In a study of medical students, more serious cardiac risk estimates were given to Christians and less serious estimates for Muslims despite the patients being otherwise identical in their characteristics and symptoms, according to research in an upcoming issue of Medical Decision Making published by SAGE.

Pope Benedict XVI created India's first woman saint, and denounced anti-Christian violence in that country. Sabina Castelfranco reports from Rome Sister Alphonsa was among four new saints canonized by the pope in a ceremony in Saint Peter's Square.

The Alliance Defense Fund has called on 35 pastors across the country to break IRS tax laws and endorse presidential candidates during sermons. The pastors will draw on Bible passages tomorrow in a protest organized by the group of conservative Christian lawyers.

ANSA news agency reports that thousands of people in the church were anounced that The Miracle of San Gennaro was repeated on Wednesday when the blood of this city's patron saint liquefied at 9.30am. ANSA is an English language news organization reporting from Italy.

The father of a Christian preacher who falsely claimed to have cancer says anyone who gave money to his son will be able to get it back.

John McCain and Barack Obama have appeared together for the first time in the 2008 election campaign and they chose an unusual setting. The two candidates answered a series of intensely personal questions at a huge evangelical church in California.

The controversy thus far: Whilst visiting Israel on his overseas trip, Barack Obama went to the Western all of the ancient Temple Mount in Jerusalem to pray. A Jewish seminary student filched Obama's prayer note that he had inserted into the joints of the Wall and gave it to Ma'ariv newspaper, which published it.

Major League Soccer star Chase Hilgenbrinck has announced that he is retiring from pro soccer to devote his time to the process of becoming a priest in the Roman Catholic Church.

On Sunday morning, at Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church in Knoxville, Tennessee, an unidentified gunman fired a number of shots with a shotgun, killing one person, and wounding at least six others. That person who started the Knoxville church shooting was finally tackled by two parishioners and restrained until the authorities arrived.

Hundreds of thousands of people have greeted the Pope on his official arrival for World Youth Day in the Australian city, Sydney. The pontiff has praised the Australian government for apologizing to the country's indigenous people for past injustices. From Sydney, Phil Mercer reports.

Anglican bishops from all over the world are gathering at the Lambeth conference, named after the London borough that is home to the archbishop's palace. They only meet once every ten years, but the meeting that starts today will not be a happy reunion. Archbishop Rowan Williams will need supernatural forces to keep his church united.

Thousands of young Catholics gather today in Sydney to celebrate the World Youth Day with Pope Benedict 16th. World Youth Day (WYD) is the largest youth event in the world and will be held in Sydney from Tuesday 15 to Sunday 20 July 2008.