Law and Religion Headlines
Tuesday, 12 May 2020
From flannelgraphs to Zoom, churches bring Sunday school home
(Emily McFarlan Miller, Religion News Service)
If Costco can reopen safely, why not Illinois churches, Gov. Pritzker?
(Ed Stetzer, Religion News Service)
In lockdown, our longing for the world could be the antidote to our spiritual anorexia
(Tara Isabella Burton, Religion News Service)
Monday, 11 May 2020
National Day of Prayer features interfaith prayers for revival
(Christopher Hutton, Religion Unplugged)
Towards opening churches in July
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Is the coronavirus ban on weddings lawful?
(Neil Addison, Guest Post, Law & Religion UK)
Leviathan Challenged — the lockdown is compliant with human rights law (Part Two)
(Dominic Ruck Keene, UK Human Rights Blog)
Digital Contact Tracing Updates from the Human Rights Committee
(Rafe Jennings, UK Human Rights Blog)
We can beat the virus only by protecting human rights
(Kenneth Roth, The Washington Post)
Pastor sues over COVID-19 orders and conditions of bond
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Pastor Tony Spell files lawsuit against Governor Edwards over stay-at-home order
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
France mandates masks to control the coronavirus. Burqas remain banned.
(James McAuley, The Washington Post)
About three-quarters of U.S. Catholic parishes applied for government paycheck protection
(Michelle Boorstein, The Washington Post)
Sexual and gender-based violence during COVID-19: lessons from Ebola
(Monica Adhiambo Onyango and Alexandra Regan, The Conversation)
Drive-thru iftars and coronavirus task forces: How Muslims are observing obligations to the poor this Ramadan
(Shariq Siddiqui, The Conversation)
We need fewer heroes: Exploring the tension between our praise of everyday heroes and the social instability that necessitates them
(Russell P. Johnson, Sightings: The Martin Marty Center, University of Chicago Divinity School)
The plan for reopening houses of worship after the coronavirus crisis
(Maggie Siddiqi and Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons, Center for American Progress)
COVID-19, conspiracy theories and antisemitism
(David Harris, The Jerusalem Post)
New research says religion can prevent COVID-19 'deaths of despair'
(Micah Danney, Religion Unplugged)
6th Circuit enjoins ban on in-person worship services
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Appeals court gives big win for churches
(Liberty Counsel)
UN Secretary-General warns of rising anti-Semitism and other forms of hate during covid-19 pandemic
(Aaron Bandler, Jewish Journal)
Religious freedom in the time of covid-19
(Asma T. Uddin, Religious Freedom Center, Freedom Forum Institute)
Islam prioritizes humanity during pandemic
(Abd. Rohim Ghazali, The Jakarta Post)
Indian govt. denies religious profiling of patients
(The Hindu)
Pandemic to reshape how congregations worship as dioceses prepare to resume in-person gatherings
(David Paulsen, Episcopal News Service)
Chinese debt could cause emerging markets to implode
(Benn Steil and Benjamin Della Rocca, Foreign Affairs)
Sunday, 10 May 2020
Pandemic leads churches to celebrate motherhood creatively this Sunday
(Alejanra Molina, Religion News Service)
Celebrating Mass safely — but pastorally — during a pandemic
(Thomas Reese, RNS column: Signs of the Times)
Law and religion round-up – 10th May
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
TRO issued against Kentucky in-person worship service restriction
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Judge grants restraining order against Kentucky governor in dispute over in-person religious gatherings
(First Liberty)
Saturday, 9 May 2020
Celebrating midwives, unsung heroes on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis
(United Nations Population Fund)
Free transport helps pregnant women in Madagascar safely deliver amid COVID-19 lockdown
(United Nations Population Fund)
COVID-19: The question of China and its accountability
(Deepak Sinha, Observer Research Foundation)
Father Benedict Kiely and religious liberty expert Tom Farr on the coronavirus crisis
(Podcast, The Catholic Association (TCA))
Another heartbreak for American Jews? The cancellation of summer camps.
(Yonat Shimron, Religion News Service)
From Vietnam to the coronavirus pandemic, lies still kill
(Jim Wallis, Religion News Service Opinion)
An Old World Torah scroll unites a North Carolina synagogue in a time of pandemic
(Yonat Shimron, Religion News Service)
Food insecurity set to become the bigger pandemic
(Ryan Heath, Politico)
Daily Highlight #52: How Might COVID-19 Affect Muslim Charitable Giving, Especially Zakat, During Ramadan?
(Katherine Marshall, Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
Black churches, via phones and Facebook, bridging digital divide amid COVID-19
(Adelle M. Banks, Religion News Service)
“A disaster within a disaster”—In Burkina Faso, terrorism and COVID-19 pose a double threat
(Maria Lozano, Aleteia)
Awkwardly timed issue: Should hard-pressed churches still want to be tax exempt?
(Richard Ostling, GetReligion)
Juries and Covid-19: protecting the right to a fair trial
(Sapan Maini-Thompson, The Justice Gap)
Friday, 8 May 2020
Newlsetter of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland
(Churches Together in Britain and Ireland)
COVID-19: A Gender Lens - Protecting sexual and reproductive health and rights, and promoting gender equality
(United Nations Population Fund)
Protecting seasonal workers in Turkey’s tent settlements from COVID-19
(United Nations Population Fund)
Argentine president vows to legalize abortion, despite pandemic shutdown
(Ines San Martin, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
President Russell M. Nelson encourages caution as the Church looks lorward amid COVID-19 pandemic
(The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
White House views CDC reopening guidelines as infringements on religious liberty
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
White House rejects C.D.C.’s coronavirus reopening plan
(Abby Goodnough and Maggie Haberman, The New York Times)
Virginia defends coronavirus restrictions in church lawsuit
(Denise Lavoie, Associated Press)
Merkel discusses pandemic with Pope Francis
(Associated Press)
Church/state deal means Mass will be back in Italy on May 18
(John L. Allen Jr., Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Churches in Europe reopening with restrictions to avoid contagion
(Carol Glatz, Catholic News Service)
U.S. Attorney’s Office urges Norman mayor to open places of worship
(Oklahoma's News 4)
Religion can no longer claim moral superiority, and six other lessons from the coronavirus crisis
(Haaretz)
“Corona jihad”: India blame Muslims for the spread of Covid-19
(Irfan Mahar, Modern Diplomacy)
Spain-China relations and COVID-19: The bright and dark sides of a necessary partnership for Spain – Analysis
(Mario Esteban and Ugo Armanini, Elcano Royal Institute via Eurasia Review (English translation))
When governments switched their story from ‘flatten the curve’ to ‘lockdown until vaccine’ – OpEd
(Ryan McMaken, Mises Institute)
America’s stark ‘liberty or death’ conundrum – OpEd
(Theodore Karasik, Eurasia Review)
COVID-19: Urgent need for African governments to upgrade health systems – OpEd
(Kester Kenn Klomegah, Eurasia Review)
White House tells CDC to butt out of religion
(Mark Silk, RNS Column: Spiritual Politics)
Thursday, 7 May 2020
WEBINAR, 7 May 2020 (3 pm Brussels - GMT+2)—COVID-19, RELIGION, and BELIEF Series: Episode 5, COVID-19 and FoRB: Multilateral Organisations' Perspective
(Judd Birdsall, Meret Bilde, H.E. Mrs. Ismat Jahan, Kishan Manocha, Ibrahim Salama)
WEBINAR, 7 May 2020 (9 am EDT)—COVID-19, RELIGION, and BELIEF Series: Episode 5, COVID-19 and FoRB: Multilateral Organisations' Perspective
(Judd Birdsall, Meret Bilde, H.E. Mrs. Ismat Jahan, Kishan Manocha, Ibrahim Salama)
WEBINAR, 7 May 2020 (3 pm Brussels)—COVID-19, RELIGION, and BELIEF Series: Episode 5, COVID-19 and FoRB: Multilateral Organisations' Perspective
(Judd Birdsall, Meret Bilde, H.E. Mrs. Ismat Jahan, Kishan Manocha, Ibrahim Salama)
Pandemic piety
(William B. Lawrence, Sightings: The Martin Marty Center, University of Chicago Divinity School)
You might have the right to gather, but you can choose otherwise
(Benjamin Marcus, Freedom Forum Institute)
Church's challenge to California stay-at-home orders is rejected
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Churches sue Michigan governor over COVID-19 orders despite their exemption from penalties
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Churches sue Whitmer, claim coronavirus orders hinder religious gatherings despite exceptions
(Gus Burns, M Live)
Kentucky governor sued by church and state AG over covid-19 restrictions on services
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Nicholasville church files lawsuit against Beshear over in-person services
(WKYT News)
Church sues Maine governor over COVID-19 restrictions
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Orrington church sues Janet Mills over order barring in-person worship services
(Judy Harrison, Bangor Daily News)
Italy to soon celebrate first public masses since coronavirus outbreak
(Melissa Butz, New Evangelization Television TV)
10 arrested in Argentina for clandestine Mass violating corona-lockdown rules
(Ines San Martin, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Bishop warns police against ‘heavy-handedness’ in enforcing lockdown measures in UK
(Charles Collins, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Catholic leaders in England decry racial disparities in COVID-19 deaths
(Charles Collins, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Beyond the public gatherings debate: religious freedom during covid-19
(Chelsea Langston Bombino, Religion Unplugged)
Muslim doctors fight COVID-19 — and Islamophobia — on the front lines
(Rowaida Abdelaziz, Huffington Post)
Public Masses in Italy to resume May 18, ending bitter Church-state rift
(Philip Pullella, Reuters)
Under this doctor’s care, most COVID-19 patients are recovering. Here’s his unusual approach.
(Kevin Pham, The Daily Signal)
Wednesday, 6 May 2020
COVID-19 restrictions & (re)definition of gender roles in Nigeria
(Azizat Omotoyosi Amoloye-Adebayo, Institute for African Women in Law)
Learning lessons the hard way – Article 2 duties to investigate the Government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic
(Paul Bowen QC, UK Human Rights Blog)
Grateful Irish honour their Famine debt to Choctaw tribe
(Independent.ie)
Indiscriminate Covid-19 location tracking (Part II): Can pandemic-related derogations be an opportunity to circumvent Strasbourg’s scrutiny?
(Ilia Siatitsa and Ioannis Kouvakas, Strasbourg Observers)
Indiscriminate Covid-19 location tracking (Part I): Necessary in a democratic society?
(Ilia Siatitsa and Ioannis Kouvakas, Strasbourg Observers)
When will worship places open again? The cases of Belgium, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland
(Joel Foster, Evangelical Focus Europe)
DOJ sides with Virginia church in lawsuit over governor’s coronavirus orders
(Carol Kuruvilla, Huffington Post)
Opinion: Share your stimulus check with refugees in Houston
(Rt. Rev C Andrew Doyle, Rabbi Oren J. Hayon, Sheikh Joe Bradford, and Venerable Hung-I, Houston Chronicle)
Few Americans say their house of worship is open, but a quarter say their faith has grown amid pandemic
(Claire Gecewicz, Pew Research Center Fact Tank)
U.S. district judge rules Pritzker’s stay-at-home order constitutional
(Ben Pope, Chicago Sun Times)
BJC, others press Congress to prohibit discrimination in future COVID-19 response legislation
(Don Byrd, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)
Catholic groups urge Congress to concentrate on poor, marginalized during pandemic
(Christopher White, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
To balance public health and religious freedom, we need something better than Bill de Blasio’s dumb tweets
(Michael A. Helfand, Tablet)
A theologian government minister in Frace
(Society of St. Pius X)
Model of humanitarian aid for persecuted Christians must change, experts say
(Christopher White, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Bringing my whole self to work: A Catholic perspective
(Laura DeMaria, Religious Freedom & Business Foundation)
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