A senior Church of Scotland minister has today called on the government to review the provision of benefits so that those in need are properly supported.

Far-reaching proposals to force the long-term unemployed to work for their benefits were condemned yesterday by a church agency. Church Action on Poverty expressed concern that new welfare reforms would increase exclusion

Gordon Brown's recent poll humiliations have left him seeking to rebuild support, says Simon Barrow. The 'faith constituency' is one that he has a particular interest in - and it won't go away.

'A love genuinely lived by a people joined to Christ for the sake of the world' is how Simon Barrow defines the mission of the church. It is about something more transformatory than projects or agencies alone, he says.

PM Gordon Brown has launched a new consultation involving the Labour Party, churches and faith communities. It will focus on identifying the values held in common by different faiths and beliefs - ones that also echo with the non-religious.

The Cambridge-based Von Hugel Institute's report on church, government and social welfare is creating a lively media and political talking point following its launch in London yesterday.

When it comes to religion and public life, there is frequently unhelpful confusion in the debate, says Simon Barrow. Initial responses to the Von Hugel report on church and welfare illustrate this.