Bankruptcy is on the increase, says Giles Fraser. There is tragedy in economic brokenness, but also hope. Debt forgiveness has the whiff of salvation and biblical Jubilee about it.

Religion, the church and the global recession is the focus of an international conference featuring economists, theologians and philosophers at the University of Nottingham.

Daleep Mukarji, director of international development agency Christian Aid, says that the UK government needs to do more to help charities working in economically poorer countries during the present financial crisis.

You often get more preoccupation with finance in church meetings and more serious attention to God in political meetings, says Simon Barrow. At least in terms of being sanguine about their respective claims. Sometimes.