Law and Religion Headlines
Wednesday, 17 March 2021
House chaplain criticizes lawmakers in prayer for ‘failing’ to unite around pandemic relief
(Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)
Natural by nature, pagans expect some digital rituals to survive the pandemic
(Heather Greene, Religion News Service)
Tory MPs call for re-opening of Office of Religious Freedoms
(Brian Dryden, The B.C. Catholic)
Belgium: The decision of the Court of Ghent against Jehovah’s Witnesses is dangerous for the Catholic Church
(Willy Fautré, Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Belgique: La décision du tribunal de Gand contre les témoins de Jéhovah est dangereuse pour l’Eglise catholique
(Willy Fautré, Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Litigation between Indian tribes over burial sites dismissed on sovereign immunity grounds
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
USCIRF commemorates fifth anniversary of ISIS genocide recognition
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Weekly highlight #147: COVID-19: Exploring faith dimensions: One year on: Unequal impact, inequitable response?
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
Can religious insights help corporations regain trust? A discussion with Philip Morris International COO and others
(Religious Freedom & Business Foundation)
Interreligious advisers in WCC member churches reflect on solidarity in a wounded world
(World Council of Churches)
Fire festival incidents kill 10, injure hundreds in Iran
(Associated Press)
Pope says he symbolically kneels in plea for Myanmar peace
(Associated Press)
Chilean bishop calls for civil disobedience over Mass restrictions
(Inés San Martín, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Dublin Archbishop: Don’t put business before faith when lifting lockdown
(Charles Collins, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Clergy seen as ‘fourth branch of government’ in coup-stressed Mali
(Mark Pattison, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Liberal Jewish scholars present anti-Semitism definition that allows more freedom for Israel criticism
(Ron Kampeas, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Austrian authorities accused of violating Muslim children’s rights during police raids
(5 Pillars UK)
Faith leaders herald growing support for Equality Act in meeting with Sen. Coons
(Center for American Progress)
Equality Act is creating a historic face-off between religious exemptions and LGBTQ rights
(Michelle Boorstein and Samantha Schmidt, The Washington Post)
Equality Act would cancel religious freedom
(Thomas Jipping, The Heritage Foundation)
Black pastors sign letter supporting compromise bill on LGBTQ equality
(Yonat Shimron, Religion News Service)
Stand against unjust discrimination: Oppose the Equality Act
(Timothy Dolan, Public Discourse: The Journal of the Witherspoon Institute)
The Equality Act and the rise of the anti-theological state
(R. Albert Mohler, Jr., Public Discourse: The Journal of the Witherspoon Institute)
Commentary: Equality Act would cancel religious freedom
(Thomas Jipping and Sarah Parshall Perry, The Daily Signal)
57 Black Christian Leaders Send Open Letter to Senate Committee Warning against the Equality Act
(Milton Quintanilla, Christian Headlines)
Black pastors slam Equality Act as 'a danger' to religious institutions, back 'Fairness for All'
(Ryan Foley, The Christian Post)
As Equality Act hearing begins, faith leaders meet with Sen. Coons to voice support
(Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)
Why Sen. Lee and other Republicans criticized the Equality Act during its first Senate hearing
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)
Democratic witness falsely claims the Equality Act doesn’t affect religious institutions
(John McCormack, National Review)
RFI board member testifies before Senate Judiciary Committee on the Equality Act
(Religious Freedom Institute)
Diocese of Carlisle: Statement – The Rev Robert Bailey Reference
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Religious versus LGBT protections roil landmark rights measure
(Erin Mulvaney and Andrew Kreighbaum, Bloomberg Law)
Analog faith in a digital age
(Eli Gottlieb, Religion & Politics: Fit for Polite Company)
WEBINAR, 17 March 2021 (2PM in Brussels): How valuable are the EU's external FoRB activities? A conversation with the EEAS
(Conference of European Churches and European Evangelical Alliance)
Tuesday, 16 March 2021
ANNOUNCING the ACLARS WEBINAR SERIES, 19 January - 16 March 2021 (14:30 UCT, 16:30 South Africa): COVID-19 in Africa: Religious Responses and Legal Implications
(African Consortium for Law and Religion Studies)
WEBINAR, 16 March 2021 (14:30 UCT): ACLARS Webinar Series--COVID-19 and the rise of poverty and social inequalities
(African Consortium for Law and Religion Studies)
SIDE EVENT via ZOOM: 16 March 2021 (2PM EST): High-level expert panel discussion on the worsening situation for women and girls caused by the Covid-19 pandemic
(UN Women Conference for 2021, International Federation for Peace & Sustainable Development (IFPSD))
WEBINAR, 16 March 2021 (12:30PM EDT): Faith and COVID Vaccination Challenges: Global Initiatives
(Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Monday, 15 March 2021
CALL FOR PAPERS, Deadline: 15 March 2021: 18th Annual Conference of the European Association for the Study of Religions
(European Association for the Study of Religions)
‘Because of sex’: The coming battle between the Free Exercise Clause and The Equality Act
(Christine M. Venter, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)
In pursuit of criminal accountability for “grievous religious persecution”
(Werner Nicolaas Nel, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)
The tyrannical threat of new blasphemy laws, in Scotland?
(Miles P.J. Windsor, Religious Freedom Institute Blog)
BJP trying to divide people in the name of religion: Akhilesh Yadav
(Anuj Kumar, The Hindu)
Iranian government orders teachers to identify children of persecuted Baha'i minority
(Verity Bowman, The Telegraph)
Statement of Baha’i International Community on persecution in Iran
(Weekly Blitz)
Iran: Leaked document reveals plans to intensify suppression of Baha’is and other religious minorities
(International Federation for Human Rights)
New pressure on Baha'is in Iran revealed
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Exposed: Sinister plan by Iranian authorities to monitor and suppress Baha’is
(Bahai International Community)
South Africa: state institution created to protect religious communities
(Paul Hoffman, Daily Maverick)
Lamu Muslims say curfew extension will hamper Ramadhan
(Cheti Praxides, The Star Kenya)
How the provisions of the civil marriage law are failing interfaith couples
(Shreeti Shubham, Feminism India)
Supreme Court refuses to entertain habeas corpus plea seeking protection of girl in an interfaith relationship allegedly detained by her parents
(Srishti Ojha, Livelaw.in)
Does President Biden need Catholic 'safe spaces' to practice his faith?
(Clemente Lisi, Religion Unplugged)
Conversion for marriage-"Can't exercise judicial power just because no law in place, but can examine validity of law if enacted.": Calcutta High Court
(Sparsh Upadhyay, Livelaw.in)
International conference on interfaith dialogue kicks off in Cairo
(Egypt Today)
Muslim woman didn't convert to Hinduism before marrying Hindu man, marriage not valid but couple entitled to live-in-relation: P&H High Court
(Sparsh Upadhyay, Livelaw.in)
Two years on from the Christchurch terror attack, how much has really changed?
(Alexander Gillespie, The Conversation)
Graffiti, arson, death threats: new research finds widespread violence against Australian mosques
(Scott Poynting, Derya Iner, Gail Mason, Nicole L. Asquith, and Ron Mason, The Conversation)
Assessing the Catholicity of a president
(Richard A. Rosengarten, Sightings: The Martin Marty Center, University of Chicago Divinity School)
Backlash against Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine is real and risky – here’s how to make its rollout a success
(Tinglong Dai, Christopher S. Tang, and Ho-Yin Mak, The Conversation)
Pandemics, procedure and participation: Hybrid hearings in the Mauritius/Maldives maritime boundary dispute
(Arron N. Honniball, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)
Prosecutors behaving badly: Revisiting the operational duty to protect trafficked persons in V.C.L. and A.N. v. the United Kingdom
(John Trajer, Strasbourg Observers)
El Salvador’s abortion ban jails women for miscarriages and stillbirths – now one woman’s family seeks international justice
(Juliet S. Sorensen, Alexandra Tarzikhan, and Meredith Heim, The Conversation)
“Freedom, I dream of freedom”: Freedom of religion or belief in Cuba
(Yusleysi Gil Mauricio, FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)
Denmark’s provincial bias against foreign religious languages
(Matthew P. Cavedon, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
Myanmar’s ‘darkest moment’: death toll rises sharply as junta's crackdown continues
(The Guardian)
Critical race theory’s anti-Semitism problem
(Ellie Krasne, The Daily Signal - Commentary)
Mississippi bans transgender students from women's sports
(The Daily Signal)
The FAQs: How Biden’s stimulus bill affects churches and individuals
(Joe Carter, The Gospel Coalition)
How will COVID permanently change churches?
(Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra, The Gospel Coalition)
Painful issue of SBC culture – is the word 'Southern' more important than 'Baptist'?
(Terry Mattingly, OnReligion)
The government cannot dictate your conscience: Medical conscience rights
(Religious Freedom Institute)
Is Nigeria at risk of becoming a failed state?
(Adam Ragozzino, Geopolitical Monitor Situation Report)
WEBINAR, 15 March 2021 (11:30AM EDT): The Panorama of Religious Freedom and Practice in Cuba
(Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
WEBINAR, 15 March 2021 (11AM EST): Keeping Faith with the Sahel--The Role of Religious Leaders in Justice & Peace in the Sahel
(Catholic Relief Services)
WEBINAR, 15 March 2021 (14.00 GMT): Latest Developments in the Extraterritorial Application of Human Rights Law
(Lea Raible, Aurel Sari, Ralph Wilde, Shaheed Fatima, British Institute of International and Comparative Law)
WEBINAR, 15 March 2021 (12PM EDT): The Pope's Visit to Iraq: An Historic Juncture
(Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Texas Human Rights Act bars LGBT discrimination
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Texas appeals court ruling ensures state-level protections for LGBTQ employees
(Human Rights Campaign)
Swiss airline settles suit by female passenger pressured to move seats
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Easyjet settles with woman who was “forced” to move seat to accommodate religious passengers
(Matthew Klint, Live and Let's Fly)
Articles of interest - 15 March 2021
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
France to return Nazi-looted Klimt to rightful Jewish heirs
(Associated Press)
France: 25% seulement des “dérives sectaires” sont de nature religieuse, selon la MIVILUDES
(Willy Fautré, Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
France: Only 25% “cultic deviations” are related to religious beliefs, according to the MIVILUDES
(Willy Fautré, Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
New Zealand ‘has a duty’ to support its Muslim community says PM
(Toms Dumpis, Morocco World News)
NZ Bishops pray for end to violence on anniversary of Christchurch massacre
(Fr. Benedict Mayaki, SJ, Vatican News)
Eight Indian Christians hospitalized after attack by Hindu mob
(Bijay Kumar Minj, Union of Catholic Asian News)
Two weeks in review, 1 – 14 March 2021
(Gail Lythgoe, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)
Mormon leader says family donation to Biden was ‘oversight’
(Brady McCombs, Associated Press)
Concerns rise over Sri Lanka’s move to ban burqas
(Bharatha Mallawarachi, Associated Press)
Greeks fly kites for Clean Monday holiday despite pandemic
(Petros Giannakouris and Giovanna Dell'Orto, Associated Press)
Becoming the church we say we are (Birth of a Movement: Black Lives Matter and the Catholic Church)
(John Gehring, Commonweal)
Italian birth rate sinks further amid pandemic
(Bernd Riegert, Deutsche Welle)
The COVID relief package includes $2.75B for private schools. Orthodox Jewish groups thank Chuck Schumer.
(Andrew Silow-Carroll, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
In Austrian anti-Semitism study, 31% of respondents made biased statements. It’s a huge improvement.
(Cnaan Liphshiz, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Celebrity politicians vs. servant leadership
(Malak Shalabi, Muslim Matters)
Supreme Court's COVID-19 cases stir up battle between religion, same-sex couples over foster care
(John Fritze, USA Today)
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