The continuing confusion of Christianity with the dominant assumptions and institutions of Western society is one of the main barriers to improved relations with Muslims, the UK think tank Ekklesia has suggested today.

A training course, believed to be the first to combine urban mission and church planting, is to equip participants to develop new and creative forms of church such as 'cafe churches', peace churches, virtual churches, new monastic communities and churches for the socially excluded.

The religious thinktank Ekklesia has become the very first 'friend' of Jesus, on the Internet phenomenon Myspace.

The present situation where churches seek government support in areas like education, and government uses faith groups to prop up its own social agenda, is unhealthy for all concerned, says Ekklesia.

Current ideas about the relationship between faith and politics ‚Ä' both among believers and secularists ‚Ä' are ‚Äúhopelessly stuck‚Äù in a confrontation which is ‚Äúas deadly as it is mistaken‚Äù, says the UK Christian think tank Ekklesia ‚Ä' which is launching a book proposing a ‚Äúradical new approach‚Äù.

In the light of current arguments within church and state over the definitions of marriage, civil partnerships and other live-in relationships, the Christian think-tank Ekklesia is suggesting that 'serious consideration' should be given to the abolition of legal 'marriage' and its replacement by a variety of civil partnerships through which couples could specify the type of legal commitment they wished to make to one another.

The UK Christian-think tank Ekklesia has said that the latest call from the Church of England and other denominations for more emphasis on legally- enforced ‘collective worship' in English schools is misplaced.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has been challenged about his view that the extension of legal rights to cohabiting couples may undermine the institution of marriage.

As the world digs in for saturation coverage of the World Cup, the UK Christian think-tank Ekklesia is highlighting research and resources to enable lovers and haters of the game to put aside their differences (including religious ones) ‚Ä' and do something to make the world a fairer place.