Law and Religion Headlines

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Monday, 6 May 2024

Malaysia: Largest international conference for religious leaders in Asia to be hosted in Kuala Lumpur
(Saudi Gazette)

Third party intervention to the ECtHR in Obesnikova v Bulgaria: Unpacking gender bias in youth football
(Ingrida Milkaitė, Marlies Vanhooren, Cathérine Van de Graaf, Pieter Cannoot, Eva Brems, Strasbourg Observers)

Nigeria: Lekki Roundtable: Cleric speaks on role of church in solving societal problems
(Motunrayo Akinrun, Punch)

Faith programmes safe, say BBC heads of religion and ethics
(Ed Thornton, Church Times)

Proposal would protect rights of Michigan college students to wear religious attire
(Elijah Taub, The Mining Journal)

Volume 4, 2024: Theology and Jurisprudence
(Australian Journal of Law and Religion)

Australia: Faith leaders express concern over draft discrimination bill in Australia
(Tracey Bridcutt, Adventist Review)

Church, state and elementary school: Christian club at Florida school spurs backlash
(Douglas Soule, Tallahassee Democrat)

Michigan: Proposal would protect right of college students to wear religious attire
(Elijah Taub, The Alpena News)

Arizona repeals 1864 abortion law, while Florida enacts 6-week ban
(Diana Chandler, Baptist Press)

Justice Department sues TDCJ for religious discrimination
(The Department of Justice)

The pro-life movement in political retreat: It finds itself at serious odds with Americans' historical deference to diversity of belief.
(Mark Silk, Religion News Service)

As abortion looks like a key issue in 2024, voters more divided by party than ever
(Sarah McCammon, NPR)

Abortion views in all 50 states: findings from PRRI's 2023 American Values Atlas
(PRRI)

Understanding America's overlooked religious middle: In our era of polarization, the civic institutions that hold us together in good faith disagreement are critical.
(Robert P. Jones, White Too Long)

United Methodists begin to reverse longstanding anti-LGBTQ policies
(Peter Smith, Associated Press)

The number of religious ‘nones’ has soared, but not the number of atheists – and as social scientists, we wanted to know why
(Christopher P. Scheitle and Katie Corcoran, The Conversation)

United Methodists, winnowed by conservative exodus, embrace LGBTQ inclusivity
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)

Gambia and religious liberty: Proposals that a 'license' will be needed to preach are reminiscent of the dark era of dictator Jammeh
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter: A magazine on religious liberty and human rights)

Iran: USCIRF calls for additional sanctions amidst new harsh enforcement of Iran’s mandatory hijab law
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

Articles of interest - 6 May 2024
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Turkey formally opens another former Byzantine-era church as a mosque
(Associated Press)

$400 million boost in federal funds for security at places of worship
(Associated Press)

Friday, 3 May 2024

USCIRF releases 25th Annual Report on International Religious Freedom
(Jeremy P. Barker, Religious Freedom Institute)

Kyrgyzstan: US religious freedom watchdog recommends Kyrgyzstan for special watch list
(Catherine Putz, The Diplomat)

Indonesia disputes US call for crackdown over religious freedom violations
(Arie Firdaus, BenarNews)

India: MEA accuses US body of interference in India's elections over religious freedom report
(The Wire)

Here are the countries that rank worst in the world in religious freedom
(Peter Pinedo, Catholic News Agency)

A Proclamation on National Day of Prayer, 2024
(The White House)

A Proclamation on Jewish American Heritage Month, 2024
(The White House)

Catholic leaders, urging cease-fire, call on Biden to halt weapons shipments to Israel
(Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)

Georgia: Church joining state in pushing for foreign agents bill
(Eurasianet)

Georgian lawmakers tussle in parliament after crackdown on foreign agent protesters
(Felix Light, Reuters)

Government to lift cap on faith school places
(Department for Education and The Rt Hon Gillian Keegan MP, GOV.UK)

Church of England welcomes opportunities to open Special Schools following Government announcement
(The Church of England)

Russia is suppressing the freedom of religion or belief in Ukraine: UK statement to OSCE
(Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and Neil Holland, GOV.UK)

Consistory court considers organ donation, again
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)

Students occupy UK university campuses in protest against Gaza war
(Jewish News)

Anthony Julius chairs new group tackling campus antisemitism
(Michelle Rosenberg, Jewish News)

Challenging religious education in Northern Ireland: rights, curriculum and pluralism: JR87
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)

Sacred religious site case needs 29 judges to weigh in, Apache group says
(Jenna Greene, Reuters)

Building Army spiritual readiness - a key part of the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps mission
(Bill Green, Jr., U.S. Army)

Algerian appeals court upholds pastor’s conviction for “illegal worshipping”
(ADF International)

At time of rising antisemitism, Holocaust survivors take on denial and hate in new digital campaign
(Kirsten Grieshaber, Associated Press)

What the pro-Palestinian campus protests are really about
(Carl R. Trueman, First Things)

Center for Countering Disinformation anticipates increased religious information conflicts on Easter
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))

Metropolitan Ionafan of Tulchyn, UOC MP, requests to be released to Russia, - Media
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))

Priorities for climate litigation at the European Court of Human Rights
(Lea Raible, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)

Latest issue of WCC interreligious journal focuses on gender justice
(World Council of Churches)

WCC, Christian Conference of Asia offer training in diakonia, sustainable development
(World Council of Churches)

Sudan: The forgotten war with no winners
(Nick Baines and Paul Swarbrick, The Church of England)

Mexico: 139 Protestant Christians are now living in an auditorium because the Mexican government has not done its job
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)

Jewish parents & schools asking appeals court to protect children with disabilities
(Becket)

Hate crimes laws passed in Washington have been remarkably ineffective in protecting LGBTQ people for decades
(Christopher Ewing, The Conversation)

Opinion: Righteous attitudes, ideological purity tests, zero-sum thinking: How philanthropy stokes division
(Kristen Campbell, The Chronicle of Philanthropy)

Thursday, 2 May 2024

VIRTUAL EVENT, 2 May 2024 (9:30AM ET): Harmony in Diversity - "Buddhism" with Debra Boudreaux
(European Union and United Nations Offices of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)

Wednesday, 1 May 2024

House passes antisemitism bill with broad bipartisan support amid campus arrests
(Summer Concepcion, Megan Lebowitz and Rebecca Kaplan, NBC News)

Cap lifted on faith school places in England
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)

Ecclesiastical court judgments – April
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)

UK's Prevent strategy linked to rights abuses in Indonesia
(Areeb Ullah, Middle East Eye)

Navigating housing rights, education and religious freedom: Ghaoui
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)

Tories want Zelensky to protect religious freedom in Ukraine
(David Williamson, Express)

Ukraine: Two new conscientious objector jail terms
(Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service)

USCIRF releases 2024 Annual Report with new recommendations for U.S. policy
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

VIRTUAL EVENT, 1 May 2024 (10AM ET): 2024 Annual Report: Key Findings and Recommendations - 25 Years of IRFA
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

An Ohio pastor says he’s facing new pressure to end his 24-hour homelessness ministry
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)

If you want to preserve religious freedom, teach your kids to value it
(Hanna Seariac, Deseret News)

UN Special Rapporteur advises law graduates to keep the pursuit of justice at the center of their lives
(Eleanor Lambert, The Daily Universe - BYU)

At ‘Seder in the Streets,’ protesters in Brooklyn denounce US support to Israel
(Fiona André, Religion News Service)

Australia: Christian schools in Australia are under attack
(Stephen McAlpine, Premier Christianity)

Australia: March on religious freedom
(Kojo Akomeah, Adventist Record)

Australia: Church liability for clergy abuse
(Neil Foster, Law and Religion Australia)

Religion & Global Affairs Newsletter - 29 April 2024
(Knox Thames)

Afghanistan: A gunman kills 6 worshippers inside a Shiite mosque in western Afghanistan, the Taliban say
(Associated Press)

South Asian groups work to break cultural, religious stigmas around domestic violence
(Richa Karmarkar, Religion News Service)

Arizona pro-Palestinian protesters sue, argue authorities violated their religious freedom
(Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)

After USC cancels graduation amid Israel protests, some Jewish students question their place on campus
(Jacob Gurvis, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Democratic Republic of Congo: After his comments deemed "seditious": Cardinal Ambongo targeted by a prosecutor's investigation
(Dido Nsapu, Digital Congo)

CAIR calls on U.S. House to reject ‘one-sided, dishonest’ antisemitism proposals, stop ignoring anti-Palestinian racism and Islamophobia
(Council on American-Islamic Relations)

Climate change and small island developing states
(Arthur Lyon Dahl, G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)

South Africa: Bishops decry state of targeted killings of clergy as another priest is gunned down in Pretoria
(Catholic Information Service for Africa)

France, the new law to fight against “sectarian abuses” in the field of health, subject to the control of the Constitutional Council
(The European Times)

Biden Administration rule threatens religious liberty for thousands of students
(Jorge Gomez, First Liberty)

Is European democracy too immature to address freedom of religion or belief?
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)

Backwards steps on the enjoyment of rights – a matter of state intervention or of interference? Retrogressive measures before the European Court of Human Rights.
(Marion Sandner, Strasbourg Observers)

Voters’ views of Trump and Biden differ sharply by religion
(Gregory A. Smith, Pew Research Center)

China: Uyghur spy turns to religion and lands in Xinjiang prison
(Shohret Hoshur, Radio Free Asia)

Canada: Leave to appeal filed at the Supreme Court of Canada on Bill 21 case
(Canadian Civil Liberties Association)

Azerbaijan named among religious freedom violators by religious liberty watchdog
(Adelle M. Banks, Religion News Service)

Mexican Baptists in Hidalgo forced from homes
(Ken Camp, Baptist Standard)

Indian court ensures tribal Christian gets proper burial
(Union of Catholic Asian News)

Warsaw synagogue attacked at night with 3 firebombs, no injuries reported
(Vanessa Gera, Associated Press)

75 Christian leaders urge president, Congress, churches to act on racism, poverty
(Adelle M. Banks, Religion News Service)

Accommodating teacher's anti-transgender beliefs created undue hardship for school under Title VII
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Kenya: Amid ongoing government probe, a Christian university fights for its identity
(Tom Osanjo, Religion Unplugged)

Brazil: Cleric highlights Islam's commitment to human rights protection
(International Quran News Agency (IQNA))

Russia: Religious issues and persecution – Bimonthly Digest April 16-30
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

Russia: A court sentenced the candidate for membership of Hizb ut-Tahrir
(SOVA, Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

Indonesia: Ministry of Religion says isbat session is needed to determine Islamic calendar deliberately
(VOI)

Conflict-related sexual violence globally: from bad to worse
(Ewelina U. Ochab, Religion Unplugged)

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