Law and Religion Headlines

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Monday, 9 January 2023

French Council of State rejects pro-euthanasia requests
(Christian Network Europe)

COVID-19 ravaged worship attendance, but affiliation steady, study finds
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)

Churchgoing and belief in God stand at historic lows, despite a megachurch surge
(Daniel de Visé, The Hill)

A look inside New York’s swirling kaleidoscope of faiths
(The New York Times)

New York is violating photographer’s free speech
(Alliance Defending Freedom)

The war on Christmas is winning: The holiday is becoming a less religious occasion for millions of Americans.
(David A. Graham, The Atlantic)

Around the web - 9 January 2023
(Law and Religion Forum, St. John's Law School Center for Law & Religion)

Newsletter: Chairman’s report for January 6, 2023
(Claire Marlowe, Religious Freedom Coalition)

Refugees and religious freedom: Why religious freedom matters for asylum seekers and refugees
(Kareem P. A. McDonald, International Journal for Religious Freedom (IJRF))

How Pope Benedict XVI stood up for Chinese Catholics
(Nina Shea, Hudson Institute)

Pope Benedict’s dialogue with the secular in a culture in crisis
(Jacob Phillips, London School of Economics Religion and Global Society Blog)

Indian inter-faith leaders slam attacks on tribal Christians
(Bijay Kumar Minj)

India: Religious conversion serious issue, don't make it political: Supreme Court
(India News)

Religion Watch, Volume 38 No. 2
(Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion)

Church Reporter, Vol. 7/12, 29 December 2022 - Newsletter for the English speaking members and friends of the Church Law Society
(Jiří Rajmund Tretera and Záboj Horák, eds., Church Law Society Prague – Brno – Olomouc – Stříbro – České Budějovice)

Cyprus’ new archbishop enthroned, no Russian clerics attend
(Menelaos Hadjicostis, Associated Press)

Articles of interest - 9 January 2023
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Liechtenstein prelate cancels parliamentary Mass over gay marriage bill
(Elise Ann Allen, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

As Benin votes, bishops urge ‘transparent, democratic’ process
(Ngala Killian Chimtom, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

Is America a Christian nation? Yes and no.
(Justin Dyer, The Washington Post)

Ukraine: The state will no longer grant its property to churches for long-term use, - Ministry of Culture
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))

Russia finds "satanism" in the suspension of citizenship of UOC-MP priests
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))

After the onset of Russia's aggression, more than 700 parishes have joined the OCU
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))

Minorities and religious attire in Europe: The data of The Atlas of Religious or Belief Minority Rights
(Silvio Ferrari, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)

What counts as converting to Islam? KS (Thailand)
(Elijah Z Granet, Law & Religion UK)

Law and religion round-up – 8th January
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)

‘No peace without religious freedom,’ says Pope
(Aid to the Church in Need)

Pope says Ukraine war ‘a crime against humanity’ in annual speech
(Al Jazeera)

Philippine court acquits religious sisters of perjury charges
(Union of Catholic Asian News)

Jordan: King Abdullah featured next to Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque in new Jordan banknote
(The New Arab)

Korean churches urge peaceful means to overcome current crisis on the Korean Peninsula
(World Council of Churches)

Significantly more conscientious objectors for German army
(Christian Network Europe)

Evangelical church in Spain banned from worship services in its building
(Christian Network Europe)

No longer content with right to opt out, conservative Christians asking courts to eliminate rights for others — and they’re winning
(Elizabeth Reiner Platt, Religion Dispatches)

VA sets rules for employees to opt out of providing abortions over religious objections
(Rebecca Kheel, Military.com)

Religious institutions update: January 2023
(Nathan A. Adams IV, Holland & Knight)

The SEAS comment on desecration at Mt. Zion Holy Site
(Twitter, Deborah E. Lipstadt)

Meeting between heads of Muslim World League, Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and International Islamic Fiqh Academy
(Twitter, Muslim World League)

How faith can inspire environmental action
(Christopher Ives, The Conversation)

Brazil: CNBB condemns criminal attacks on the democratic rule of law, asks for containment and responsibility in the strict law (Portuguese)
(Igreja Católica Apostólica Romana)

Brazil: Law creates national day of traditions (Portuguese)
(Redação, Migalhas)

Idaho, South Carolina courts diverge on abortion access
(Adam Lidgett, Law360)

Saturday, 7 January 2023

Top Iranian Sunni cleric says torture of protesters un-Islamic
(Reuters)

Iranian Sunni cleric says rights of Baha'is, other minorities must be respected
(Iran Wire)

Iran: There is nothing moral about the moral police
(Ani Zonneveld, FoRB Women’s Alliance)

Iran's Khamenei strikes conciliatory message on hijab
(Arash Karami, Al-Monitor)

Trinidad and Tobago: Maha Sabha head: President does not have to be a Hindu
(Corey Connelly, Trinidad and Tobago Newsday)

Statement by President Joe Biden on Orthodox Christmas
(The White House)

Biden visits Vatican embassy to pay respects to Benedict XVI
(Zeke Miller, Associated Press)

Are your DE&I efforts missing this one critical component? Faith.
(Denise Lee Yohn, SHRM Executive Network (EN))

Court rules Meriden, CT’s zoning regulations discriminatory
(Evan Seeman, RLUIPA Defense Blog)

Faith leaders call for Putin to extend Christmas truce into a permanent cease-fire
(Kathryn Post, Religion News Service)

Fighting never stopped as Russia’s Orthodox Christmas ceasefire ends
(France 24)

Ukrainians celebrate Orthodox Christmas in reclaimed church
(Hanna Arhirova, Associated Press)

Ukraine reclaims Kyiv cathedral amid church dispute
(Associated Press)

SBU found propaganda leaflets of Medvedchuk's Association, Russian "tricolors", and former occupiers in the dioceses of the UOC-MP
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))

Christian persecution to worsen in Asia in 2023
(Union of Catholic Asian News)

Photos of the week: Benedict death; Epiphany; Orthodox Christmas
(Kit Doyle, Religion News Service)

"Ministerial exception" doctrine applies to claims by kosher wine supervisor
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Vaccine mandate without religious exemption is upheld
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Oman, once thought to be next Abraham Accords signer, criminalizes relations with Israel
(David I. Klein, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Overwhelming majority in Arab states want democracy but reject recognition of Israel
(Jotam Confino, Jewish News)

Why Israel’s new right-wing leaders immediately made plastic plates inexpensive again
(Deborah Danan, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Why a visit by Israel’s national security minister to Al-Aqsa Mosque caused a firestorm
(Daoud Kuttab, Religion News Service)

Why a group of Christians is fighting the growing threat of Christian nationalism
(Vera Bergengruen, Time)

Who are the Christian nationalists? A taxonomy for the post-Jan. 6 world
(Bob Smietana, Religion News Service)

U.S. Bishops’ Migration Chairman dismayed by continued reliance on harmful policies over humane solutions
(United States Conference of Catholic Bishops)

Cameroon prelate warns of violence if cost of living, corruption aren’t contained
(Ngala Killian Chimtom, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

This year, we must truly defend freedom of religion, conscience and belief
(Sam Brownback and Katrina Lantos Swett, The Hill)

Belarus: Greek Catholic website among religious works banned as "extremist"
(Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service)

King Charles' first Christmas speech - text in full
(BBC News)

Book review of Among the Mosques: A Journey Across Muslim Britain: Getting perspective on British Islam
(Emina Melonic, Law & Liberty)

The politics of Epiphany
(Matthew Kuchem, Public Discourse: The Journal of the Witherspoon Institute)

Global religious dialogues discuss global peacemaking
(Shyamal Sinha, The European Times)

Australia: Catholic political leaders: does their faith matter?
(John Warhurst, La Croix International)

Prison art from China's Ming dynasty reflects a restriction of religious freedom
(Jillian Cheney, Religion Unplugged)

In letters to Colombian president and peace commissioner, WCC offers solidarity and support to peacebuilding process
(World Council of Churches)

First Liberty files briefs supporting parental rights and religious freedom
(First Liberty)

In the news: Breaking religious freedom stories across the country - 6 January 2023
(First Liberty)

Somalia’s President calls on young al-Shabab fighters to surrender
(Mohamed Dhaysane, VOA)

Reaction to the harassment of a priest following his sermon dissenting from gender ideology (Spanish)
(Twitter, Ricardo Chamorro)

Friday, 6 January 2023

CALL FOR PAPERS, abstracts due by 6 January 2023: Global Semiotics and Everyday Legal Claims - Intercultural Use of Law, Interreligious Dialogue and Translation Ethics
(Pontificia Università Antonianum)

CALL FOR PAPERS, abstracts due 6 January 2023: The “global south” and liberal values in the historiography of human rights
(Cluster of Excellence “Contestations of the Liberal Script” (SCRIPTS))

Thursday, 5 January 2023

UN to hold emergency meeting on Israeli visit to holy site
(Edith M. Lederer, Associated Press)

Religion’s roles in peacebuilding: Religion and interfaith engagement in times of conflict and disaster
(Sharon Eubank, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)

Putin's call for Orthodox Christmas truce in Ukraine greeted with scepticism
(Pavel Polityuk and Herbert Villarraga, Reuters)

Resolution Roundtable "The religious factor and its use in modern hybrid war"
(Olga Mariyan, Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))

Churches and memory in Ukraine: A postsecular development
(Andriy Fert, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)

UN working to reduce tensions following Israel minister’s holy site visit
(United Nations)

Christian graves desecrated in historic Jerusalem cemetery
(Isabel Debre, Associated Press)

Meet Amichai Chikli, Israel’s new Diaspora minister, who opposes BDS and Reform Judaism
(Andrew Lapin, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Jewish Agency to Netanyahu: ‘Concern’ about Law of Return and religious status quo
(Jotam Confino, Jewish News)

Hamas calls on Arab, Muslim countries to save Al-Aqsa
(International Quran News Agency (IQNA))

WCC condemns desecration of historic Protestant cemetery in Jerusalem
(World Council of Churches)

3 reasons why 2023 is a tipping point for religious freedom for everyone
(Brian Grim, Religious Freedom & Business Foundation)

Survey: Religiously, Congress doesn’t reflect America
(Peter Smith, Associated Press)

94% of antisemitic hate crimes in New York were against Charedi or Orthodox Jews
(Daniel Ben-David, The Jewish Chronicle)

Antisemitic message projected on building in Florida
(Associated Press)

2023 predictions and trends
(Knox Thames)

Online course: Religions, Beliefs, and Human Rights: A “Faith for Rights” Approach
(Gandhi-King Global Academy, The United States Institute of Peace)

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