Law and Religion Headlines

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Friday, 7 January 2022

Ministerial exception does not apply to Liberty University art teacher
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Biden resubmits Lipstadt's nomination as Special Envoy to Monitor Antisemitism
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Russia: Putin notes moral significance of Christmas
(Interfax-Religion)

Russia: Monopoly in religion grows into cartel conspiracy
(The European Times)

Online conference reaches out across borders to promote human rights
(European Times)

Reformed Church in America splits as conservative churches form new denomination
(Kathryn Post, Religion News Service)

Black faith and the Black radical tradition (plus six responses)
(Oluwatomisin Oredein, Earle J. Fisher, Stefan Wheelock, Phillip Luke Sinitiere, Julia Robinson Moore and Timothy Rainey II, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)

India: Missionaries of Charity evicted from property in northern India
(Nirmala Carvalho, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

India: The Ganges – river of life, religion and waste
(Stuart Butler, Geographical)

India: Hindu nationalists are disrupting Muslim prayers in India 
(Aafreen Khan, Religion Unplugged)

India: I was put up for ‘auction’ by Hindu extremists in India
(Amina Kausar, Religion News Service)

Annual March for Life still on this year in Washington
(Kurt Jensen, Catholic News Service)

What does the military owe to religious objectors to vaccine mandates?
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)

Kazakhstan’s Jews, who ‘steer clear’ of politics, are sitting out their country’s bloody unrest
(Cnaan Liphshiz, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Belarusian dictator alarmed by religious dimension of Kazakh crisis
(Interfax-Religiia, Russia Religion News (Stetson University))

Afghans fear for their rights as Taliban resurrects religious policing
(Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty)

No optimism, much hope
(George Weigel, First Things)

In Brooklyn, a Jewish group tries a face-to-face approach to fighting antisemitism
(Julia Gergely, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Was Jesus a leftist or a rightist? The Vatican is battling to keep politics out of religion, and religion out of politics.
(Jacopo Barigazzi, Politico)

New podcast: Are the bitter wars over the Latin Mass about politics or Catholic doctrine?
(Terry Mattingly, GetReligion)

Polish Church in devastating decline, says Catholic Primate
(La Croix International)

Poland’s envoy for Jews says its Holocaust law is ‘stupid’
(Michael Daventry, Jewish News)

Anti-drug GOP senator helps psychedelic church with fight against DEA and IRS
(Kyle Jaeger, Marijuana Moment)

Canada approved reparations – the US can be next
(Christopher Rhodes, Al Jazeera)

Is Israel’s Jewish character in peril?
(Rachel Avraham, Israel Today)

Australia: Novak Djokovic thanks supporters as he celebrates religious holiday in Melbourne hotel
(Ryan Gaydos, Fox News)

Will US bishops find their voice and defend democracy?
(Michael Sean Winters, National Catholic Reporter)

Caritas Bolivia increases service to migrants at the borders
(La Croix International)

Sri Lanka: Overcoming hurt and hatred through dialogue
(KAICIID Dialogue Centre)

"All-Ukrainian Council" calls for all-Ukrainian prayer for protection from war
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))

In 2021, religion was not very important to most Americans
(Anne Stych, Religion Unplugged)

Singapore minister meets pope to reaffirm bilateral ties
(Union of Catholic Asian News)

Thai authorities harass young Muslim activist
(Union of Catholic Asian News)

Two weeks in review, 20 December 2021 – 2 January 2022
(Gail Lythgoe, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)

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

Wednesday, 5 January 2022

Federal Court enters consent decree ordering City of Horn Lake to approve plans for local mosque in federal anti-Muslim bias litigation
(American Civil Liberties Union)

Judge orders Mississippi city to allow mosque construction
(Associated Press)

Court delivers win to military members denied religious exemptions from Pentagon vaccine mandate
(Sarah Parshall Perry, The Heritage Foundation)

Federal Court grants injunction for Navy SEALs challenging DoD vaccine mandate
(First Liberty)

Violence isn’t the only way Christian nationalism endangers democracy
(Samuel L. Perry, Religion News Service)

On Ukraine-Russia border, Evangelicals endure as invasion looms
(Jayson Casper, Christianity Today)

VIRTUAL EVENT, 5 January 2022 (3PM EST): First Five Now: Are we a Christian nation?
(Asma Uddin and Jim Eaton, Freedom Forum Institute)

WEBINAR, 5 January 2022 (12PM EST): Institutional Religious Freedom: Exploring Contemporary Policy Challenges
(Religious Freedom Institute and The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law)

Weekly Highlight #187: COVID-19: Exploring faith dimensions: COVID-19 pall of uncertainty as 2022 begins
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)

RFBF to host Silicon Valley business breakfast on faith and allyship
(Religious Freedom & Business Foundation)

75 years of separation: New programs will mark AU’s milestone anniversary
(Rachel Laser, Americans United for Separation of Church and State)

Religion during the Russian Ukrainian conflict
(Journal of Contemporary Religion)

Iran: Nine Iranian Christians released from jail
(Ben Zion Gad, The Jerusalem Post)

BSA bankruptcy plan misses mark in vote by abuse claimants
(Randall Chase, Associated Press)

Hate crime investigation sought into Iowa mosque vandalism
(Associated Press)

Saudi Arabia: Top conservative Saudi cleric who once headed judiciary dies
(Aya Batrawy and Abdullah Al-Shihri, Associated Press)

Spain: A surge of evangelicals in Spain, fueled by Latin Americans
(Alberto Arce, Associated Press)

Israel: "Christians are a gift for Israel," says country's president
(Félicien Rondel, La Croix International)

Israel: Future of prayer site in doubt under Israel’s fragile govt
(Tia Goldenberg, Associated Press)

Maneuvering continues in challenge to Texas heartbeat abortion law
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

11th Circuit: Punitive damages for non-physical injuries are available to inmate under RLUIPA
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Public school districts challenge expansion of Ohio's voucher program
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

100 public schools are suing Ohio, saying EdChoice voucher programs are unconstitutional
(Anna Staver, The Columbus Dispatch)

2021: The year in religious liberty
(Don Byrd, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)

Rabbi wounded in synagogue shooting sentenced for fraud
(Associated Press)

Iraqi Catholic leader warns against extremists exploiting religion
(Inés San Martín, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

Chile: Proposals protecting religious freedom presented to Chile’s constitutional assembly
(Inés San Martín, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

Interfaith Worker Justice closes, to give resources to Georgetown arm
(Mark Pattison, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

In Germany and Austria, a movement of grandmothers is taking on the far right
(Joe Baur, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Singapore: A new museum tells the story of Singapore’s Jews, starting with their Baghdad roots
(Jordyn Haime, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Canada: Quebec's secularism law is discriminatory: Antisemitism envoy Irwin Cotler
(Marie Woolf, National Observer)

Canada: Quebec shutters houses of worship in response to Omicron variant
(David Lazarus, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Canada summer jobs 2022
(Canadian Centre for Christian Charities)

Churches target new members, with help from big data
(Khadeeja Safdar, The Wall Street Journal)

Kazakhstan: Legal changes increase obstacles for holding religious events
(Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service)

Despite San Francisco Chronicle sermon, parents oppose teachers hiding LGBTQ evangelism
(Julia Duin, GetReligion)

West Africa highlighted as hotspot for persecution of Christians in 2022 by Release International
(Peter Kenny, Ecumenical News)

UK: Merry Christmas, from a Muslim
(Nasser Hussain, First Things)

UK: British rabbi ends his regular contributions to the BBC, saying no Jew ‘who has any pride’ can work there
(Cnaan Liphshiz, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

UK: Board will go to Ofcom if BBC fails to apologise for antisemitic bus attack coverage
(Lee Harpin, Jewish News)

Christians have a role To play in defending U.S. democracy: An interview with the Rev. Adam Russell Taylor
(Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons, Center for American Progress)

India: 'Dharam Sansad' for liberating temples from govt control
(Deccan Herald)

India: Church of Pakistan condemns Hindu extremist violence against Christians in India
(International Christian Concern)

Sri Lanka: International quiz competition on Buddhism and Buddhist heritage
(Shyamal Sinha, The European Times)

Mozambique: Religious representatives in Cabo Delgado warn of a humanitarian crisis
(Agenzia Fides)

Nepal: Volatile mix of politics and religion
(Nepali Times)

Guinea: Cardinal Sarah blasts Guinea's military junta
(Lucie Sarr, La Croix International)

Senegal: African clerics denounce scandalous refusal of burial
(Charles Senghor, La Croix International)

Turkey: Uighurs in Turkey file criminal case against Chinese officials
(Al Jazeera)

China: Xiamen Christian school raided and fined over $15,000
(Yu Bing, China Aid)

China: Xi Jinping’s sinicization, the new Cultural Revolution dear to Mao Zedong
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

China: Human rights abuses will taint the Olympics and the World Cup. It’s time to end ‘sportswashing’ now.
(Minky Worden, Human Rights Watch)

Ukraine introduces large fines for indicating gender or religious beliefs in vacancies
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))

Thailand's Muslim insurgents mark new year with attacks
(Union of Catholic Asian News)

Biden’s 11th Circuit judicial nominee is ‘radical activist,’ Family Research Council says
(Mark Kellner, The Washington Times)

Latin America: Interfaith action and the Venezuelan refugee crisis
(Elias Szczytnicki, G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)

Finnish bishop and politician face trial for LGBT statements
(Ken Chitwood, Christianity Today)

Tuesday, 4 January 2022

Pew Research Center Study: Percentage of U.S. population that identifies as Christian continues to drop
(Anne Stych, MInistryWatch)

Monday, 3 January 2022

Russian court liquidates historical research and human rights group “Memorial”
(Forum for Religious Freedom-Europe)

Russian court shuts renowned rights group
(Dasha Litvinova, Associated Press)

Russia: Freedom of religion or belief : Special Bimonthly FORB Digest (16–30.12.2021)
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

NASA used religious experts to predict how humans may react to aliens
(Brooke Migdon, The Hill)

Perspective: A firewall sprang up around religious liberty during the pandemic, and it held
(Robin Fretwell Wilson, Deseret News)

South Africa: ‘Moral compass’: Requiem for South Africa’s Archbishop Tutu
(Andrew Meldrum, Associated Press)

South Africa: Desmond Tutu will 'leave an indelible legacy'
(Africa South Area, Newsroom: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)

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