Law and Religion Headlines

---

Friday, 15 December 2023

Polish bishop reacts to call for changes to religion classes
(Luke Coppen, The Pillar)

Poland must legally recognize same-sex couples, European Human Rights Court rules
(Ryan Adamczeski, The Advocate)

Catholic church calls for dialogue with new government on proposed changes to school religion classes
(Notes from Poland)

Canada: Vegan firefighter loses bid to protect ethical vegans from discrimination
(Claire Hamlett, Plant Based News)

Wary court mulls religious claim over race, gender training
(Khorri Atkinson, Bloomberg Law)

Alabama’s plan for nation’s first execution by nitrogen gas is ‘hostile to religion,’ lawsuit says
(Kim Chandler, Associated Press)

Nigeria: Noise pollution: Lagos talks tough, places worship centres on close watch
(Olasunkanmi Akoni, Vanguard)

Nigeria: USCIRF alarmed by rising violence against religious groups in Nigeria
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

Human rights leaders call for Nigeria to be redesignated as religious freedom violator
(Joe Bukuras, Catholic News Agency)

Christians and U.S. Policy on Armenia: Historically and Today
(Mark Movsesian, SSRN)

Japan: Law to rescue Unification Church victims: Thoroughly monitor the religious group’s assets
(The Japan News)

Japan: Law enacted to monitor asset shielding by religious corporations
(Kyodo News)

The “DiReSoM – Law and Religion in Multicultural Societies” Association is born
(DiReSoM: Diritto e Religione nelle Società Multiculturali/ Law and Religion in Multicultural Societies)

India: When 'honor'-and bureaucracy-stand in the way of marriage
(Khushbu Sharma, Zocalo)

Survey results: American Christian views on the Israel-Hamas war
(The Philos Project)

India: USCIRF deeply concerned by India’s transnational repression against religious minorities
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

Top Polish leaders celebrate Hanukkah in parliament after antisemitic incident
(Vanessa Gera, Associated Press)

Protections from discrimination, or the right to discriminate: changing public perceptions of LGBTQ rights and religious freedom
(Kelsy Burke, PRRI)

'Germany will remain a home for Jews': German president (video)
(Theresa Tropper, Deutsche Welle)

Religious families urge Minnesota school district to opt-out their kids from LGBTQ curriculum
(First Liberty)

Many LGBTQ+ people are religious. Why don’t we have more data about them?
(Jasmine Mithani, The 19th)

Germany and Turkey agree to train imams who serve Germany’s Turkish immigrant community in Germany
(Kirsten Grieshaber, Associated Press)

Germany, Netherlands arrest 4 over Hamas plot
(Deutsche Welle)

‘Safe’ abortion zones Bill a threat to freedom of religion, belief and expression, says Catholic Primate
(Patsy McGarry, The Irish Times)

4th Circuit: Nation of Gods and Earths may qualify as a religion
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Illinois won't prosecute pro-life centers under 'deceptive business practices' law
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)

How to manage the end of perpetual challenging rights? – The case of Legros and Others v. France
(Daniel Krotov, Strasbourg Observers)

NSS supports international secularism conference in Paris
(National Secular Society)

Unconstitutional religious discrimination runs rampant in state programs
(Nicole Stelle Garnett, Tim Rosenberger, Manhattan Institute)

Role of Islam in Turkish education fuels secularist fears
(Daren Butler and Birsen Altayli, Reuters)

Albania returns 20 stolen icons to neighboring North Macedonia
(Llazar Semini, Associated Press)

Virginia Supreme Court rules for teacher who refused to use student's preferred pronouns
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

We can’t take democracy for granted
(Simran Jeet Singh, RNS Column: Articles of Faith)

Dept. of Education to investigate antisemitism on at least 5 more campuses including Rutgers and Tulane
(Andrew Lapin, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Survey: Antisemitism at US campuses limited to select schools
(Yonat Shimron, Religion News Service)

Black church coalition names reparations, voting, health equity among priorities
(Adelle M. Banks, Religion News Service)

In Texas, debate over school chaplains escalates school board culture wars
(Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)

Israel-Gaza: Does Islamophobia play a part in US foreign policy? (video)
(Al Jazeera)

Crimea: Continuing Russian attempts to crush religious communities
(Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service)

SBU thwarted anti-Semitic actions planned by Russia, - Chief Rabbi of Ukraine
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))

EU Enlargement | COMECE President welcomes historic decision of the European Council
(The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE))

UGCC activities banned in occupied Zaporizhzhia (document)
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))

Russia is trying to use national minorities against Ukraine's interests – Ismagilov
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))

Kyrgyzstan: raids, closures of mosques, madrassahs, Muslim critics arrested
(Mushfig Bayram, Forum 18 News Service)

Shifting alliances and the lost consensus: The Religious Freedom Restoration Act at thirty
(Kenneth Townsend, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)

Religious expressions, displays get new protection under 2023 defense authorization bill
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)

Vietnam: President invites Pope Francis to visit Vietnam
(Union of Catholic Asian News)

Israeli troops kill 12 Palestinians, desecrate West Bank mosque
(Ali Sawafta, Reuters)

Development: COMECE welcomes EP recognition of the role of faith-based actors in education
(The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE))

Strong and deep nexus between human dignity and religious freedom
(Jan Figel, Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

Tunisia: RFI announces joint report with UK officials on religious freedom in Tunisia
(Religious Freedom Institute)

Church of England to introduce same-sex blessing, as it faces ‘disestablishment’ bill in Parliament
(Catherine Pepinster, Religion News Service)

The tense battleground of religion in schools is not a Jewish Issue (opinion)
(Shimon Cohen, Jewish News)

European Parliament votes in favour of controversial Parenthood Certificate
(Christian Network Europe)

Iran: Criminalizing blasphemy: implications for Iran’s religious minorities
(Lucy Ridout and Saad Ahmad, Minority Rights Group International)

Iran: Religious minorities in Iran face cultural violence
(Fred Petrossian, Global Voices)

Italy: “Religious freedom is still caged in a political-religious culture that has not accepted pluralism”
(Evangelical Focus)

Brazil: The protection of the right to religious freedom of Afro-religious people in Brazil based on the right of response (Portuguese)
(Isabela Maria Soares Silva, Jota)

Thursday, 14 December 2023

VIRTUAL EVENT, 14 December 2023 (12PM ET): Is Our Conscience Revolted? A Conversation on Children in War, Grounded in Rights and Faith
(Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)

VIRTUAL EVENT, 14 December 2023 (4:30PM GMT+2): Upholding the Dignity of the Human Person
(Swami Sarvapriyananda and Rabbi Alon Goshen-Gottstein, Elijah Interfaith Institute)

Wednesday, 13 December 2023

‘I no longer feel at home here’: German Muslims frustrated by Israel backing
(Kate Connolly, The Guardian)

Kindergarten in Germany removes Christmas tree and sparks debate
(Ivan Dimitrov, The European Times)

Berlin drops Mahmoud Abbas’ Holocaust hate speech case due to diplomatic immunity
(Toby Axelrod, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

The future of freedom of religion or belief and human rights | Episode 3 (video)
(YouTube Video, European Union Office of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)

VIRTUAL EVENT, 13 December 2023 (11AM ET): USCIRF Conversation: Religious Freedom for Indigenous Communities in Latin America
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

VIRTUAL EVENT, 13 December 2023 (12:30 GMT): The Impact of International Monitoring Mechanisms on Human Rights in the UK
(Linked In, Centre for European Law and Internationalisation - CELI)

Readout of White House meeting with Jewish American leaders to discuss ongoing efforts to combat antisemitism and hate-fueled violence
(The White House)

Ahead of White House Hanukkah celebration, a wave of faith-led cease-fire demonstrations
(Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)

What philanthropy and nonprofits lose as religion fades
(Drew Lindsay, The Chronicle of Philanthropy)

South Africa: Update on recent or current religious freedom issues and cases
(Freedom of Religion South Africa (FOR SA))

75 years on, stop viewing religious freedom as a second-class human right
(Samuel Brownback and Katrina Lantos Swett, The Hill)

Natural rights are human rights and human rights are natural rights
(Daniel Philpott, Arc of the Universe)

2nd Circuit: Jewish school prevented from purchasing site meets standing and ripeness requirements to sue
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

China’s Christian population appears to have stopped growing after rising rapidly in the 1980s and ’90s
(Conrad Hackett, Pew Research Center)

Bethlehem nativity scene puts Jesus in Gaza rubble
(Gil Zohar, Religion Unplugged)

Is Hamas waging a religious war?
(Graeme Wood, The Atlantic)

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama extols India’s religious harmony
(Central Tibetan Administration)

India: Hundreds of Christians arrested in India under anti-conversion laws
(Andrew Boyd, Anglican Ink)

Republican governor asks for prayers over Satanic Temple display
(Aila Slisco, Newsweek)

Turkey and Iran use religion for influence building in US and Europe
(Majid Mohammadi, Iran International)

Ghana: Religious leaders to petition Parliament to halt Lithium deal with Barari DV Company
(Modern Ghana)

Is it safe to bury the truth under the family tree? The ECtHR’s response in Gauvin-Fournis and Silliau v France
(Sabrina Praduroux, Strasbourg Observers)

USCIRF warns against new French anti-cult draft law
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter)

The victory of the Netherlands' Geert Wilders and the crisis of Western values | Opinion
(Miles P. J. Windsor, Newsweek)

McCaul mulls subpoena for State in atheism grant probe
(Susan Crabtree, Real Clear Politics)

How media demonize religious minorities
(Willy Fautré, Bitter Winter)

Far-right lawmaker extinguishes Hanukkah candles in Polish parliament
(Vanessa Gera, Associated Press)

Muslim migrants in New York find refuge in a Nigerian church
(Fiona André, Religion News Service)

Essay series: Holidays as times for peace
(Tobias Winright, William Schweiker, Najeeba Syeed, Leo Lefebure, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)

Hundreds of church leaders call on SNP to ditch conversion therapy plan as Australian comparison made
(Douglas Dickie, Scottish Daily Express)

Independent Safeguarding Board: Review’s findings
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)

Philippines: Jews increasingly living in a time where antisemitism is accepted
(Baby Lyn Cacho Resulta, Religion Unplugged)

Christian group, ACLU sue Metro over rejected bus ads featuring a praying George Washington
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)

American Muslims will not sign our ballots in blood
(Irfan Kovankaya, Middle East Monitor)

Faith-based leaders release statement to Global Refugee Forum: “seeking asylum is a basic human right”
(World Council of Churches)

Food, water, climate justice a moral imperative, shows COP28 side event
(World Council of Churches)

Ukraine: Bombed Odesa Cathedral: Financial assistance from Italy expected in December
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

How to serve kosher eating prisoners
(Christian Network Europe)

Brazil: MDHC establishes National Committee to Respect Religious Freedom (Portuguese)
(Ministério dos Direitos Humanos e da Cidadania)

Brazil: Judge guarantees right of Jehovah's Witness to deny blood transfusion (Portuguese)
(Conjur)

Search

Go!

Filter by Category

Events

International

Europe

United States

Filter by Topic

Abuse Adoption Blasphemy / Offense to Religion Children and Youth Church-State Relations Citizenship Constitutional Space COVID-19 COVID-19 Resources Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (abortion case) Ecclesiastical Abstention Education Environment Espinoza v. Montana (SCOTUS school funding case) Eugenics Extremism Family Law Freedom of Expression Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) Fulton v. Philadelphia (faith-based adoption agencies and same-sex couples) G20 Interfaith Forum Gender Genocide George Floyd Health and Wellbeing Human Dignity Human Fraternity ICLRS Symposium Identity Interfaith Dialogue Jewish Law June Medical Services (SCOTUS abortion case) Little Sisters of the Poor v. Pennsylvania Our Lady of Guadalupe School (SCOTUS ministerial exception case) Politics Poverty Property Race Religious Food Practices Religious Freedom Religious Holidays Religious Literacy Rule of Law Russia's Extremism Laws Slavery Social Service Spirituality Technology, Innovation, Infrastructure The Economy Ukrainian Autocephaly Violence Women / Equality Abortion Accreditation Activism Advocate Health Care Network v. Stapleton Affordable Care Act/HHS Mandate Al-Qaeda Annual International Law and Religion Symposium Anti-Christian Sentiment Anti-Islam Film Anti-Muslim Sentiment Anti-Semitism Apartheid Apostasy Articles & Speeches Asylum Australia Same-Sex Marriage Vote Bakery cases Billy Graham Blaine Amendments Boko Haram Bostock v. Clayton County (LGBT employment rights case) Boy Scouts Braidwood v. Becerra (Affordable Care Act) Brexit Calls for Papers / Contests Canada's Office of Religious Freedom Censorship Charlie Gard Case Charlie Hebdo Circumcision Climate Change Conscientious Objection Copenhagen Declaration (2018) Counter-terrorism Death Penalty Defamation Definition of Religion or Belief Democracy Derogation Desecration Discrimination Dissent ECHR/ECtHR ENDA ERISA Ethics Ethnic Cleansing EU Guidelines on Freedom of Religion or Belief European Court of Justice Euthanasia/Assisted Dying Events Eweida and Others Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Faith Based Law Schools Family FIDELA First Amendment Defense Act (FADA) Franciscan Alliance v. Burwell (Texas Transgender Mandate Case) Freedom of Assembly Freedom of Movement Globalism Gloucester County School Board ("Transgender Bathroom case") Government Funding of Religion Government Obligations Ground Zero Cross Hate Crimes Hate Speech Headscarf / Veil / Burqa HHS Transgender Mandate Hobby Lobby case Holt v. Hobbs Honor Killing Human Genomics Debate Human Rights Human Trafficking Humanitarian Aid Immigration Inequality Inhumane Treatment Interfaith International Law ISIS / ISIL / Daesh / "Islamic State" Jehovah's Witnesses v. Wall (Canada) Jerusalem passports case Jurisdiction Justice Scalia Kelley v. Becerra (Affordable Care Act) Kentucky Clerk Case Lee v. Tam (trademark case) Legislation & Religion LGBTQi+ issues Magna Carta Malaysia Allah Case Margin of Appreciation Marrakesh Declaration Marriage / Divorce / Civil Union Masterpiece Cakeshop Case Mexico Massacre Middle East Migration Military Ministerial Exception Minorities Missionary/Proselytism Mt. Soledad Cross Multiculturalism Narratives Neutrality New Religious Movements Newsletter NIFLA v. Becerra (compelled-speech case) Oaths of Allegiance Obergefell v. Hodges Orlando Massacre Pan-Orthodox Council Parental Rights Parliament of the World's Religions Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Peacebuilding Pluralism Politics & Religion Pope Francis Pornography Prejudice Prisoner Free Exercise Prisoners Privacy Private and Family Life Proselytism / Evangelism Public Cross Cases Public Morals Public Prayer Publications Pussy Riot case Quebec Charter Plan Radicalization Refoulement Refugee/Migrant Crisis Registration Religion & Culture Religion & Government Religion in the Public Sphere Religious Accommodation Religious Autonomy Religious Clergy Religious Clothing Religious Conversion Religious Demographics Religious Demonstration Religious Diversity Religious Exemption Religious Free Exercise Religious Freedom & Business Religious Harmony Religious Hatred Religious Hostilities Religious Incitement Religious Intolerance Religious Oppression Religious Persecution Religious Registration Religious Symbols Religious Tolerance Reparations Restrictions on Religion RFAR RFRA Right to Effecitve Remedy Right to Fair Hearing Right to Life RLUIPA Roe v. Wade Romney Sacred Spaces Same-sex unions Secularism Security Social Justice Social Media Sovereignty Sterling v. United States (RFRA) Stormans v. Weisman (Pharmacists' Case) Surrogacy Sustainable Development Syria Tax / Finance and Religion Terrorism The Vatican Third-party intervention Title IX Torture or inhuman treatment Travel Ban Treaties Trinity Lutheran Church v. Comer Trinity Western University Ukraine UN Human Rights Council UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief US Constitution US State Department Religious Freedom Reports USCIRF Utah Compromise Victims War Crimes Wedding vendor cases Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt (Texas abortion case) Workplace / Employment Zubik v. Burwell ("Little Sisters of the Poor")

Filter by Country

Afghanistan African Union Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas, The Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of the Cook Islands Costa Rica Côte d'Ivoire Council of Europe Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czechia Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia European Union Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Polynesia Gabon Gambia, The Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Greenland Grenada Guam Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Holy See Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao PDR Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macau Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Mauritania Mauritius Mexico Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar (Burma) Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherland Antilles Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue North Macedonia Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestinian Territories Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Russia Rwanda Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino São Tomé and Príncipe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Sweden Switzerland Syria Taiwan (Republic of China) Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Tibet Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Türkiye Turkmenistan Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine Union of Soviet Socialist Republics United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United Nations United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam Virgin Islands, British Yemen Yugoslavia Zambia Zimbabwe