Law and Religion Headlines
Wednesday, 17 February 2021
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)
Some 500 people gather for "religious liberty" (Spanish)
(El Día de Valladolid)
Friday, 12 February 2021
Court says Quebec worship limits apply to capacity for each room
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Quebec Superior Court rules in favour of Hasidic Jewish community on limits to religious gatherings
(Elizabeth Raymer, Canadian Lawyer)
Anti-Semitic flyer in German tram blames Jews for the COVID pandemic
(Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
U.S. Supreme Court halts some California worship restrictions, leaves others in place for now
(Don Byrd, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)
Anglicans in Portugal suspend face-to-face masses. Secured funerals – Coronavirus
(tekdeeps.com)
Wednesday, 10 February 2021
Supreme Court rules California churches may open despite the pandemic
(David G. Savage, Los Angeles Times)
Last rites for the COVID-19 victims
(Religions for Peace)
After 11 months of ‘giving up,’ what is there left to give up this Lent?
(Mark Pattison, Catholic News Service)
Catholic school enrollment sees sharpest drop in nearly 50 years
(Catholic News Agency)
Scientology Super Bowl LV ad timed its airing for the simultaneous launch of a new section of the Scientology website
(Kelly Frazier, World Religion News)
Judge blocks Cuomo’s COVID restrictions—after he begs
(Becket: Press Release)
Ending 10 Month Long Ban, Lankan PM Says Burial Of COVID Dead Muslims To Be Allowed
(P K Balachandran, Eurasia Review)
Supreme Court rules against Calif., doubles down on religious rights amid pandemic
(Jason Breslow and Nina Totenberg, National Public Radio)
No touching! Churches get ready for Ash Wednesday in a pandemic
(Emily McFarlan Miller, Religion News Service)
Faith and the COVID-19 vaccine: ‘I’m a member of a community with duties’
(Julie Schonfield, Religion News Service)
New York COVID-19 restrictions on houses of worship enjoined
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Sri Lanka to allow burial of COVID-19 victims following ban
(Krishan Francis, Associated Press)
Israel’s ultra-Orthodox reject criticism, defy virus rules
(Ilan Ben Zion, Associated Press)
In Dubai’s COVID vaccine scramble, Sikhs serve doses to all
(Isabel Debre, Associated Press)
Weekly highlight #141: COVID-19: Exploring Faith Dimensions: Untangling Religious Influences Among Multiple Economic, Social, Political Forces
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
Monday, 8 February 2021
Justices: California can’t enforce indoor church service ban
(Jessica Gresko, Associated Press)
Newsom says state will revise indoor worship guides after Supreme Court ruling
(Los Angeles Daily News (paywall))
Religious news from around the web February 8, 2021
(World Religion News)
Some California churches hold indoor services after ruling
(Christopher Weber, Associated Press)
U.S. Supreme Court rules against Newsom on indoor church services in California COVID-19 case
(Dael Kasler, Sacramento Bee)
South Bay United Pentecostal Church v. Newsom (SCOTSblog coverage)
(SCOTUSblog)
South Bay United Pentecostal Church v. Gavin Newsom, Governor of California
(Slip Opinion, Supreme Court of the United States)
San Francisco cathedral reopens for indoor services after California revises church guidelines
(Luz Pena, ABC7 News)
Supreme Court nixes California’s ban on indoor worship
(Becket: Press Release)
The Supreme Court’s new, deeply fractured decision on churches and the pandemic, explained
(Ian Millhiser, Vox)
Supreme Court enjoins, pending appeal, California's total ban on indoor worship services
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
The Supreme Court stands up again for worship during the pandemic
(The Editors, National Review)
This Supreme Court’s religious liberty approach would be silly, if the consequences were not so dire
(Tyler Broker, Above the Law)
Sistine Chapel key-keeper opens up after lockdown
(Paolo Lucariello and Elisa Colella, Religion News Service)
Dioceses dispute conclusions, methods of AP report on pandemic funding
(Tom Tracy, Associated Press)
Make houses of worship the center of vaccine rollout
(Charles C. Camosy, RNS Column: Purple Catholicism)
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community UK Newsletter - Issue 53
(Ahmadiyya Muslim Community UK)
Biden is right to go big: This could be the moment of social repair. (Democrats, God put you on this earth to spend government money on the disadvantaged.)
(David Brooks, The New York Times Opinion)
Saturday, 6 February 2021
Divided court allows indoor worship services to resume in California
(Amy Howe, SCOTUSblog)
Friday, 5 February 2021
NEW BOOK – Covid-19 and freedom of religion (in Spanish)
(Javier Martínez-Torrón and Belén Rodrigo Lara, DiReSoM: Diritto e Religione nelle Società Multiculturali/ Law and Religion in Multicultural Societies)
The pandemic in America through the eye of religion, with Rev. John L. McCullough
(Joel Kotkin and Marshall Toplansky, New Geography)
Can an employee object to mandatory COVID-19 vaccines on religious grounds?
(Debbie Kaminer, Religion Unplugged)
A case of conflict between religious freedom and the protection of public health
(Linda Fregoli, DiReSom)
Doctor’s “Ask” (Canada and COVID)
(James Christie, G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)
Sitting on billions, Catholic dioceses amassed taxpayer aid
(Reese Dunklin and Michael Rezendes, Associated Press)
Pandemic demonstrates the value of Catholic education
(Colleen Hroncich, Real Clear Religion)
Funeral directors survive ‘surreal’ year with creativity and faith
(Elizabeth E. Evans, Religion News Service)
Penn lecture series explores race and religion
(Sophie Panzer, Jewish Exponent)
Wednesday, 3 February 2021
Church of Jesus Christ service project impacts prison in Canada
(Johanna Lewis, Cardus)
Pastoral Home Care of the Archdiocese of Montreal has great impact during pandemic
(Andrew Bennett, Cardus Religious Freedom Institute)
Americans more likely than others to have stronger faith amid pandemic
(John Burger, Aleteia)
Most Christians welcome the COVID-19 vaccines, but some are skeptical
(Bobby Ross Jr., Religion Unplugged)
Virginia governor protected by 11th Amendment in church's suit challenging COVID-19 orders
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Judge dismisses Virginia church’s lawsuit against governor over COVID-19 restrictions
(Michael Gryboski, The Christian Post)
Faith and the COVID-19 vaccine: ‘The scientific community has a storytelling problem’
(Julie Schonfield, Religion News Service)
Pope Francis dismisses uncertainty over upcoming Iraq trip
(Al-Monitor: Iraq Pulse)
Ash Wednesday: Different look, same message
(Carol Zimmermann, Union of Catholic Asian News)
Churches in LA’s working-class neighborhoods urge: ‘bring the vaccine to the people’
(Alejandra Molina, Religion News Service)
In Israel, haredi Orthodox Jews wield enormous political power. Could that change because of Covid?
(Sam Sokol, Jewish News of Northern California)
New COVID-19 legislation and guidance to 6 February 2021
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Volume 8 (2020): Issue 2-3 (Dec 2020): Special Issue: Religion, State and COVID 19 edited by Itzhak Brand
(Journal of Law, Religion and State)
Weekly highlight #141: COVID-19: Exploring Faith Dimensions - Faith communities worldwide balance concerns about rising cases with mixed hopes and fears about vaccine rollouts
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
Equitable COVID Vaccine Distribution and Access: Enforcing International Legal Obligations under Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights and the Right to Development
(Diane Desierto, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)
Coronavirus: Sri Lanka's forced cremations spark anger among Muslims
(Akanksha Saxena, Deutsche Welle)
Monday, 1 February 2021
Religion takes front seat in Africa's battle against second wave of COVID-19
(Tawanda Karombo, Religion Unplugged)
Nearly 3-in-10 Americans say COVID-19 pandemic has strengthened their faith: Pew
(Michael Gryboski, The Christian Post)
Some pastors fear their churches won't survive the pandemic: report
(The Christian Post)
Imbolc’s celebration of hearth and home resonates with Pagans in a pandemic year
(Emily McFarlan Miller, Religion News Service)
Another decision on California COVID limits on worship services
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Thousands join in Jerusalem funerals, flout pandemic rules
(Ilan Ben Zion, Associated Press)
Lat Am church weaves ‘seamless garment’ on COVID, abortion and migration
(Inés San Martín, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
The South Korean verdict on Chairman Lee: COVID-19 and religious liberty
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter)
Coronavirus hotspots: anger in South Korea as fringe church schools drop masks, put faith in God
(Park Chan-kyong, South China Morning Post)
Friday, 29 January 2021
South Africa: Freedom of Religion group tries to overturn ban on religious gatherings in court
(Cebelihle Bhengu, Times Lives)
America’s unique religious response to the COVID-19 pandemic
(Mya Jaradat, Deseret News | InDepth)
More Americans than people in other advanced economies say COVID-19 has strengthened religious faith
(Pew Research Center: Religion & Public Life)
Nearly a third of Americans say COVID-19 has strengthened their faith
(Mattie Townson, Religion Unplugged)
Annual World Watch List highlights scale of global persecution of Christians
(Religious Freedom Institute, Religious Freedom Institute Blog)
Vaccinations, outreach, and persecution: The latest on religion and COVID-19
(G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)
Church again asks Supreme Court to invalidate California COVID restrictions
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
CA churches return to SCOTUS
(Liberty Counsel)
U.S. Supreme Court declines to intervene in Nevada COVID restriction case, sends death row chaplain case back to lower court
(Don Byrd, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)
Connecticut expected to ease restrictions on religious services
(Associated Press, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
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