Law and Religion Headlines
Friday, 22 December 2023
Brazil: STJ accepts request from association of atheists and agnostics and prohibits construction of the Museum of the Bible (Portuguese)
(Guilherme Grandi, Gazeta do Povo)
Ecuador: Religion in Ecuador: A cultural mosaic (Spanish)
(Manuel Alejandro De la Torre, ZBR)
Virginia Supreme Court announces controversial legal standard to revive teacher’s religious liberty claims over dismissal for refusing to use preferred student pronouns
(Don Byrd, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)
Wednesday, 20 December 2023
Finding objective ways to talk about religion in the classroom is tough − but the cost of not doing so is clear
(Charles J. Russo, The Conversation)
India court to weigh future of mosque in Hindu holy city
(France 24)
India: In India’s holiest city, Hindus worship the nation of India
(Richa Karmarkar, Religion News Service)
CALL FOR PAPERS, deadline 20 December 2023: European Yearbook on Human Rights 2024
(Völkerrechtsblog)
Russia: "Faith forbids him to take up arms, kill, or take oaths"
(Victoria Arnold, Forum 18 News Service)
Italian PM Giorgia Meloni takes a stand: 'No room for Sharia law in Italy'
(Essa News)
A majority of Americans have a friend of a different religion
(Rebecca Leppert, Pew Research Center)
There and back again: The Supreme Court’s Establishment Clause journey
(Gerard V. Bradley, Public Discourse: The Journal of the Witherspoon Institute)
Human rights — ‘vision and reality’
(Harvard Carr Center for Human Rights Policy)
Libya: Religious freedom conditions in Libya
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
China: Christian group and family raise outcry over detention of another ‘house church’ elder in China
(Huizhong Wu, Associated Press)
US Catholic leadership foresees challenges after repeated election defeats for abortion opponents
(David Crary, Associated Press)
Germany: Bavaria can hang crosses in state buildings
(Deutsche Welle)
Jews in Germany: The aftermath of the Hamas terror attacks
(Christoph Strack, Deutsche Welle)
Germany protests to Iran after a court ruling implicates Tehran in a plot to attack a synagogue
(Associated Press)
Canada: Liberals don't want to regulate speech with online harms bill, justice minister says
(Stephanie Taylor, The Canadian Press)
11th Circuit: Appeal of DEA's denial of religious exemption to Controlled Substances Act must be in Circuit Court
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Church buses used in released-time programs not subject to school bus regulations
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Occupied Ukraine: Zaporizhzhia priests still "disappeared", 4 Churches banned
(Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service)
European bishops back EU membership push for Ukraine, Moldova
(Elise Ann Allen, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
In a shift, Latvia and Lithuania are paying Holocaust survivors and heirs for their stolen property
(Shira Li Bartov, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
How anti-Zionism became anti-Judaism
(Mark Silk, RNS Column: Spiritual Politics)
U.S. religious freedom watchdog urges White House to list India as country of concern
(Daniel Payne, Catholic News Agency)
Religious freedom and comparative law: The protection of rights and the exception of religious freedom
(Andrea Pin et al., Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
Abortion clinics, Public Space Protection Orders and the ECHR: Tossici-Bolt
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
Nearly half of British Jews considered leaving UK due to antisemitism - poll
(Sam Halpern, The Jerusalem Post)
Ireland and Scotland may prohibit prayer outside abortion centers
(Life News)
Study: Christian nationalists may not be the demons that some claim
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)
Sri Lanka: Row over removal of security at Sri Lanka’s top Buddhist site
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Indonesia's official visits South Korea to discuss halal certification
(Antara News.)
Cuba: WCC general secretary at University of Havana: “Christians, cry out for peace!”
(World Council of Churches)
France: Religious freedom under threat: Over 85% of French people are against a new law
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
France: FECRIS tries twice to escape a court procedure—in vain
(Willy Fautré, Bitter Winter)
The Pablo Hasél case 2.0: Slander and defamation of the Spanish Crown according to the ECtHR
(Babette De Naeyer, Strasbourg Observers)
Sudan: Rapid Support Forces attack and occupy Coptic monastery in Wad Madani
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
Egypt: Extremists attack church building site and Christian homes and properties
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
Faith under fire: The biggest US religious freedom stories of 2023
(Brianna Herlihy, Fox News)
LGBTQ people raised Christian report more minority stressors, similar health to those who were not
(Williams Institutem UCLA School of Law)
Tuesday, 19 December 2023
VIRTUAL EVENT, 19 December 2023 (10AM ET): Refugees and Forced Displacement
(Elizabeth Ferris, Manzoor Hasan, Cyril Hovorun, Cynthia Juárez Lange, Katherine Marshall, Ruth Messinger, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Monday, 18 December 2023
Global Interfaith Monitor No. 18
(Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Articles of interest - 18 December 2023
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Religion Watch, Volume 39 No. 1
(Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion)
Two weeks in review, 4 – 16 December 2023
(Tal Gross, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)
Strong and deep nexus between human dignity and religious freedom
(Jan Figel, Janfigel.eu)
Religious expressions, displays get new protection under 2023 defense authorization bill
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)
Pakistan: Assessing blasphemy in Pakistan
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
MI city agrees to pay $825K, protect farmer’s religious freedom
(Alliance Defending Freedom)
Leaning into the hope of Advent when the world feels so dark
(Knox Thames, Religion News Service)
The Practice of Religious Politics in Plural Societies: A Perspective of Jürgen Habermas’s Theory of the Public Sphere on the Dynamics of Democracy in Salatiga City, Indonesia
(Robert Siagian and Yusak B. Setyawan, Journal of Interreligious Studies)
France: Religious freedom under threat – Open Letter to the Government
(Forum for Religious Freedom-Europe)
13 freedom of religion quotes you should know
(Freedom Forum)
Statement on the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights
(International Association for the Defense of Religious Liberty)
Conscience and the continuum of constitutionalism: John Calvin on civil government
(Constance Lee, Oxford Journal of Law and Religion)
Middle East Christians dwindle as anti-Christian hate crimes rise globally, says report
(Peter Kenny, Ecumenical News)
Religious leaders uniting on climate in solidarity with refugees, boost UN conference
(Peter Kenny, Ecumenical News)
Vatican court sending cardinal to jail for financial crimes
(Peter Kenny, Ecumenical News)
Christians in Turkey - A nun returns to her ancestral home (video)
(Deutsche Welle)
‘Anti-Zionism = Antisemitism’ isn’t just wrong, it’s the problem
(Shaul Magid, Religion Dispatches)
Vol. 16 No. 2 (2023): Challenges of religious communities in European secular states and beyond
(The International Journal for Religious Freedom)
Notre Dame Law School event highlights the need to protect the Jewish community amid the rise of antisemitism on U.S. college campuses
(Religious Liberty Initiative, University of Notre Dame Law School)
Black American solidarity with Palestinians is rising and testing longstanding ties to Jewish allies
(Noreen Nasir and Aaron Morrison, Associated Press)
Mexico: Catholic activists in Mexico help women reconcile their faith with abortion rights
(María Teresa Hernández, Associated Press)
Why can’t New York keep guns out of churches?
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)
Two women killed in Israeli attack on Holy Family parish in Gaza
(Vatican News)
Princeton conference celebrates UDHR’s 75th birthday
(Peter Berkowitz, Real Clear Politics)
Tajikistan: Religious freedom survey, December 2023
(Mushfig Bayram and John Kinahan, Forum 18 News Service)
Journalism question for our day: Are all attacks on public statues considered equal?
(Terry Mattingly, GetReligion)
Religion-beat pros: Spikes in Islamophobia and antisemitism topped U.S. news in 2023
(Bobby Ross Jr., GetReligion)
Prayers of Love and Faith from Sunday 17 December
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Salafism, state security and Article 9 rights: request for ECtHR opinion by Belgium
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
Vatican Declaration: Blessing same-sex couples
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Cuba: WCC general secretary will visit Cuba to voice support for churches, communities
(World Council of Churches)
International Migrants Day, “let’s advance the cause of humanity through a fair and just EU Pact on Migration and Asylum”
(The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE))
Russia: Religious issues & persecution – Bimonthly Digest Dec. 01-15
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
China: Religious issues & persecution – Bimonthly Digest Dec. 01-15
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Guangdong Overseas Friendship Association and Buddhist Association of Shenzhen visited the WFB headquarters
(The World Fellowship of Buddhists)
New approaches to protecting religious freedom: Cultural heritage protection as a framework for IRF advocacy
(Emily K. Scolaro, London School of Economics Religion and Global Society Blog)
Kazakhstan: Jehovah’s Witnesses and blood transfusion: HRWF enquires
(Willy Fautré, Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Ayahuasca exemption denied
(Courthouse News Service)
Iranian civil activists say forced hijab a tool for oppressing women
(Iran International)
A court ruled against itself: A strange Spanish decision on the Jehovah’s Witnesses
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter)
Uganda: Religious leaders take stand against political party wrangles
(Monitor)
Legal Journal Number 3 (19): December (Spanish)
(Observatorio de Libertad Religiosa de América Latina y El Caribe)
Sunday, 17 December 2023
VIRTUAL EVENT, 17 December 2023 (10AM ET): Human Rights Violations & Restrictions on Religious Freedom in Colombia
(Margarita Jaramillo, International Commission for Human Rights and Religious Freedom)
Friday, 15 December 2023
How ‘After School Satan Club’ is shaking things up
(Michael Levenson, The New York Times)
Education, faith leaders denounce planned Satan club at Tennessee elementary school
(Associated Press)
What can be done to stop rise of antisemitism, intolerance and hatred based on religion?
(Council of Europe)
Advisory opinion as to whether an individual may be denied authorisation to work as a security guard or officer on account of being close to or belonging to a religious movement
(The European Court of Human Rights)
European Court advisory opinion: Security clearance may be withdrawn for supporter of religion that is threat to the state
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
A perfect moment for the Organization of American States to lead
(Emily A. Cole, London School of Economics Religion and Global Society Blog)
WCC, with civil society groups, reiterates shared commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
(World Council of Churches)
Colombia: WCC general secretary speaks before Colombian senate
(World Council of Churches)
EVENT, 15 December 2023 (12PM ET): Faith and Flourishing Societies (Washington, DC, USA)
(Faith & Law)
CALL FOR ABSTRACTS, due 15 December 2023: Human Rights Accountability of Non-Universally Recognised States and State-Like Entities
(Centre for Accountability and Liability Law, Utrecht University)
CALL FOR PAPERS, proposals due 15 December 2023: Law, Religion, and Artificial Intelligence: Risks and Opportunities of an Uncertain Future
(Journal of Law and Religion, Emory University)
Nonprofits help the nonreligious search for meaning in their lives
(Emily Haynes, The Chronicle of Philanthropy)
Pretty scary: 7 things to know about religion's decline and charitable giving
(Drew Lindsay, The Chronicle of Philanthropy)
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