Religion

‘How can we judge a work of art that was inspired by a person’s faith?’

The Reverend James Martin, a Jesuit priest and author, on what Catholics can take away from the Met’s Heavenly Bodies exhibition

As told to Helen Stoilas

Is nothing sacred? The Metropolitan Museum should apologise to the Vatican for Heavenly Bodies show

Curator Andrew Bolton’s Costume Institute blockbuster is pointlessly offensive to believers

Holy inspiration: the Met's Costume Institute finds a divine connection between religion and fashion

The museum's annual gala show examines how the Catholic Church’s aesthetics have influenced designers

Abbas, Magnum photographer who focussed on political conflict and religion, dies aged 74

His documentation of the Iranian Revolution in his home country sparked a career-long fascination with the world’s major faiths

Star Wars art installation in London church relocated following parishioner complaints

The stormtrooper on a cross is part of an exhibition due to open to the public on Thursday

Church of the Holy Sepulchre re-opened after three-day protest closure

Shrine was shut amid escalation of Israeli-Palestinian hostilities

Artists sign letter in support of Lorde's decision to cancel gig in Israel

Shepard Fairey, Peter Kennard and Emily Young among those who back singer after she was branded an anti-semitic bigot in a full-page advert in the Washington Post

Muslim leaders across the Middle East work with Israeli rabbis to keep the peace

Interfaith network says that its efforts are more difficult—and urgent—since President Trump’s declaration on Jerusalem’s status

The return of Uncle Joe Stalin and Socialist Realism?

The Russian church and state-sponsored art grow ever closer through concurrent Soviet-themed exhibitions in Moscow

Florence Baptistery hauls down the scaffolding in time for Papal visit

€2m restoration of eight marble outer walls took 21 months

Frieze dealers keep the faith

Artists return to sacred themes within the commercial setting of the fair

Saudi art students break nude taboo

Artist Abdulnasser Gharem filmed "life-drawing" class in school that he founded

Lawnews

Büchel’s Venice mosque to stay shut

Court won’t hear case until Biennale ends

Isil bulldozes 1,500-year-old Catholic church in Syria

Frescoes recently found in the church may date back to the sixth century, which would make them the oldest Christian paintings in the country

Auckland Castle shows faith in contemporary art

A four-screen video work by Bill Viola to be unveiled this month is the first in a series of installations reflecting on the role of religion in Britain

Paris mayor gives city’s decaying churches a Hail Mary—to the tune of €80m

But heritage groups say the funds fall far short of the real cost of restoration

Iraq’s ancient holy sites lost forever

The country’s monasteries and mosques have no place in the Caliphate

Have Venice authorities shut down Christoph Büchel’s mosque?

Ostensibly an art project that is Iceland’s official contribution to the biennale, it also served as an authentic house of worship visited by more than 100 Muslims a day

Don’t be scared of what will be: the Medieval way of art and death

The union of devotional imagery and religious observance was a comfort

Newsarchive

New culture war takes root in US as major news outlet censors art

Artists say they are under pressure to tone down their work after Associated Press removes images of controversial pieces

Jerusalemarchive

Negotiations over Jerusalem’s holy sites not just for politicians, say religious officials

Jewish, Muslim and Christian leaders say they must be involved in Israeli-Palestinian peace talks

Islamarchive

Controversial sculpture divides Tatarstan

Muslim clerics say work by Buddhist artist Dashi Namdakov is offensive

Outrage at Smithsonian self-censorship over Wojnarowicz work

Controversy follows decision to remove David Wojnarowicz video loaned by National Portrait Gallery

No, not Madonna the singer in the V&A's new Medieval and Renaissance galleries

How the Victoria & Albert Museum’s new Medieval and Renaissance galleries have dealt with our ignorance of Christianity

Jerusalemarchive

Controversy over Israeli Tolerance Museum site

Court rules in favour of building despite claims that Muslim graves will be desecrated

Tehranarchive

Iran's Saba Cultural Institute announces Russian Orthodox icons show

The news comes as unexpected due to suppression of religion freedom in the nation