Churches are failing their members and communities by avoiding talking openly about money and debt, says the Evangelical Alliance, which is organising a seminar on the topic with input from Credit Action and the Church of England.

UK government Communities Secretary Hazel Blears will be the keynote speaker at a 'Life Beyond Debt' event run by the Evangelical Alliance on Thursday 5 February.

Oikocredit, the leading private international microfinancier, which gives support to poor communities and social enterprise, has announced a significant growth in activity and impact in its preliminary results for 2007.

The Czech government has agreed, after almost two decades of dispute, to compensate churches for properties confiscated under communist rule, and also to make them financially independent from the state. The details are being sorted.

At his appearance to say prayers at the Apostolic Palace of Castelgandolfo, Pope Benedict has spoken of the 'blind selfishness' that can result from an over-preoccupation with money. He says capitalism is not the only valid economic system.