Law and Religion Headlines
Monday, 22 August 2022
Christian groups step up harassment of pagan festivals
(Heather Greene, Religion News Service)
The rise of antisemitism in Charlotte
(Jen Tota McGivney, Charlotte Magazine)
Patriarch Kirill calls nationalism a cancerous tumor that can affect entire nation
(Interfax-Religion)
Freedom of religion is a human right: The Russian aggression has created infinite havoc at sites of religious worship
(Zbigniew Rau, Times of Malta)
400 Ukrainian Baptist churches lost
(Dominic Pino, National Review)
Q&A: Why Catholic groups are focusing on mental health in Ukraine
(Helen Lock, Devex)
Plug-In: Why my old school district pulled 41 books from libraries – including the Bible
(Bobby Ross Jr., GetReligion)
Look at a United Methodist timeline: Why are conservatives going nuclear with lawsuits?
(Terry Mattingly, GetReligion)
Sex abuse in Africa: Church still being protected over victims
(Lucie Sarr, La Croix International)
How Guyanese Hindus are preserving their religion in South America
(Manmeet Sahni, Religion Unplugged)
South Africa’s faith groups counter rising xenophobic attacks on migrants
(Kim Lawton, Religion Unplugged)
Egypt’s Copts want changes to law after deadly church fire
(Jacky Habib, Al Jazeera)
Europe was born in pilgrimage
(Itxu Díaz, First Things)
Publication: Law and Religion in the Commonwealth: The Evolution of Case Law
(Renae Barker, Paul Babie, Neil Foster, Bloomsbury)
South Korea: Drop charges against first conscientious objector to refuse alternative service
(Amnesty International)
South Korea: Jehovah’s Witness member faces S. Korea trial over conscientious objection, military service refusal
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)
Nigeria: Gunmen kidnap Catholic nuns in Nigeria's Imo state
(AFP, Union of Catholic Asian News)
Pakistan: 10 killed, over 100 injured as mosque roof collapses in Khairpur
(Waseem Ali Soomro, AAJ TV)
Four new books available on different facets of the WCC Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace
(World Council of Churches)
ACLU abandons First Amendment in Colorado gay wedding web-hosting case
(Scott Shackford, Reason)
Only 24 Norwegian religious organisations received foreign money
(Christian Network Europe)
Belarus: Two years after power grab, Belarus ‘closes’ church on car park
(Christian Network Europe)
Christian political ethics are upside down
(David French, Dispatch: The French Press)
Aid to the Church in Need highlights plight of persecuted Christians
(Lydia O’Kane, Vatican News)
Japan government calls for officials to review ties with Unification Church
(Reuters)
Video: The Church of Social Justice: As traditional religions wane in Britain, Helen Lewis asks if political movements are taking their place.
(Helen Lewis, BBC News)
Young, Christian and gaining momentum: meet Britain’s anti-abortionists
(Rosie Kinchen, The Times)
Christians to take steps to combat climate emergency
(The Church of Scotland)
Law and religion round-up – 21st August
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
Canada: More dialogue needed to address religion-based violence, say faith groups
(CBC News)
Australian Anglicans split over same-sex marriage
(Kathryn Post, Episcopal News Service)
#86: Mtro. Adalberto Méndez López - La Pederastia Clerical: Instituciones Religiosas y los Estados
(Edgardo Sobenes, Hablemos de Derecho Internacional)
Friday, 19 August 2022
Condemn abuse of religion or belief as tool of discrimination and violence: UN experts and the Special Advisor of the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide
(Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations)
Guterres: World Humanitarian Day salutes ‘the best of humanity’
(United Nations)
Is religious freedom a marginalized human right? An interview with David Griffiths
(Religion & Diplomacy: A Resource of the Transatlantic Policy Network on Religion and Diplomacy)
Video: A conversation with Robert Joustra on Christian realism
(Religion & Diplomacy: A Resource of the Transatlantic Policy Network on Religion and Diplomacy)
Pakistan: High court warns police against harassing woman over ‘religious conversion’
(Dawn)
Pakistan: Punjab’s ruling party wants to ban Ahmadis from a whole district
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter)
Pakistan: “Blasphemous” Pakistani couple tell of their extraordinary escape from death row
(a, ADF International)
Nicaraguan police detain bishop, other priests in raid
(Gabriela Selser and Christopher Sherman, Associated Press)
Nigeria's Osun River: Sacred, revered and increasingly toxic
(Chinedu Asadu, Associated Press)
Nigeria: Faiths united to save Nigeria
(Samson Olasupo Adeniyi Ayokunle, Guardian.ng)
Judge limits privilege defense in AZ Mormon sex abuse case
(Michael Rezendes, Associated Press)
Church provides further details about the Arizona abuse case
(Newsroom: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
Afghanistan: Police: Death toll in Afghan capital mosque bombing now 21
(Rahim Faiez and Ebrahim Noroozi, Associated Press)
Climate protesters target the Vatican’s Laocoon statue
(Associated Press)
South Korea: Unification Church followers decry ‘biased’ Japanese media
(Kim Tong-Hyung, Associated Press)
Maine's COVID vaccine mandate, without religious exemption, is upheld
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Commission recommends changes in Australian state's anti-discrimination laws
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Australia: Law Reform Commission tramples on religious freedom
(Christian Schools Australia)
Christian high school asks appeals court to take up their loudspeaker prayer case in light of Kennedy, and other federal cases of note
(Don Byrd, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)
Texas school district removes Bible and Anne Frank adaptation in back-to-school sweep
(Amanda Holpuch, The New York Times)
Why this Christian lawmaker has to unblock his atheist constituents on Twitter
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)
An interfaith discussion on the role of religion in mental health
(Emily Costello and Thalia Plata, The Conversation)
Uvalde shooting survivors receive scholarships to attend local Catholic school
(Riley Farrell, Religion News Service)
When will their churches condemn the Christian nationalism of MAGA politicians?
(David Dark, Religion News Service)
Second attack on Gandhi statue will be investigated as a hate crime, NYPD says
(Richa Karmarkar, Religion News Service)
Peru’s bishops call for ‘urgent and creative solution’ to nation’s crisis
(Barbara Fraser, Catholic News Service)
Kenyan bishops urge calm as presidential election dispute emerges
(Fredrick Nzwili, Catholic News Service)
Ukraine cannot guarantee the safety of Hasidic pilgrims, - ambassador Korniychuk
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Kazakhstan: "This is not a state campaign against the Church"?
(Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service)
Religious schools haven't yet sought public funding in Maine after Supreme Court decision
(Robbie Feinberg, Maine Public)
ProPublica punts when digging into why the Family Research Council calls itself a church
(Julia Duin, GetReligion)
The universal application of laws is never equal: Antisemitism in U.S. law
(Mia Brett, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
India: Bilkis Bano condemns release of her convicted rapists in India
(Al Jazeera)
India: Religious liberty under threat as India celebrates 75th anniversary
(Raymond J. de Souza, National Post)
Russian Orthodox priest’s defamation suit can proceed, federal court rules
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)
China: State-backed Chinese Catholic gathering begins
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Ex-Swedish FM says Quran burning a crime, should be stopped
(International Quran News Agency (IQNA))
Salman Rushdie and the transnational repression of religious freedom
(Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission)
Explainer: USDA allows religious schools to receive lunch funding without violating their beliefs
(Hannah Daniel, Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission)
WCC expresses dismay at attack on St Andrew’s Anglican Church in Ramallah
(World Council of Churches)
Liberia: President Weah leads nation in mourning Archbishop Zeigler
(Arnold Neliba, Catholic Information Service for Africa)
Germany: Iranian Christian convert’s case reveals flaws in Germany’s asylum process
(Article 18)
Pakistan – Germany: Two Ahmadis at risk of being deported from Germany
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
A school year with more religious liberty than ever before
(Ethan Tong and Jorge Gomez, First Liberty)
Religious hospitals forced to violate their conscience?
(Jorge Gomez, First Liberty)
U.S. Senate considering two bills that could harm religious liberty
(Ethan Tong, First Liberty)
Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) to publish final report on October 20
(The Church of England)
UK: Removal of bells from a closed church
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Iran’s brazen propaganda ploy to incriminate Baha’is through fake videos and hate speech
(Bahá’í International Community)
The compendium of world condemnations of antisemitic UN investigator Miloon Kothari
(UN Watch)
Is this Russian rabbi fair game for sanctions, or being held to a double standard?
(Louis Keene, Forward)
El putinismo parte a la Iglesia ortodoxa
(El Mundo)
Finnish ex-minister: Christian ethics is getting criminalised
(Christian Network Europe)
Fire chaplain sues city of Austin for firing him for sharing religious view on personal blog
(Alliance Defending Freedom)
Suit alleges Catholic schools discriminate against disabled
(Associated Press)
Book review: The Fate of Abraham: Why the West is wrong about Islam by Peter Oborne
(Philip Lewis, Church Times)
Thursday, 18 August 2022
WEBINAR, 18 August 2022 (2PM ET): The Fear of "The Great Replacement" and Impact on Society
(Religions for Peace USA)
Wednesday, 17 August 2022
Somalia: Catholic bishop hopes meeting with Somalia authorities will yield to religious freedom
(Agnes Aineah, ACI Africa)
Afghanistan: Bombing at Kabul mosque kills 10, including prominent cleric
(Rahim Faiez, Associated Press)
Afghanistan: Taliban add more compulsory religion classes to Afghan universities
(Agence France-Presse, Jordan News)
Afghanistan: We've abandoned Afghanistan's religious minorities
(Sean Nelson, Newsweek)
Iran’s long list of hated enemies—including Salman Rushdie and Christian believers
(Lela Gilbert, Hudson Institute)
Lebanon: Attack on Rushdie shows divisions among Lebanese Shiites
(Bassem Mroue, Associated Press)
Bangladesh PM tells UN that Myanmar must take Rohingya back
(Julhas Alam, Associated Press)
Iraqi PM calls meeting of senior politicians to end crisis
(Qassim Abdul-Zahra, Associated Press)
Nepal's holy Bagmati River choked with black sewage, trash
(Binaj Gurubacharya, Associated Press)
River chief imprisoned for fishing fights for sacred rights
(Deepa Bharath, Associated Press)
California appeals court rejects COVID-19 fines for church
(Associated Press)
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