According to a new poll poll, religious belief is linked to higher levels of happiness, and provides psychological help when people are afflicted by dramatic life changes such as job loss or divorce. Professor Andrew Clark, from the Paris School of Economics, and Dr Orsolya Lelkes, from the European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research, reached this conclusion after analysing the results of surveys sent to Christian households across Europe. Professor Clark said: "We originally started the research to work out why some European countries had more generous unemployment benefits than others, but our analysis suggested that religious people suffered less psychological harm from unemployment than the non-religious. They had higher levels of life satisfaction".

The Baptist Men's Movement is inviting churches across Britain to hold a special men-only breakfast on October 11.The Bigger Breakfast project aims to reach out to men, whether they are regular church-goers or not. "Everyone enjoys a good breakfast. This is a great way to bring men together for a time of fellowship, fun and food," said Bob Pengelly-Phillips, chairman of the movement.

Precious Ramotswe, the heroine of the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency, the popular series of Botswanan detective novels due is "first and foremost a Christian" says the Bishop of Botswana. The Right Rev Musounda Trevor Selwyn Mamba, who plays a village priest in the television adaptation of Alexander McCall Smith’s novels on BBC1 tomorrow [Easter Day] said: “It is her belief in God and Christ that sustains her, and which, for the most part, sustains all Africans."

A 72 year-old priest from Poland has won the 2008 Templeton prize. Fr Michal Heller, 72, a professor at the Pontifical Academy of Theology in Cracow, won the award for his work, which looks at the connection between physics, cosmology, theology and philosophy. Fr Heller said: "What can be more important than science and religion? Science gives us Knowledge, and religion gives us Meaning. Both are prerequisites of the decent existence."

Young British Muslims show that it is possible for young people to “go out and have a good time” without binge-drinking or drug-taking, according to a Government Minister. Speaking at the launch of Forgotten Voices, a report into the attitudes of young Muslims in Bradford, Bill Rammell, Minister for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education, said: "The different Islamic communities have already added much to the richness of what being British means. They tend to be strong communities which offer lots of mutual support. We could do with more of that in this country.They tend to have a culture of voluntary activity and charitable giving, too.And every week lots of young Muslims across the country show that it's possible for young people to go out and having a good time with out binge-drinking or being tempted by drugs.”