Law and Religion Headlines
Friday, 26 April 2024
Speaker Mike Johnson demands Biden send in National Guard during raucous Columbia visit
(Madina Touré and Irie Sentner, Politico)
Columbia University is another Charlottesville
(Jeffrey Salkin, RNS Column: Martini Judaism)
What’s happening at Columbia is monumental
(Omar Suleiman, RNS Column: Islam Beyond Phobia)
2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
(Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, U.S. Department of State)
WEBINAR, 26 April 2024 (4PM CEST): Strengthening Families: A Cornerstone of Sustainable Societies. Episode 3: Families and Freedom of Religion or Belief
(David Dollahite, Marcela Szymanski, William Duncan, Alessandro Calcagno, European Union & International Affairs Office of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Sutherland Institute)
HYBRID EVENT, 26 April 2024 (8AM CT): Christian Nationalism and Public Policy in the US
(Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy)
Iran: Christian prisoner of conscience denied medical care
(Article 18)
The Church and democracy
(Deborah Castellano Lubov, Vatican News)
Philippine secular organizations convene for Philippine Secular Summit 2024
(Dugout Philippines)
Activity report for CAP Liberté de Conscience during the 55th session of the Human Rights Council
(CAP Liberté de Conscience)
Pakistan: Activist says, exploitation of religious minorities continues in Pakistan
(ANI)
China: How the Chinese state is hollowing out religion in Xinjiang
(The Economist)
Striving for peace every day in Ukraine means “shared responsibility for caring for human dignity”
(Conference of European Churches)
Jehovah’s Witnesses ease shunning rules after blow in Oslo court
(Evert van Vlastuin, Christian Network Europe)
Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh fear their religious heritage is in peril
(Arnaud Spilioti, La Croix International)
New book: State Cooperation with Religion in Europe (Spanish)
(Silvia Meseguer Velasco, Aranzadi)
South Africa: Parliament Voting Scorecard
(Freedom of Religion South Africa (FOR SA))
Chicago’s application of parking regulations violates RLUIPA
(Eden (Hunter) Yerby, RLUIPA Defense Blog)
Death & Immortality (Volume 60 - Special Issue S1 - May 2024)
(Religious Studies, An International Journal for the Philosophy of Religion, Cambridge University Press)
Qualified immunity granted in denial of religious exemption from vaccine mandate
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Home secretary holds talks over Jewish community safety fears
(Lee Harpin, Jewish News)
France’s religious leaders united against "assisted dying"
(Guillaume Daudé, La Croix International)
CAIR-MI welcomes bill granting religious accommodation for postsecondary exams
(Ismail Allison, Council on American-Islamic Relations)
Bangladesh: Fear of sectarian violence after Bangladesh lynching
(Emran Hossain, Union of Catholic Asian News)
Nicaragua: Rights advocate: Dictatorship profanes Nicaraguan churches
(David Agren, OSV News)
Sudan: In solidarity visit to Sudan, WCC strengthens foundations for peace
(World Council of Churches)
COMECE Youth Net convenes in Warsaw to empower youth participation in solidarity and democracy
(The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE))
Japan: Over 600% increase in hate speech and crimes against Jehovah’s Witnesses
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
EU Parliament votes to define surrogacy as human trafficking
(Hélène de Lauzun, The European Conservative)
No “religious” beds for the homeless?
(Steve West, World)
Religious accommodations at U.S. colleges: What to know
(Anayat Durrani, U.S. News)
Morocco: Silenced voices… freedom of expression and religious minorities in Morocco
(Dahmani Youssef, Yabiladi)
Pepperdine hosts former ambassadors in discussion about bipartisan approaches to international religious freedom
(Pepperdine University)
Faith, politics, and environmental stewardship: identity, religiosity, and malleability in Americans’ climate change attitude
(Youssef Chouhoud, PRRI)
Thursday, 25 April 2024
EVENT, 23-25 April 2024: Oceania Perspectives on Human Dignity (Laie, Hawaii, USA)
(Brigham Young University – Hawaii, The Human Dignity Initiative)
ONLINE COURSE, 25 April - 16 May 2024: Religions, Beliefs, and Human Rights: A Faith for Rights Approach (Instructor-Led)
(The United States Institute of Peace)
Wednesday, 24 April 2024
Australian police arrest 7 alleged teen extremists linked to stabbing of a bishop in a Sydney church
(Mark Baker and Rod McGuirk, Associated Press)
Australia: Is Australian multiculturalism at a crossroads? How terror attacks on faith communities tear the social fabric
(Josh Roose, ABC News Australia)
VIRTUAL EVENT, 24 April 2024 (9:30AM ET): Harmony in Diversity - "Anglicanism / Episcopal Church" with Lynnaia Main
(European Union and United Nations Offices of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
EVENT, 24 April 2024 (19:30h GMT+2): Informe de Libertad Religiosa 2023 por España (Santiago de Compostela, Spain)
(Ayuda a la Iglesia Necesitada, Archidiócesis de Santiago de Compostela)
A video of this month’s panel on Kennedy v. Bremerton School District
(Mark Movsesian, Law and Religion Forum, St. John's Law School Center for Law & Religion)
Spain approves plan to compensate victims of Catholic Church sex abuse. Church will be asked to pay
(Associated Press)
India: Modi is accused of using hate speech for calling Muslims ‘infiltrators’ at an Indian election rally
(Krutika Pathi, Associated Press)
A Russian Orthodox priest who took part in services for Navalny is suspended by the patriarch
(Associated Press)
Russia and FECRIS: When a picture is worth a thousand words
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter)
Vietnam: CSW joins calls for clear and transparent investigation into the suspicious death of Evangelical Christian
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
Peru: Psychologist becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia after fighting in court for years
(Franklin Briceño, Associated Press)
The Church of the Eagle and the Condor reaches a settlement with federal agencies affirming the religious right to use ayahuasca
(Sam Reisman, The Church of the Eagle and the Condor)
Launch of Shivdham Kailash Mansarovar Tibet Freedom Association marks global initiative for religious freedom
(Fox Story India)
After Rwanda: Statement from church leaders
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Religious freedom is back on the agenda
(Miles Windsor, The Critic)
Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion Bill backed by Foreign Secretary
(Heather Preston, Premier Christian News)
Mozambique: Islamic terrorists increasingly targeting Christians and churches In Mozambique
(Cyril Zenda, Religion Unplugged)
Colorado lawmakers pass bill allowing for regalia of cultural and religious significance at graduation
(Paolo Zialcita and Tom Hesse, Colorado Public Radio)
Dominica High Court overturns ban on same-sex relations
(Alys Davies, BBC)
Italy passes contested plan to 'support motherhood' in abortion clinics
(Reuters)
Mexico asks Church’s help to mediate diplomatic crisis with Ecuador
(Eduardo Campos Lima, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Police tangle with students in Texas and California as wave of campus protest against Gaza war grows
(Nick Perry and Karen Matthews, Associated Press)
We have come into His house: The Black church, Florida’s Stop W.O.K.E., and the fight to teach Black history (Part I)
(Timothy Welbeck, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
The Head of the UGCC: With a heavy heart, we acknowledge the degradation of ecclesiastical life in Russia
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
FBI’s probe of Catholics: Unfinished business – OpEd
(William Donohue, Eurasia Review)
West Bank tensions – Israeli forces kill Palestinian woman, hundreds storm Al-Aqsa
(Palestine Chronicle)
Georgian Muslim Relations and Others v. Georgia – A bleeding pig’s head and other expressions of religious hatred with no police intervention
(Cathérine Van de Graaf, Strasbourg Observers)
Egypt: Christians attacked following rumours of planned church construction
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
Religious freedom prevails after Christian orgs challenge Virginia 'Values' Act
(Alliance Defending Freedom)
Attorney argues religious freedom laws protect Tucson Raytheon protestors from prosecution
(Paul Ingram, Tucson Sentinel)
Uganda: Pastors, govt clash over proposed religious policy
(Mike Sebalu, Monitor)
Scott, Huffman, Raskin applaud Biden’s faith-based regulations and champion religious liberty
(Bobby Scott, U.S. House of Representatives)
Dialogue and religious freedom in Portugal (Portuguese)
(RTP)
Brazil's bishops alarmed over growing number of land disputes
(Eduardo Campos Lima, OSV News)
Brazil: Exhibition invites the public to reflect on intolerance and religious freedom (Portuguese)
(Folha Vitoria)
Brazil: Brazil regulates the slaughter and processing of animals for religious markets (Portuguese)
(Agência Brasil, Canal Rural)
Brazil: Religious freedom and everyday life (Portuguese)
(Felipe Lemos, Notícias Adventistas)
CEC strengthens ecumenical cooperation at COMECE Assembly
(Conference of European Churches)
Monday, 22 April 2024
Australian PM calls X's fight against removal of church stabbing posts 'extraordinary'
(Renju Jose, Reuters)
Australia: Tickle v Giggle: transgender woman sues female-only ‘online refuge’ for alleged discrimination in landmark case
(Daisy Dumas, The Guardian)
EVENT, 22 April 2024 (9:30AM ET): 2024 Symposium on Religious Speech in the Context of Anti-Blasphemy and Anti-Proselytism Laws (Notre Dame, IN USA)
(University of Notre Dame Law School)
Teenager is charged with terrorism offenses in stabbings of bishop and priest at Sydney church
(Mark Baker and Keiran Smith, Associated Press)
Australian judge bans X from sharing video of bishop being stabbed in Sydney church
(Rod McGuirk, Associated Press)
FBI investigating threats against ‘multiple faith communities’ in Pennsylvania
(Daniel Payne, Catholic News Agency)
Around the web - 22 April 2024
(Law and Religion Forum, St. John's Law School Center for Law & Religion)
Strengthening the church-state wall to protect democracy
(Brian Kaylor, Word & Way)
Bible-tweet case to be heard at Finnish Supreme Court
(ADF International)
Tunisian Jews scale back annual pilgrimage to ancient synagogue because of security concerns
(Massinissa Benlakehal, Associated Press)
Mexico’s likely next president would be its first leader with a Jewish background
(María Teresa Hernández, Associated Press)
Iowa lawmakers address immigration, religious freedom and taxes in 2024 session
(Hannah Fingerhut, Associated Press)
Iran: Democratic shārīe‘ā vs. corrupted shārīe‘ā: The morality police of Iran
(Mohamed Arafa, London School of Economics Religion and Global Society Blog)
Democratic shārīe‘ā vs. corrupted shārīe‘ā: Proposing an International Islamic Alliance
(Mohamed Arafa, London School of Economics Religion and Global Society Blog)
China: Religious worship is a human right, even in China. Bring David Lin home.
(The Washington Post)
LGBT+ people drawn to minority religions - census
(Tim Dodd, BBC)
London police to meet with Jewish leaders as protests spark concerns about the safety of Jews
(Danica Kirka, Associated Press)
Scottish Parliament to be presented with special Bible to mark 25th anniversary of devolution
(The Church of Scotland)
Columbia University faces full-blown crisis as rabbi calls for Jewish students to ‘return home’
(Celina Tebor, Zoe Sottile and Matt Egan, CNN)
India: ‘Infiltrators’: Modi accused of anti-Muslim hate speech amid India election
(Yashraj Sharma, Al Jazeera)
India: Modi’s Muslim remarks spark ‘hate speech’ accusations as India’s mammoth election deepens divides
(Rhea Mogul, CNN)
India: Hindus stage protest at Catholic school in India over clothes ruling
(Nirmala Carvalho, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
India: The largest religious celebration on earth: India's Kumbh Mela
(Christian Science Monitor)
Vol. 17 No. 1 (2024): Ideology, theology and practicality
(The International Journal for Religious Freedom (IJRF))
Canada: What is the 'halal mortgage' Canada wants to approve for Muslims?
(The New Arab)
War, hostages, antisemitism: A somber backdrop to this year’s Passover observances
(David Crary, Associated Press)
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