Law and Religion Headlines
Wednesday, 3 April 2024
The gigantic copper mine that could test the limits of religious freedom
(Taylar Dawn Stagner, Canada's National Observer)
CEC contributes to discussion on freedom of religion or belief
(Conference of European Churches)
Results of the 2023 Strasbourg Observers best & worst poll
(Strasbourg Observers)
Muslim leaders reject chance to break bread with Biden as anger over Gaza festers
(Zeke Miller and Chris Megerian, Associated Press)
Suit for misappropriating church funds not precluded by church autonomy doctrine
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Satanic Temple can move ahead with Establishment Clause challenge to its treatment by city council
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Oklahoma court considers whether to allow the US’ first publicly funded Catholic school
(Sean Murphy, Associated Press)
Rising numbers of Americans say Jews and Muslims face a lot of discrimination
(Becka A. Alper, Laura Silver and Besheer Mohamed, Pew Research Center)
Indian American lawmakers urge DOJ to address ‘alarming’ rise of Hindu temple vandalism
(Richa Karmarkar, Religion News Service)
Zelensky meets with representatives of Protestant and Roman Catholic churches
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
On religion: The role of faith and politics in the life of Sen. Joe Lieberman
(Terry Mattingly, Religion Unplugged)
Jewish leaders ask Congress to restore $30.5 million in security funds for nonprofit facilities
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)
Malaysian NGOs seek action against Islamic preachers
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
In the Strasbourg Club: Executief van de Moslims van België and others v Belgium
(Eva Brems, Strasbourg Observers)
Vietnam: Buddhist community hall destroyed and four Khmer Krom monks arrested in continued crackdown
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
Kellyanne Conway: Democrats are losing minority voters over their ‘attack’ on religion
(Filip Timotija, The Hill)
Inaugural meeting focuses on strengthening academic freedom and democracy in higher education
(Council of Europe)
Philippine court orders arrest of religious leader with ties to Duterte
(Reuters)
Towards “net zero”: a cautionary tale
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Uganda: Türk dismayed at ruling upholding discriminatory anti-gay law
(Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations)
In global trouble spots, the force of faith
(Christian Science Monitor)
Monday, 1 April 2024
EVENT for university students, April - July 2024: Statesmanship and religious freedom seminars (Iraq, UK, USA)
(Religious Freedom Institute)
Vietnam: On the convictions of Vietnamese ethnic minority and religious freedom advocates
(U.S. Department of State)
India: The intersection of Benedict Anderson’s “Imagined Communities” and Hindu Nationalism in India
(Sahil, London School of Economics Religion and Global Society Blog)
India’s Muslims: An increasingly marginalized population
(Lindsay Maizland, Council on Foreign Relations)
America can’t isolate the Taliban
(Asfandyar Mir and Andrew Watkins, Foreign Affairs)
Around the web - 1 April 2024
(Law and Religion Forum, St. John's Law School Center for Law & Religion)
The Russian Orthodox Church and inner-Orthodox relations
(Thomas Bremer, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)
The Russian Orthodox Church and the Holy See: 70 years of political ecumenism
(Pavlo Smytsnyuk, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)
How the Russian Orthodox Church preserves international sympathies for Russia’s war against Ukraine
(Regina Elsner, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)
A moralist international under arms? Russia’s role in the global culture wars, prior to and during its war with Ukraine
(Kristina Stoeckl, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)
Religious conservatism in war-time “culture wars”: Does the same stance on values represent an elective affinity with the geopolitical agenda of the Russian federation?
(Alar Kilp, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)
Orthodox Churches in the Baltic States torn between Moscow and Constantinople
(Sebastian Rimestad, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)
The Russian Orthodox Church as a tool for Kremlin influence in the Balkans
(Robert C. Blitt, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)
Calendars, prayerbooks, and chatgroups from the Russian-Ukrainian War
(Nadieszda Kizenko, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)
Statement of religious leaders regarding Russian attacks on the Ukrainian power grid
(Institute for Religious Freedom, Ukraine)
Russia: Religious persecution and issues – Bimonthly March 16-31
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
German military to get Islamic chaplaincy
(Christoph Strack, Deutsche Welle)
Cuba: 622 religious freedom violations recorded in 2023
(Evangelical Focus)
Cuba: LGBTQ-inclusive church in Cuba welcomes all in a country that once sent gay people to labor camps
(Luis Andres Henao, Associated Press)
Articles of interest - 1 April 2024
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Statement from President Joe Biden on Easter
(The White House)
Haiti: In crime-stricken Haiti, Catholic priests and nuns are targeted as kidnap victims
(Eduardo Campos Lima, Religion News Service)
New York’s governor is hiring her first Muslim Affairs director
(Fiona André, Religion News Service)
Pope’s ‘white flag’ ironically sparks political civil war in Italy
(John L. Allen Jr., Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Peru bishops call for dialogue amid presidential scandal
(Eduardo Campos Lima, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Officials condemn antisemitic and anti-Israel vandalism at 2 Philadelphia-area synagogues
(Andrew Lapin, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Islamophobia in France: Boar head found near mosque
(Jihane Rahhou, Morocco World News)
Boom in Muslim conversions to Christianity in France: How is the Church responding?
(Solène Tadié, National Catholic Register)
Law and religion roundup – 31st March
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
2024 Dialogue 360 Programme
(KAICIID Dialogue Centre)
Iran: Religious persecution and issues – Monthly Digest March
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Iran: “The boot on my neck”: Iranian authorities’ crime of persecution against Baha’is in Iran
(Human Rights Watch)
What is gender equality?
(G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)
Religious freedom, copyright royalties, and court review of agency determinations
(Thomas Berg, Mirror of Justice Blog)
China: Religious persecution and issues – Bimonthly digest March 16-31
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
What role do Churches have in modern society?: 'there is a way out of the darkness'
(YouTube Video, GBNews)
Brazil: Congressman sues Public Ministry against MTST for religious intolerance (Portuguese)
(Ana Carolina Curvello, Gazeta do Povo)
The politics of religion as Trump sells Bibles and Biden is criticized over Easter eggs
(Zachary B. Wolf, CNN)
JK Rowling in ‘arrest me’ challenge over hate crime law
(James Cook and Paul Hastie, BBC News)
Sunday, 31 March 2024
CALLS FOR PAPERS, proposals due 31 March 2024: From Protection to Coercion: the Limits of Positive Obligations in Human Rights Law
(Faculty of Law, Lund University)
Navigating faith and duty during a wartime Easter
(Steve Moore, G20 Interfaith Forum)
Friday, 29 March 2024
Series: The Russian Orthodox Church beyond Russia: Global pretensions and security concerns
(Thomas Bremer, Pavlo Smytsnyuk, Regina Elsner, Kristina Stoeckl, Alar Kilp, Sebastian Rimestad, Robert C. Blitt, and Nadieszda Kizenko, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)
Russia imposes personal sanctions against bishops of the UGCC in Canada
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
ESSAY CONTEST (for high school juniors and seniors), deadline 29 March 2024: Witnesses to Freedom
(United States Conference of Catholic Bishops)
Pakistan: Any ban on enrolling non-Muslim, Ahmadi lawyers is unconstitutional: Pakistan Bar Council
(The Friday Times)
Israeli court halts subsidies for ultra-Orthodox, deepening turmoil over mandatory military service
(Associated Press)
The Making of the Modern Muslim State: Islam and Governance in the Middle East and North Africa
(Malika Zeghal, Princeton University Press)
French soccer federation limits support for players’ Ramadan observance. Critics see discrimination
(Samuel Petrequin, Associated Press)
Oregon city can’t limit church’s homeless meal services, federal judge rules
(Associated Press)
The US can do more to protect religious freedom around the world
(Jeffrey Cimmino, Atlantic Council)
Rutgers joins growing list of schools under GOP House investigation for antisemitism
(Andrew Lapin, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
First Amendment precludes court from enforcing mahr in divorce action
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
West Virginia Governor vetoes vaccine mandate opt-out for parochial schools
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Tennessee passes law banning religious and ideological discrimination by banks and insurance companies
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
District Court enters final order in wedding website designer case
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Efforts being made to recognize Sikh Community in Europe
(The European Times)
Germany to include questions about Israel in citizenship test, says minister
(Le Monde with AFP)
Planned monument to Muslim British soldiers ignites wider political debate
(Joseph Hammond, Religion Unplugged)
Korea Easter prayer envisions “a daily life of peace”
(World Council of Churches)
Hong Kong security law endangers religious freedom
(Andrea Picciotti-Bayer, Newsweek)
Indonesia: 5 facts about Muslims and Christians in Indonesia
(Pew Research Center)
Vietnam: Khmer-Krom Buddhist monk arrested, charged and removed from office in southern Vietnam
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
Nigeria: Tinubu has called on religious leaders to refrain from denigrating the nation in their sermons
(Nigerian Television Authority)
Ecclesiastical court judgments – March
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Nicaragua: 11 Nicaraguan pastors and ministry leaders convicted in sham trial; ADF International takes case to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
(ADF International)
Argentina: Pope sends message about violence in Rosario, Argentina
(Eduardo Campos Lima, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Promoting peace and stability in the Americas through religious freedom
(Knox Thames, The United States Institute of Peace)
Wednesday, 27 March 2024
Justice Department seeks court order to stop California Department of Corrections from requiring correctional officers to violate religious beliefs
(U.S. Department of Justice)
Russia, Jehovah’s Witness Tatyana Piskareva, 67, sentenced to 2 years and 6 months of forced labor
(Willy Fautré, The European Times)
Russian forces close more Catholic churches in Ukraine
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Russia: Islamic State: From religiously motivated hatred of ‘infidels’ to terrorism
(Willy Fautré, Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Russian militants sealed UGCC churches in Donetsk
(Institute for Religious Freedom, Ukraine)
Sri Lanka beefs up security at churches ahead of Good Friday
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
As Easter approaches, Christian persecution is on the rise
(Anthony D. Andreassi, Newsweek)
EVENT, 27 March 2024 (6PM EDT): Tanenbaum Film Screening: Long Line of Ladies (New York, NY, USA)
(Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding)
VIRTUAL EVENT, 27 March 2024 (9:30AM ET): Harmony in Diversity | Episode 1 "Catholicism"
(Nicola Speranza, European Union and United Nations Offices of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
The Language Games of Canon Law: Strategic Ambiguity Between Law and Religion
(Judith Hahn, Oxford Journal of Law and Religion)
The regional government of Catalonia imposes a heavy fine for criticism of Islam
(Counting Stars)
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