Law and Religion Headlines
Thursday, 16 May 2024
EVENT, 16 May 2024 (16:00 AEST): Law and Politics of Religious Fraud Regulation: Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong (ACT, Australia)
(Jianlin Chen, Australian National University)
EVENT, 16 May 2024 (9AM - 1:15PM ET): Bonds of Affection: Is Unity Possible in a Divided America? (Washington, DC, USA)
(Wheatley Institute, Brigham Young University)
Wednesday, 15 May 2024
Opinion: Apache Stronghold v. USA, et al
(Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals)
Apache Stronghold will ask Supreme Court to save Oak Flat
(Becket)
9th Circuit rejects bid for full rehearing in Oak Flat dispute
(Crystal Owens, Law360)
China is reversing its crackdown on some religions, but not all
(Ian Johnson, Council on Foreign Relations)
China: Religious persecution and issues – Bimonthly Digest May 01-15
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
One simple thing you can do today to address division
(Marley Pierce, Interfaith America)
USCIRF highlights religious freedom violations in Eritrea amidst two decades of pastors' imprisonment
(United States Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Religious freedom challenge to Kentucky abortion ban heard in court
(Sylvia Goodman, Louisville Public Media)
Fourth Circuit holds firm against expansion of religion-based defenses to discrimination (US)
(Laura Lawless, The National Law Review)
Applying Groff, Indiana District Court rules in favor of employer in religious accommodation claim
(Brian L. McDermott and Tina Dukander, Jackson Lewis)
CEC president highlights the significance of human dignity and rights
(Conference of European Churches)
Mexico: Win for church autonomy in Mexico: Court protects Catholic baptismal records from gender ideology
(ADF International)
This, too, could pass: Christian group’s rule keeping beaches closed on Sunday mornings may end
(Wayne Parry, Associated Press)
Pakistani Hindu refugees find new hope in India’s Citizenship Amendment Act
(Amit Pandey, Religion Unplugged)
India’s parliament has fewer Muslims as strength of Modi’s party grows
(Sheikh Saaliq and Krutika Pathi, Associated Press)
Nigeria: Mosque attack in Nigeria’s north injures at least 24 people, including children
(Chinedu Asadu, Associated Press)
1,200 Jewish professors call on Senate to reject controversial antisemitism definition
(Yonat Shimron, Religion News Service)
Modern slavery: Breaking the chains
(Diocese of Salford)
John Smyth Review – a further update
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
WCC general secretary speaks to churches in Germany about role of anti-racism
(World Council of Churches)
Interreligious dialogue highlighted as key to strengthening European democracies at Berlin CoE Conference
(The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE))
France Prime Minister announces frightening figure: 366 anti-Semitic incidents in the first quarter of 2024, an increase of 300% year-on-year
(Yossi Lempkowicz, European Jewish Press)
Clergy-led demonstrations raise concerns over separation of church and state in Armenia
(Aze.Media)
Japan: What place is there for religion in a democracy?
(The Japan News)
Ghana: Bawumia pledges to strengthen church-state partnership for national development
(3News)
Media: friends or foes of religious freedom—and the Tai Ji Men case
(Willy Fautré, Bitter Winter)
Maryland parents can't opt kids out of LGBTQ book curriculum, court rules
(Nate Raymond, Reuters)
Vatican conference on ‘climate resilience’ is the latest in a long line of environment initiatives by Pope Francis and the Catholic Church – 5 essential reads
(Molly Jackson, The Conversation)
Protection of religious sites during armed conflict
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Tuesday, 14 May 2024
VIRTUAL EVENT, 14 May 2024 (9:30AM ET): Harmony in Diversity - "Bahá'í Faith" with Rachel Bayani
(European Union and United Nations Offices of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
Monday, 13 May 2024
Lebanon religious authorities go after comedian over prayers sketch
(AFP, Barron's)
VIRTUAL EVENT, 13 May 2024 (3:30 PM CEST): UDHR Beyond 75, Ep. 1: Global Education Initiatives
(Katherine Cash, David Kirkham, Eleonora Mura, European Union & International Affairs Office of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
Family religious dynamics and interfaith relationships
(PRRI)
Berlin conference on how religious leaders can help to re-invigorate European democracies
(Council of Europe)
Justice Alito warns of threats to freedom of speech and religion
(Adam Liptak, The New York Times)
His dreadlocks shaved by prison guards, Rastafarian man turns to Supreme Court
(Adam Liptak, The New York Times)
First Baptist Church of Alexandria, Virginia, faces expulsion for having a woman pastor
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)
Freedom of the press as an element of freedom of belief
(Karolina Maria Kotkowska, Bitter Winter: A magazine on religious liberty and human rights)
Podcast: Clamping down on religious freedom in Central Asia
(Bruce Pannier, Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty)
The situation in Afghanistan under review by the United Nations
(Ewelina U. Ochab, Religion Unplugged)
Sacred values and traditional wisdom of the indigenous peoples
(JoAnne Wadsworth, Viewpoints, a blog of the G20 Interfaith Forum Association)
Eritrea: USCIRF highlights religious freedom violations in Eritrea amidst two decades of pastors’ imprisonment
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Church Reporter, Vol. 9, 15 April 2024
(Church Law Society Prague – Brno – Olomouc – Stříbro – České Budějovice)
Global Interfaith Monitor No. 23
(Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Religion Watch, Volume 39 No. 6
(Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion)
Articles of interest - 13 May 2024
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Australian court lifts order blocking X on church stabbing video
(Reuters)
Australia: Former Australian Prime Minister talks of staying true to his faith as hostility to Christianity grows
(Peter Kenny, Ecumenical News)
India: Christian women in India lack inheritance rights. Could Hindu nationalists help?
(Surinder Kaur, Christianity Today)
Jews in Croatia seek justice over confiscated property (video)
(Andrea Jung-Grimm, Deutsche Welle)
Why are some American cities persecuting pastors?
(Jorge Gomez, First Liberty)
The ‘anti-Catholic memo’ that wasn’t: How should the FBI gather information on religious groups?
(Paul Moses, Commonweal)
OK, GOP, let’s put that antisemitism definition into effect!
(Mark Silk, RNS Column: Spiritual Politics)
Lawsuit alleges religious coercion through meditation in Chicago Public Schools
(Richa Karmarkar, Religion News Service)
The President of Ukraine thanked the hierarchs of the UGCC and the OCU for supporting Ukrainians on the frontline and the home front
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
UK research briefing: Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief Bill 2023-24
(House of Commons Library, UK Parliament)
Law and religion roundup – 12th May
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
England diocese urges support for Government move to lift cap on Catholic schools
(Charles Collins, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Lib Dems ‘broke equality laws’ over deselection of Christian candidate
(Hayley Dixon, The Telegraph)
Pope: Holy See ready to facilitate exchange of Russian and Ukrainian prisoners of war
(Linda Bordoni, Vatican News)
The global hate-speech conundrum
(Kevin Cope, The Volokh Conspiracy)
WCC general secretary highlights ways to lasting peace through reconciliation
(World Council of Churches)
Views on abortion by religious affiliation, 2024
(Pew Research Center)
Three Jehovah's Witnesses from Izhevsk received three years in prison each for their faith
(Jehovah's Witnesses - Russia)
Russia: Over 1000 conscientious objectors carrying out a civil service
(OVD, Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
India's election enters fourth phase as rhetoric over religion, inequality sharpens
(Rishika Sadam and Fayaz Bukhari, Reuters)
South Africa: Christianity is changing in South Africa as pentecostal and indigenous churches grow – what’s behind the trend
(Dion Forster, The Conversation)
China invokes religious persecution and oppression around the globe
(Sam Brownback, The Washington Times)
Negotiations between Israel and Hamas are bound to fail if parties ignore the religious dimensions of the conflict
(Qamar-ul Huda, ABC News Australia)
Colombia: The Ombudsman's Office continues to tour the country with Ombudsman Dialogues on Religious Freedom and Cults (Spanish)
(Defensoría del Pueblo)
Puerto Rico: Promoting the student religious freedom law project (Spanish)
(Pamela Hernández Cabiya, Noticel)
Legal Journal Number 7 (19): May (Spanish)
(Observatorio de Libertad Religiosa de América Latina y El Caribe)
Brazil: 5th Virtual Journey of Studies In Law And Religion (Portuguese)
(IBDR)
Friday, 10 May 2024
Opinion: Doe, et al. v. Board of Regents of the University of Colorado, et al.
(Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals)
Saudi Arabia announces stringent penalties for unauthorised Hajj pilgrims
(Gulf News)
Bangladesh: 63 individuals to attend Hajj at government expense
(RTV News)
New book: How Islam Rules in Iran: Theology and Theocracy in the Islamic Republic
(Mehran Kamrava, Cambridge University Press)
Jehovah’s Witnesses and blood products: Re J
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
Bishop’s Statement on abortion amendments to the Criminal Justice Bill
(John Sherrington, Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales)
India says Canada yet to provide evidence of its involvement in the killing of a separatist leader
(Ashok Sharma, Associated Press)
India: Reflections on my beloved India in an election year
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)
Dominican Republic: Ahead of general elections, Church releases list of endorsed candidates in Dominican Republic
(Eduardo Campos Lima, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Iowa Catholic bishops address new law affecting immigrants
(Diocese of Des Moines)
Religion is being misused to divide America
(William J. Barber II, Newsweek)
S Korean Church told to lead youth toward unification with North Korea
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Kenya: “We need to locate the chains of corruption in order to break them,” declare faith leaders and experts at LCMC Conference
(Wesley Omondi, Catholic Information Service for Africa)
Vietnam rejects unobjective judgements in US report on int’l religious freedom
(Vietnam Plus)
Russia accuses U.S. of meddling in India’s internal affairs, ‘complicating’ Lok Sabha elections
(The Hindu)
Federal court rules University of Colorado vaccine policies “motivated by religious animus”
(Thomas More Society)
South Africa: Ramaphosa signs bill barring hate crimes, hate speech into law
(Sunday World)
Boy Scouts' more inclusionary rebranding leaves one group feeling slighted
(Aila Slisco, Newsweek)
Macron’s euthanasia law risks causing an “uncontrollable domino effect” on the weakest, say evangelicals
(Joel Forster, Evangelical Focus)
Religious exemptions and abortion: Religious permission is not enough
(Nathan Berkeley, Religious Freedom Institute)
Regime change and religious discrimination after the Arab uprisings (podcast)
(Jason Klocek, Religious Freedom Institute)
Haiti: Shunned for centuries, Vodou grows powerful as Haitians seek solace from unrelenting gang violence
(Dánica Coto, Associated Press)
Pope urges Italians to have babies as a measure of hope for future
(Associated Press)
Religious discrimination claim for denial of personal leave moves ahead
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Amid surge of campus protests, chaplains find reason for hope in their students
(Elizabeth E. Evans, Religion News Service)
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