Law and Religion Headlines
Wednesday, 10 March 2021
Irish bishops call for resumption of public worship after COVID restrictions eased
(Charles Collins, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Vancouver archbishop works with provincial officials to get churches open
(Agnieszka Ruck, Catholic News Service)
Hey journalists: Can you name three or more Ramadan news angles linked to COVID-19 vaccines?
(Terry Mattingly, GetReligion)
Report: Fast growth of UK Charedi population risks ‘polarisation’ with secular Jews
(Michael Daventry, Jewish News)
The chorister’s tale: Religious freedom analogies in the COVID pandemic
(M. Christian Green, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
Religious freedom cases during the pandemic: Round II
(Michael J. Broyde, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
Monday, 8 March 2021
Is Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 shot morally compromised? It's complicated
(Bobby Ross Jr., Religion Unplugged)
Friday, 5 March 2021
Religion, vaccines, medical ethics and just distribution – a Hindu perspective
(Brij Maharaj, Daily Maverick)
Burned out with nowhere to go: Already combatting COVID, fires are displacing refugees across the globe
(Christina Tobias-Nahi, G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)
Bishops say pandemic relief bill must be passed without abortion funding
(Julie Asher, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Wednesday, 3 March 2021
Weekly highlight #145: COVID-19: Exploring faith dimensions: Continuing trends: Vaccine hesitancy, court battles, burials, holidays, and coping with uncertainty
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
Virginia trial court rejects religious challenge to COVID-19 restrictions on churches
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
CEC Theological Reflections: Communion in crisis: The Church during the COVID-19 pandemic
(Stavros Yangazoglou, Conference of European Churches)
Israelis blame ultra-Orthodox for coronavirus pandemic, express hatred
(Mazal Mualem, Al-Monitor: Israel Pulse)
Bible reading boosts mental well-being among Christians, survey says
(Carol Glatz, Union of Catholic Asian News)
Vatican defends pope’s Iraq visit as ‘act of love’
(Claire Giangravé, Religion News Service)
Abortion concerns prompt archdiocese warning on vaccine
(Associated Press)
Health orders aim for balance on curbing COVID-19 spread and religious freedoms: B.C.
(Hina Alam, Toronto Star)
New COVID-19 legislation and guidance to 6 March
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Monday, 1 March 2021
Purim celebrations threaten fresh virus outbreak in Israel
(Associated Press)
Elderly religious overlooked in Belgium’s early COVID-19 vaccination programs
(Catholic News Agency)
Spain to permit feminist marches, while restricting worship services
(David Ramos, Catholic News Agency)
France maintains order as visitors flock to Jerusalem's Tombs of the Kings
(Taghreed Ali, Al-Monitor: Israel Pulse)
UNHRC Forces Sri Lanka To Lift Ban On Muslims Burying COVID Dead
(P. K. Balachandra, Eurasia Review)
COVID vaccination challenges: Ethical imperatives and local realities
(JoAnne Wadsworth, G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)
‘Not a good idea:’ Experts concerned about pope trip to Iraq
(Nicole Winfield and Samya Kullab, Associated Press)
Kansas ponders open churches, abortion limits in pandemics
(John Hanna, Associated Press)
Friday, 26 February 2021
Court clears way for indoor worship services in northern California
(Amy Howe, SCOTUSblog)
Israel faces criticism for not including Palestinians in vaccine success
(Yara M. Asi, Religion Unplugged)
U.S. COVID restrictions on religion: I'm still attending Mass from my church parking lot
(Tim Busch, USA Today)
High Court (UK): Covid self-employed support scheme does not unlawfully discriminate against women
(Henry Tufnell, UK Human Rights Blog)
Dozens of states ignoring guidance to prioritize clergy for COVID vaccine: Report
(Tobias Hoonhout, National Review)
Latter-day Saint Charities commits US$20 million in support of UNICEF’s global COVID-19 response
(Newsroom: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
Missing community, these college students innovated church online into pod watch parties
(David Hancock, Religion Unplugged)
Vatican foreign minister: religious freedom ‘being eroded’ by COVID-19 response
(Catholic News Agency)
The right of religious freedom in light of the coronavirus pandemic: the Greek case (PDF)
(George Androutsopoulos, MDPI)
The authorities "certainly discriminate against us": Cardinal Blázquez's complaint for Covid restrictions (Spanish)
(Religión en Libertad)
Since this California church began flouting pandemic restrictions, attendance has surged
(Sam Kestenbaum, The Washington Post)
Wednesday, 24 February 2021
WEBINAR, 24 February 2021 (4PM EST): COVID Vaccination Challenges: Ethical Imperatives and Local Realities
(Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs at Georgetown University; G20 Interfaith Forum; World Faiths Development Dialogue; and the Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Communities)
Peruvians officials, Vatican diplomat secretly obtained COVID-19 vaccines meant for doctors
(Reynaldo Aragon, Religion Unplugged)
To tackle vaccine hesitancy philanthropy must get over its religion hesitancy
(Eboo Patel and Robert P. Jones, The Chronicle of Philanthropy)
Imran Khan visits Sri Lanka as Muslims demand burial rights
(Bharatha Mallawarachi, Associated Press)
Weekly highlight #144: COVID-19: Exploring faith dimensions: Message alignment and responses to gender violence
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
Religious leaders urge Biden to support global coronavirus aid, debt relief
(Dennis Sadowski, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
COVID-19: easing the lockdown in England & Scotland
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
Tuesday, 23 February 2021
WEBINAR, 23-26 February 2021: Integral Human Development in the Digital Age: Poverties, Migrations, Pandemics, and the Idea of a New Social Ethics
(International Institute for Ethics and Contemporary Issues and the Faculty of Social Sciences at Ukrainian Catholic University)
Monday, 22 February 2021
Religious affiliations considered in the COVID-19 vaccine discussion
(Marko Milanovic, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)
Priest challenges Scotland's coronavirus ban on public worship
(Catholic News Agency)
Washington taps pastors to overcome racial divide on vaccine
(Ashraf Khalil and Hilary Powell, Associated Press)
New COVID-19 legislation and guidance to 27 February
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
As the pandemic rages on, more than 20 states debate bills that would protect in-person church services
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)
Friday, 19 February 2021
Vatican expects deficit of $60 million in 2021
(Catholic News Agency)
COVID-19 pandemic has Vatican bracing for $60 million deficit in 2021
(Claire Giangravé, Religion News Service)
Judge dismisses B.C. government application for COVID injunction against churches
(Keith Fraser, Vancouver Sun)
Canadian court refuses to order churches to follow health orders pending hearing on constitutionality
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Kemp: Bar Georgia governors from limiting religious services
(Associated Press)
Faith, medical leaders collaborate to get COVID-19 vaccine in arms of more people
(Yonat Shimron, Adelle M. Banks, Religion News Service)
Vatican says it won't punish those who refuse COVID-19 vaccine
(Peter Kenny, Ecumenical News)
Decree of the President of the Vatican City Commission on Public Health Emergency on vaccination obligation of employees (Italian)
(DiReSoM: Diritto e Religione nelle Società Multiculturali/ Law and Religion in Multicultural Societies)
Anti-vax at the Vatican? You might lose your job
(Nicole Winfield, Religion News Service)
Glasgow priest launches legal action over Covid church closures
(Scottish Legal News)
Religion, bioethics, and COVID-19 vaccination
(Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Charting the legality of religious-based exemptions to COVID-19 vaccinations (Responding to: Religion, bioethics, and COVID-19 vaccination)
(James G. Hodge, Jr. and Emily Carey, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Christian ethics and global equity in COVID-19 vaccine rollout (Responding to: Religion, bioethics, and COVID-19 vaccination)
(Doug Fountain, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Christian morality and the COVID-19 vaccine (Responding to: Religion, bioethics, and COVID-19 vaccination)
(Kevin Wm. Wildes, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Having “faith” in vaccination (Responding to: Religion, bioethics, and COVID-19 vaccination)
(Ben Kasstan, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Insights on vaccine hesitancy from religious people’s view of science (Responding to: Religion, bioethics, and COVID-19 vaccination)
(John H. Evans, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
On life, grace, and vaccines: a sacramental approach to public health (Responding to: Religion, bioethics, and COVID-19 vaccination)
(David C. McDuffie, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Religion, bioethics, and COVID-19 vaccination: Muslim views (Responding to: Religion, bioethics, and COVID-19 vaccination)
(Abdulaziz Sachedina, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Tanzania’s COVID-denying leader urges prayer as cases climb
(Associated Press)
Remarks of The Most Rev Dr Antje Jackelén Archbishop, Primate of the Church of Sweden, at the High Level Dialogue on Multi-Religious Response to Covid-19
(The Most Rev Dr Antje Jackelén Archbishop, Religions for Peace)
Wednesday, 17 February 2021
Americans divided on letting people skip COVID-19 vaccine for religious reasons
(Carol Kuruvilla, Huffington Post)
The merits of Mitt Romney's pro-family policy
(Erika Bachiochi, First Things)
The digital divide Is giving American churches hell: Covid-19 has upended churchgoing in the US. Like so much else with the pandemic, the impacts are not felt equally.
(Arielle Pardes, Wired)
Holy Week 2021: Vatican issues guidelines for Catholics amid ongoing COVID-19 restrictions
(Courtney Mares, Catholic News Agency)
C of E goes online for Ash Wednesday
(Tim Wyatt, Church Times)
Religious News From Around the Wed February 15, 2021
(World Religion News)
Celebrating Ash Wednesday in a pandemic? There’s an app for that
(Emily McFarlan Miller, Religion News Service)
Vatican Museums reopen, but visitors decry lack of social distancing
(Claire Giangravé, Religion News Service)
COVID-19 response: Challenges for Faith Inspired Organizations (FIOs)
(The Ahimsa Fund, G20 Interfaith Forum)
Weekly highlight #143: COVID-19: Exploring Faith Dimensions: Trending topics: Vaccination, government/religion relationships, and religious events
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
Rite of burial for victims of COVID-19
(Religions for Peace)
9th Circuit rejects church's challenge on COVID restrictions
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
New COVID-19 legislation and guidance to 20 February
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
In Naples, Muslim families struggle to bury coronavirus victims
(Mario Messina and Savin Mattozzi, Aljazeera)
Monday, 15 February 2021
Judge questions the court's role in managing public health orders to ban church gatherings
(CBC News)
Another church seeks Supreme Court's intervention on COVID-19 restrictions
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Maine church goes to SCOTUS
(Liberty Counsel)
New Arkansas law limits COVID restrictions on religious organizations
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Ultra-Orthodox Londoners roll up sleeves to fight COVID
(Danica Kirka, Associated Press)
Marriage & divorce amid pandemic: Couples’ challenges abound
(David Crary, Associated Press)
SC House considers bill to keep churches open in emergency
(Associated Press)
Ahead of papal visit, Iraq closes houses of worship due to COVID
(Inés San Martín, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Sputnik V vaccine halal - Gamaleya Center expert
(Interfax-Religion)
Supreme Court justices are not singing the same religious liberty tune during pandemic
(Bobby Ross Jr., GetReligion)
California legislator wants religious services deemed essential during state of emergency
(Alejandra Molina, Religion News Service)
The Constitution beats the pandemic’s religious restrictions — again
(Editoral Board, Deseret News)
Cardinal Cañizares denounces "humiliating" capacity limits imposed on churches in Spain (Spanish)
(ACI Prensa)
Email Subscription
The International Center for Law and Religion Studies maintains a Law and Religion Headlines service covering news about freedom of religion or belief internationally. All interested may subscribe to this service, free of charge, using the link below.
Subscribe