Law and Religion Headlines

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Monday, 29 March 2021

Report: Church membership among Catholics declined nearly 20% since 2000
(Catholic News Agency)

Catholics asked to support the Holy Land on Good Friday
(Hannah Brockhaus, Catholic News Agency)

Anti-Brotherhood shows dominate Egypt's Ramadan TV lineup
(Al-Monitor: Egypt Pulse)

Houthis deport some of Yemen's last remaining Jews
(Al-Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East)

Israel intensifies efforts to Judaize Jerusalem
(Al-Monitor: Israel Pulse)

Religious News From Around the Web March 29, 2021
(World Religion News)

Why Reformed Evangelicalism has splintered: Four approaches to race, polities, and gender
(Kevin Deyoung, The Gospel Coalition)

Religious disaffiliation is rising. Is there a path back to the fold?
(Ryan Burge, Deseret News)

Unpacking the Equality Act: Op-Ed
(Charles Franklin, World Religion News)

Updated NSW rules for churches
(Neil Foster, Law and Religion Australia)

'Dangerous' and 'evil': Christian leaders react to rapper Lil Nas X's 'Satan Shoes'
(Leah MarieAnn Klett, The Christian Post)

Judge lifts worship restrictions on DC churches in time for Holy Week services
(Anugrah Kumar, The Christian Post)

Holy Week speaks of unplanned losses: Op-Ed
(Michael Kelly, Union of Catholic Asian News)

Jack Phillips will not back down: ‘Worth it to fight’
(Brittany Bernstein, National Review)

Gallup: Fewer than half of Americans belong to a church or other house of worship
(Bob Smietana, Religion News Service)

In many respects, Australian unis will smother academic freedom
(Peter Ridd, The Australian)

At nationwide rallies, Christians stand up for Asian Americans
(Emily McFarlan Miller, Religion News Service)

Iraq's Yazidis warn of ongoing threats from extremists
(Gasia Ohanes, Deutsche Welle)

Pagan sues Panera Bread Company alleging religious discrimination
(Heather Greene, Religion News Service)

Taiwan: An American citizen testifies about Tai Ji Men
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

Boulder’s faith community comes together to grieve after grocery store shooting
(Carina Julig, Religion News Service)

Taiwan: From the Bachang River scandal to the Tai Ji Men scandal
(Bor-Hwang Ni, Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

USCIRF condemns the Chinese government’s sanctions on USCIRF commissioners
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

Elections as religious rituals: When political conflicts are also conflicts of faith – OpEd
(Richard E. Rubenstein, Eurasia Review Opinion)

Appellate court arguments set for Charleston church shooter
(Meg Kinnard, Associated Press)

Shooter at Kansas Jewish centers appeals death sentence
(Margaret Stafford, Associated Press)

Call me by my name: Rome school backs transgender students
(Paolo Santalucia, Associated Press)

Pakistani police: Attackers damage Hindu temple in Pakistan
(Associated Press)

Easter thoughts of a Pakistani Christian: Op-Ed
(Anee Muskan, Union of Catholic Asian News)

Texas health care provider ordered to pay former employees for mandating prayer and religious discussions
(Don Byrd, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)

On Ramadan and Passover, a reminder of how far we have come: Op-Ed
(Rabbi Marc Schneier, Arab News)

A reminder that Holy Week is prime time for anti-Christian violence
(John L. Allen Jr., Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

Further measures needed to combat financial crime at Vatican, pope says
(Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service)

Spain: Catholicism’s decline a call to return ‘back to basics’
(estev, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

Why would Christians embrace conspiracy theories?
(Mya Jaradat, Deseret News)

The rise of the Muslim middle class — and the challenges
(Ghazala Wahab, The Hindu Business Line)

Justices to decide whether Kentucky attorney general can defend abortion law
(Amy Howe, SCOTUSblog)

Church of England: publication of detailed responses to IICSA report
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)

European intellectuals launch magazine on European Jewry’s population ‘crisis’
(Cnaan Liphshiz, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

COVID-19: places of worship and the latest Welsh Regulations: update
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)

Law and religion round-up – 28th March
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)

To further Muslim faith in religious freedom, can women succeed where men have not?
(Jayson Casper, Christianity Today)

Russian bishops' official concerned about new religion regulations
(Jonathan Luxmoore, The Pilot)

ONLINE CONFERENCE, 26-30 March 2021: Third International Conference on Islamophobia-Examining the Global War on Terror: Challenges, Policies, and Consequences
(Center for Islam and Global Affairs (CIGA))

Church membership in the U.S. has fallen below the majority for the first time in nearly a century
(Sarah Pulliam Bailey, The Washington Post)

The modern Free Exercise doctrine is inconsistent and dishonest
(Tyler Broker, Above the Law)

Lao pastor held for disrupting ‘unity’ must be freed: rights groups
(Radio Free Asia)

Christianity, immigration, and the religion of humanity
(Pierre Manent, Public Discourse: The Journal of the Witherspoon Institute)

European churches to contribute to the Conference on the Future of Europe
(Conference of European Churches)

New publication: Places of Worship and Holy Sites in Europe and the Middle East
(Conference of European Churches)

2021 Parliament theme announced
(Stephen Avino, Parliament of the World's Religions)

WEBINAR, 29 March 2021 (5:30 PM): HRLA & Sheridan CPD Seminar: Conversion Therapy Laws, Employment Codes of Conduct and Religious Freedom
(The Western Australian Legal Theory Association)

WEBINAR, 29 March 2021 (1PM EST): First Peoples, First Racism: a discussion with first nation and indigenous leaders
(G20 Interfaith Forum Association)

WEBINAR, 29 March 2021 (5:30PM AWST): Law and Religion Seminar
(HRLS & The Sheridan Institute of Higher Education)

Saturday, 27 March 2021

Myanmar forces kill over 100 in deadliest day since coup
(Associated Press)

Friday, 26 March 2021

CALL FOR PAPERS AND POSTERS, due by 26 March 2021: A Sacred Covenant? Historic, Legal and Cultural Perspectives on the Development of Marital Law
(The Journal of Legal History and Northumbria University, Socio-Legal Studies Association)

It’s official: Gilad Kariv will be the first Reform rabbi in Israel’s parliament
(Ben Sales, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Jehovah’s Witnesses congregation vicariously liable
(Jake Richards, UK Human Rights Blog)

British court holds Jehovah's Witness parent body vicariously liable for rape by Elder
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Pragmatic reconciliation and pragmatic avoidance: The UK Supreme Court faces the norm conflict on abducted (refugee?) children in G v G
(Ed Robinson, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)

New Book on Torture, Inhumanity and Degradation under Article 3 ECHR
(Natasa Mavronicola (blog by Antoine Buyse), Natasa Mavronicola (blog by Antoine Buyse))

An open letter to Arizona residents: Community leaders issue statement in support of LGBTQ equality and religious freedom
(ONE Community)

New Book: Migration and the European Convention on Human Rights
(Edited by Başak Çalı, Ledi Bianku, and Iulia Motoc, European Society of International Law / Oxford University Press)

Mozambique blames Islamists for war: should the West accept that narrative?
(Cyril Zenda, Religion Unplugged)

Removing roadside cross did not violate father's 1st Amendment rights
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Anti-mask protesters arrested at religious protest assembly sue
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

3 arrested at Moscow, Idaho church event for mask violations sue city in federal court
(Megan Carroll, KREM 2 News)

Emhoff hosts online White House Seder
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Biden, Harris, Doug Emhoff speak at White House Passover celebration
(Marie-Rose Sheinerman, Forward)

Massachusetts city council recognizes polyamorous domestic partnerships
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

COVID-19: reopening places of worship in Scotland
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)

Let us worship: Churches rejoice as Scottish worship ban declared unlawful
(ADF International)

Sturgeon suffers courtroom blow over Scottish church lockdown rules
(Stephen Daisley, The Spectator)

Scotland's Covid lockdown ban on church services breached human rights, judge rules
(Gabriella Swerling, The Telegraph)

Defamation claims against churches and American Samoa’s Deeds of Cession
(Andrew Hamm, SCOTUSblog)

Covid in Scotland: Places of worship can open now after court win
(BBC News)

The 46th session of the Human Rights Council – an EU perspective
(Delegation of the European Union to the UN and other international organisations in Geneva)

First Five Express: Celebrating spring’s religious holidays and the First Amendment
(Religious Freedom Center, Freedom Forum Institute, YouTube Video)

Religious freedom in Egypt? A counter-enquiry by Coptic Solidarity contradicts the official propaganda
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

Azerbaijan: Will regime implement UN, European Court of Human Rights decisions?
(Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service)

Sharp Dáil exchanges over restrictions on religious services
(Marie O'Halloran, The Irish Times)

Prophet Mohammed row: Pupils launch petition to save teacher’s job
(Sophia Sleigh, Evening Standard)

With Islamist extremism going unchecked, Christians are facing rising persecution in Bangladesh
(Christian Today)

Conservatives push for resurrection of Canadian Office of Religious Freedoms
(International Christian Concern)

Hate won’t stop me from taking up space in my city (Canada)
(Mim Fatmi, Sprawl Calgary)

Showing Prophet Mohammed images ‘should be as unacceptable as using n-word’
(Gabriella Swerling, The Telegraph)

Building a transatlantic alliance on human rights
(Knox Thames, The Hill - Opinion)

Killing moderate Pakistan, one advocate for tolerance at a time
(Knox Thames)

Petition filed to make the death penalty the only punishment for blasphemy in the Pakistan Penal Code
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

Religious fervour is migrating into politics
(The Economist)

Covid-19’s gendered impacts highlight deeply rooted social ills, but also opportunities for religious communities to take on new roles
(Sarah Thompson, G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)

California woman sentenced for Catholic school bomb threats
(Associated Press)

Arkansas governor signs medical conscience objections law
(Andrew DeMillo, Associated Press)

China sanctions Britons over West’s Xinjiang criticism
(Jill Lawless and Pan Pylas, Associated Press)

India’s PM Modi faces big electoral test in Muslim areas
(Ashok Sharma, Associated Press)

British judge: Vatican made ‘appalling’ claims in UK probe
(Nicole Winfield, Associated Press)

Uyghurs in Turkey protest Chinese foreign minister’s visit
(Mehmet Guzel and Suzan Fraser, Associated Press)

Italy: Teen in hijab aims to be ‘Afro-influencer’ on TikTok
(Trisha Thomas, Associated Press)

Catholic refugee agency: New UK asylum rules ‘cruel and dishonest’
(Charles Collins, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

Spain: Madrid archbishop believes church, state can coexist peacefully
(Junno Arocho Esteves, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

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