Law and Religion Headlines
Wednesday, 29 December 2021
Revisiting 2021’s top religion stories
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)
Pakistan revamps education at the point of a gun
(James M. Dorsey, Modern Diplomacy)
Jan. 8 Florida religious event seeks to spark nationwide revival, organizers say
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)
Pakistan: Celebrating Christmas in Muslim-majority Pakistan
(Cynthia Sohail, Union of Catholic Asian News)
Ukraine: Architectural restoration: Blueprint for Orthodox-Catholic harmony?
(Andrew Sorokowski, Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Denmark: A former Danish Minister for Immigration is sentenced: A new chapter in the Danish ‘migrants saga’
(Jacques Hartmann, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)
UK: Call to protect minority faith women and girls
(Ellen Teague, The Tablet)
Tuesday, 28 December 2021
1st U.S. gay bishop remembers Tutu’s generosity, kindness
(Holly Ramer, Associated Press)
What does it mean to say Jesus was a refugee?
(Shira Telushkin, Religion & Politics: Fit for Polite Company)
Desmond Tutu, anti-apartheid cleric, dies At 90: How religious and world leaders remembered him
(Clemente Lisi, Religion Unplugged)
Bishop Tutu, God & democracy
(Mark Tooley, Juicy Ecumenism, Institute on Religion and Democracy)
US Catholic clergy shortage eased by recruits from Africa
(Kwasi Gyamfi Asiedu, Associated Press)
In abortion rights debate, Biden doesn’t often use the word
(Colleen Long and Zeke Miller, Associated Press)
Men are at war with God
(Mary Eberstadt, First Things)
Tom Gutherz: Rabbi fighting the Far Right
(Arno Rosenfeld, Forward)
UK UNCLOS inquiry: Is UNCLOS fit for protecting human rights at sea? A comment
(Elizabeth Mavropoulou, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)
Plug-In: Best religion-news writing of 2021, as volunteered by scribes coast to coast
(Bobby Ross Jr., GetReligion)
UK: The Guardian view on the Queen’s jubilee: time to face change
(The Guardian)
Australia: Coalition’s religious discrimination bill sends ‘dangerous signal’, Muslim groups say
(Daniel Hurst, The Guardian)
UAE issues first civil marriage licence for non-Muslim couple
(Al Jazeera)
India: Dalits who converted to Buddhism oppose Bill
(Sathish G.T., The Hindu)
India: 'Obsession with religious identity leaves me cold': Remembering Indo-Fijian historian Brij Lal
(Mary-Rose Abraham and Gayathri Vaidyanathan, The Wire)
India blocks foreign funds for Mother Teresa’s charity
(Krutika Pathi, Associated Press)
Christmas arrives in Saudi Arabia as kingdom plays catch-up in religious soft power rivalry
(James M. Dorsey, Modern Diplomacy)
Vietnam: Grappling with ethnoreligious politics and positionalities in Vietnam
(Seb Rumsby, London School of Economics Religion and Global Society Blog)
Vietnamese police arrest followers of religious group during founder’s funeral
(Radio Free Asia)
Middle East: Faith, not numbers is future of Christians in the Middle East
(La Croix International)
Iraqi Christians worship at a church in Baghdad in the run-up to #Christmas
(Twitter, Government of Iraq)
Iran Christian prisoners get rare 10-day holiday leave
(AFP, Union of Catholic Asian News)
Myanmar: Prayer mount in Chin State seized by the junta
(International Christian Concern)
Myanmar Coup: Military regime seeks to weaponize religion
(Billy Ford and Zarchi Oo, The United States Institute of Peace)
UK: She’s behind you! Debut Muslim panto sweeps Britain
(Sarah Glubb, Arab News)
Syria: Kurdish leaders say poverty ‘biggest threat’ as it drives Syrians into arms of Islamic State
(Amberin Zaman, Al-Monitor)
Japan: First female Bishop in Japan and South East Asia elected
(Anglican communion News Service)
Zambia: Increase in monetary policy rate may worsen living conditions, cautions JCTR
(Cisa News Africa)
UK: A year in rights: 2021
(Hannah Shewan Stevens, Each Other)
Russia is playing with fire in the Balkans
(Ivana Stradner, Foreign Affairs)
Pakistan: How Islamist fundamentalists get away with murder in Pakistan
(Kunwar Khuldune Shahid, Foreign Policy)
Ireland: Still no room at the inn (not a welcoming environment for Jews)
(Lawrence A. Franklin, Gatestone Institute)
Abortion, vaccines and religious freedom: Top health law decisions of 2021
(Brendan Pierson, Reuters)
IRD’s Top 10 in 2021
(Jeffrey Walton, Juicy Ecumenism, Institute on Religion and Democracy)
Turkey report details human rights violations
(International Christian Concern)
The power of belief in conspiracy theories
(Susannah Crockford, The University of Chicago Divinity School)
Nigeria: Involve men in preventing gender-based violence, women church leaders in Nigeria recommend
(World Council of Churches)
Nigerian churches train women and girls on human rights
(Fredrick Nzwili, World Council of Churches)
Interfaith heroes: Exploring the Elijah Interfaith track at the 2021 Parliament
(Parliament of the World's Religions)
Statement on European Union proposal to require deforestation-free products
(Parliament of the World's Religions)
Parliament trustee named head of ISNA’s Office for Interfaith, Community Alliances, and Government Relations
(Parliament of the World's Religions)
South Sudanese Church leaders praise prosecution of oil executives
(Ngala Killian Chimtom, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Argentina: Evangelicals a rising force inside Argentine prisons
(German De Los Santos and Rodrigo Abd, Associated Press)
Religious volunteers at border losing faith in U.S. politicians
(John Salazar, Spectrum News 1)
Pakistan: Islam does not allow insulting any religion: Pakistani PM’s representative
(AhlulBayt News Agency)
Banning helping the homeless is the latest religious liberty violation
(John Burger, Aleteia)
Germany: The quiet revolution of German Catholics
(Youna Rivallain, La Croix International)
Down to the buzzer, religious colleges score with NCAA
(Patrick Reilly, The Cardinal Newman Society)
Nicaragua seizes former Taiwan embassy to give it to China
(Associated Press)
Articles of interest - 27 December 2021
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Indonesia: Remembering an Indonesian Muslim's Christmas sacrifice
(Siktus Harson, Union of Catholic Asian News)
Indonesia: Nusantara Islam: Seeking a new balance in the Muslim world
(Rumadi Ahmad, Hudson Institute)
Monday, 27 December 2021
Top 10 religious liberty and church-state developments of 2021
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
New podcast: Top Godbeat story of 2021? Look for Jan. 6 religion hooks (#DUH)
(Terry Mattingly, GetReligion)
AU's Top 10 of 2021
(Americans United for Separation of Church and State)
CAIR releases 2021 end-of-year publication marking highlights in Maryland
(Council on American-Islamic Relations)
Cape Town bells to toll in honor of Archbishop Desmond Tutu
(Andrew Meldrum, Associated Press)
UN chief calls Desmond Tutu ‘an inspiration to generations’
(Associated Press)
Desmond Tutu, anti-apartheid leader who identified with Jews and criticized Israel’s treatment of Palestinians, dies at 90
(Shira Hanau, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Desmond Tutu, peacemaker in creation of a new South Africa, dies, aged 90
(Peter Kenny, Ecumenical News)
The Most Rev Desmond Tutu obituary
(Stanley Uys and Dan van der Vat, The Guardian)
South Africa begins week of mourning for Desmond Tutu
(Al Jazeera)
South Africa's Archbishop Emeritus and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Desmond Tutu has died at 90
(Sarah Al-Arshani and Taylor Ardrey, Insider)
The first word: To be human is to be free (1991)
(Desmond M. Tutu, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
Cuban pastor tried for participating in peaceful nationwide protests
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
Nepal: Pastor convicted for prayer returns home on bail for Christmas
(ADF International)
Israel: Implement Kotel agreement and fulfill Isaiah's biblical prophecy - opinion
(Rick Jacobs and Jacob Blumenthal, The Jerusalem Post)
The Palestinian Authority has Jesus envy - opinion
(Itamar Marcus, The Jerusalem Post)
On Christmas, pope prays for pandemic’s end, peace dialogues
(Nicole Winfield, Associated Press)
Vatican defends finance trial, says rights being respected
(Nicole Winfield, Associated Press)
Dutch court jails man over pre-dawn gunfire at Saudi Embassy
(Associated Press)
Beer garden wins battle with church over alcohol license
(Associated Press)
A gift of Christmas joy for the children of the incarcerated
(Luis Andres Henao and Mariam Fam, Associated Press)
Faith-based homeless shelter denied injunction against Alaska city's anti-discrimination laws
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
After city declines to prosecute, judge dismisses faith-based shelter’s challenge to Anchorage’s LGBTQ anti-discrimination law
(James Brooks, Anchorage Daily News)
Parents unite against discriminatory public-school policies in Virginia
(Alliance Defending Freedom)
School's anti-racism curriculum challenged as religious discrimination
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Fraud and emotional distress claims against archdiocese are dismissed
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Bahá’í Media Bank: Photo of opening pages of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Will and Testament published
(Bahá’í World News Service)
Tibet: Sikyong welcomes appointment of Uzra Zeya as new US Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues
(Central Tibetan Administration)
As federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates head to U.S. Supreme Court for fast-track review, poll shows Americans have nuanced views of religious exemptions
(Don Byrd, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)
Brazilian Church becomes more political during Christmas charity campaigns
(Eduardo Campos Lima, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
China: Human rights activists call for corporate boycott of Beijing Winter Olympics
(John Lavenburg, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Archdiocese sues public school district over Title I funds for students
(Ann Rodgers, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
At Christmas, African bishops have concerns about risks to peace, stability
(Francis Njuguna, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Is the ‘war on Christmas’ finally over?
(D. Hunter Schwarz, Deseret News)
Turkey: In Istanbul, a conference of rabbis from Islamic nations got a surprise: An audience with Erdogan
(David I. Klein , Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Hungary’s largest Jewish group apologizes for signing statement ‘sanctifying’ heterosexual marriage
(Cnaan Liphshiz, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Muslim civil rights group leader continues attacks on ‘Zionists’ as she goes on sabbatical
(Ron Kampeas, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
CAIR says calls for genocide against Indian Muslims shows urgent need for U.S. Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia
(Council on American-Islamic Relations)
India: Jesus statue smashed in spate of attacks on India’s Christian community
(Hannah Ellis-Petersen, The Guardian)
India: Hindu vigilante groups disrupt Christmas celebrations on Modi territory
(Manoj Kumar and Saurabh Sharma, Reuters)
India: Arrests, beatings and secret prayers: Inside the persecution of India’s Christians
(Deccan Herald)
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