Law and Religion Headlines
Wednesday, 28 April 2021
Hijab in the White House
(Ismail Royer, Muslim Matters)
Indonesia arrests firebrand cleric’s lawyer over attacks
(Niniek Karmini, The Diplomat)
Japan's aging 'Hidden Christians' fear they may be their religion's last generation
(Linda Sieg, The Japan Times)
Many South Africans citing religion as their opposition to COVID vaccine
(iAfrica)
South Africa: Judicial Service Commission panel put 'offensive' questions to Jewish candidates
(Sowetan Live)
America without God
(Shadi Hamid, The Atlantic)
Joe Biden’s Faith, Kari Beckman previews a Catholic family conference and Mark Movsesian explains the significance of the US acknowledging the Armenian genocide
(Ave Maria Radio)
New Jersey sues township alleging anti-Jewish zoning actions
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Arizona enacts new abortion restrictions
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
AZ Gov. Ducey signs legislation protecting unborn children from discrimination
(Alliance Defending Freedom)
Weekly highlight #153: COVID-19: Exploring faith dimensions: covid-19 surge in India; mis(information) from religious groups; changing faith practices
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
Sri Lanka cabinet approves proposed ban on burqas in public
(Aljazeera)
Catholic nursing home in Havana harassed by government inspectors
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
Governments don't get a pass on violating religious freedom in a pandemic
(Gayle Manchin and Tony Perkins, Newsweek Opinion)
Religious freedom impacts your organization and society more than you realize
(Global Leadership Network)
WEBINAR, 29 April 2021 (12PM in Indiana): Protecting Oak Flat and other Indigenous Sacred Places
(Notre Dame Law School's Religious Liberty Initiative)
Shenzhen, two Protestant pastors and 8 faithful arrested during a liturgical service
(Asia News)
Pakistan PM calls for West to criminalise blasphemy against Islam
(Asad Hashim, Al Jazeera)
Marched off to the cells for preaching God’s word
(Peter Simpson, The Conservative Woman)
Fined for hosting underground bishop's mass. The Sino-Vatican Agreement betrayed
(Bernardo Cervellera, Asia News)
Helping our persecuted neighbors regardless of beliefs
(Knox Thames)
How military chaplains are key agents for peace for the U.S. armed forces
(Knox Thames)
Why Biden should be careful about courting India's Modi government
(Knox Thames and Simran Jeet Singh, CNN)
Connecticut is 6th state to end religious vaccine exemption
(Susan Haigh, Associated Press)
Sledgehammer attack damages Guadalupe mural at LA church
(Associated Press)
US Catholic bishops may press Biden to stop taking Communion
(David Crary, Associated Press)
Fofana thanks EPL for allowing him to break fast mid-game
(Associated Press)
Religious liberty updates: U.S. House passes NO BAN Act; Texas reverses course on clergy in execution chamber, more
(Don Byrd, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)
Chad’s bishops call for dialogue after constitutional crisis sparked by leader’s death
(Ngala Killian Chimtom, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Philadelphia priests look for ways to stop city’s gun violence
(Gina Christian, Catholic News Service)
What’s the biggest threat to religious freedom in America today?
(Keely Daniels, Deseret News)
Muslims in Germany: Religion not a good gauge of integration
(Elliot Douglas, Deutsche Welle)
Russian president uses Russian church to badger Ukraine
(RISU, Russia Religion News (Stetson University))
Zelensky calls Vatican optimal venue for meeting with Putin
(Interfax-Religion)
Azerbaijan blocks ordination in Armenian monastery
(Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service)
Church in Wales – moving to Alert Level 3
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
COVID-19 legislation and guidance: update to 1st May
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Haredi ‘rabbi’ accused of being a covert Messianic missionary
(Jeremy Sharon, Jerusalem Post)
Scott Morrison is not the first prime minister with religious beliefs. What is different this time?
(Marion Maddox, The Guardian)
Joe Biden’s first 100 days: Religious freedom, L.G.B.T. rights and Covid-19 mandates
(Ellen K. Boegel, America: The Jesuit Review)
Fairness for All Act’s message to religious Americans: “Submit or else”
(Sarah Parshall Perry, The Heritage Foundation)
Raif Badawi is still in prison over a series of blog posts. The US has given Saudi Arabia a free pass for too long
(Gayle Manchin and Nadine Maenza, TIME)
Middle East peace won't happen without addressing religious issues
(Eric R. Mandel, The Hill - Opinion)
The COVID Heresy: Denying America’s Constitutional Theology During the Pandemic
(William E. Thro, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
‘An honor and duty:’ Meet the female Saudi officers guarding the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah
(Deema Al-Khudair, Arab News)
Volunteers distribute 10,000 Iftar meals a day in Makkah
(Lama Alhamawi, Arab News)
Book review: Can we escape the confessional state?
(John Ehrett, Public Discourse: The Journal of the Witherspoon Institute)
New book: Liberty for All: Defending Everyone’s Religious Freedom in a Pluralistic Age
(Andrew T. Walker, Baker Publishing Group)
Tuesday, 27 April 2021
WEBINAR, 27 April 2021 (9:30AM EDT / 3:30PM CEST): Families and the Sustainable Development Goals
(The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints European Office)
WEBINAR, 27 April 2021 (8:30 Brussels): Working group meeting on the role of religion in European Nordic countries
(EPP group in the European Parliament)
WEBINAR, 27 April 2021 (10:30 EDT; 14:30 UCT; 16:30 South Africa): The Role of Religion and Faith-Based Organizations in COVID-19 Vaccination Efforts in Africa
(African Consortium for Law and Religion Studies and G20 Interfaith Forum)
Monday, 26 April 2021
Certiorari denied in suit over California curriculum on Hinduism
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Supreme Court dodges dispute between Texas, California over religious freedom, gay rights
(John Fritze, USA Today)
Supreme Court GVR's challenge to California limits on indoor worship
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Supreme Court hears oral arguments today in challenge to California's required disclosure of donors to non-profits
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Articles of interest - 26 April 2021
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Excommunication: Look for a balance of interests between opposite freedoms. The Ghent Court decision declaring shunning as practiced by Jehovah’s Witnesses illegal ignores European and Belgian precedents, and is clearly wrong.
(Yannick Thiels, Bitter Winter: A Magazine on Religious Liberty and Human Rights in China)
The ayes have it. UK Parliament says it's genocide.
(Ruth Ingram, Bitter Winter: A Magazine on Religious Liberty and Human Rights in China)
USCIRF, China Aid release yearly reports on religious liberty
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter: A Magazine on Religious Liberty and Human Rights in China)
'Christians and the Vaccine' project: Combating ethical qualms of evangelical communities
(Corky Siemaszko, NBC News)
ADL report demonstrates that American Jews are on edge
(Dave Schechter, Religion Unplugged)
PRRI announces launch of religion and renewing democracy initiative
(PRRI)
A lawsuit tests a legal exemption that lets religious groups fire LGBTQ people
(Jack Jenkins, The Washington Post)
The U.S. sees a historical genocide. Turkey sees a political vendetta.
(Ishaan Tharoor, The Washington Post)
For the first time, Jewish communities from Gulf countries to hold joint Lag B’Omer/Iftar celebration
(Yossi Lempkowicz, European Jewish Express)
Ashrafi says Islamic content exclusion from curriculum unacceptable
(The Nation)
Justice and the devil in America: A controversy around the symbolisms of evil conceals the hardening of America's heart
(William Schweiker, Sightings: The Martin Marty Center, University of Chicago Divinity School)
California Christian University president reflects on COVID impacts on religious freedom
(Chelsea Langston Bombino, Religion Unplugged)
The crazy, true story of how the Church helped take down the Klan in Colorado
(Catholic News Agency)
Montana governor signs law clarifying religious freedom protections
(Catholic News Agency)
Construction of Marian tower on Sagrada Familia begins
(Blanca Ruiz, Catholic News Agency)
Sri Lankan religious leaders condemn extremism two years after Easter bombing
(Catholic News Agency)
Report: some countries used pandemic to target religious minorities
(Catholic News Agency)
Egyptian architects win UNESCO award for reconstruction of Mosul mosque destroyed by IS
(Hagar Hosny, Al-Monitor: Egypt Pulse)
Tensions spiral in Jerusalem, Israel’s southern front
(Rina Bassist, Al-Monitor: Israel Pulse)
Jerusalem seethes with clashes between Jews, Arabs
(Rina Bassist, Al-Monitor: Israel Pulse)
Pope may visit Lebanon once new government is formed
(Al-Monitor: Lebanon Pulse)
Hamas considers creating Christian media center
(Ahmad Abu Amer, Al-Monitor: Palestine Pulse)
US government watchdog calls out Syria for religious freedom abuses
(Elizabeth Hagedorn, Al-Monitor: Syria Pulse)
Erdogan furious as his Islamic ambitions stumble in Turkish Cyprus
(Fehim Tastekin, Al-Monitor: Turkey Pulse)
Turkey vows response to Biden's decision to recognize Armenian genocide
(Amberin Zaman, Al-Monitor: Turkey Pulse)
New York tries forcing nuns to pay for abortions
(Becket: Press Release)
Two-thirds of churchgoers gave same or more of their income to church during pandemic: study
(Michael Gryboski, The Christian Post)
Indonesian priest builds faith by examining atheism
(Katharina R Lestari, Union of Catholic Asian News)
Muslim leaders call for religious tolerance in Malaysia
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
In New York, interfaith coalition makes common cause against rising tide of hate
(Yonat Shimron, Religion News Service)
Tarot booms as Generation Z sorts out spiritual path
(Heather Greene, Religion News Service)
Cutoff of pastor's city council invocation did not violate 1st Amendment
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
One nation under a lawsuit: Pulpit, politics collide again in Jacksonville
(A.G. Gancarski, Florida Politics)
Frédéric Krenc Elected New Judge in Respect of Belgium
(Antoine Buyse, ECHR Blog)
Drowning Migrants in the Mediterranean and the ICCPR, Again
(Marko Milanovic, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)
Victims of ‘vulnerability’: Balancing protection, privacy and participation of child victims in X and Others v. Bulgaria
(Ton Liefaard, Jessica Valentine, Lisanne van Dijck, Strasbourg Observers)
Oscar nominee ‘Minari’ spotlights Korean American faith and the role of the church
(Emily McFarlan Miller, Religion News Service)
Survey: Faith leaders key to combat vaccine hesitancy among religious — and QAnon believers
(Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)
Virginia GOP rejects rule change to allow absentee voting for religious reasons in upcoming Saturday convention
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Will COVID-19 finally be the end of the church collection plate?
(Bob Smietana, Religion News Service)
Virginia GOP won’t let Orthodox Jews vote absentee in Sabbath-day convention
(Laura Vozzella, The Washington Post)
Cairo’s historic Ramadan cannon fires again
(Joseph Hammond, Religion News Service)
WEBINAR, 26 April (11AM EDT): Interview with Papal biographer, Austin Ivereigh—Let Us Dream: Pope Francis on Faith and Discernment in Times of Crisis
(Newman Centre of McGill University)
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