustainability, ecumenical landscape, and transitional leadership. The executive committee meeting is in preparation for the governing board meeting in May.

"Member communions have experienced drops in revenue as their contributing congregations have been forced to cut back on giving, and as a result some member communions have been forced to curtail their contributions to the NCC," explained Philip E. Jenks, media relations specialist for NCC, to The Christian Post. more >>

The Roman Catholic Church and Oriental Orthodox Churches in the U.K. have welcomed an "unprecedented" move towards unity this week.

The Churches have launched a new book entitled "Joint Statements" outlining areas of theological agreement between the two denominations.

The book was developed by the Catholic-Oriental Orthodox Regional Forum (COORF) and presented by the body's co-chairs Bishop Angaelos, General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the U.K., and the Catholic Archbishop of Southwark Kevin McDonald. more >>

Alabama Christian leaders have filed a lawsuit this week to stop the state from enacting the “nation’s most merciless” anti-immigration law, claiming it would prohibit Christians from living out their faith and the mandates of Scripture.

Plaintiffs in the suit filed Monday include leaders of the Episcopalian, Methodist and Roman Catholic churches in Alabama, who represent 338,000 of the state’s faithful.

The ecumenical group insists the new immigration law, effective September 1, could ensnare Christian leaders who unknowingly administer religious sacraments, such as Holy Communion, to illegal immigrants. more >>