Law and Religion Headlines

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Monday, 1 June 2020

The new normal: back to church in Papua New Guinea
(Willie Kunsei, Adventist News Network)

Amid mounting protests in the US, Pope Francis calls for unity in diversity
(Claire Giangravé, Religion News Service)

US Supreme Court, 5-4, refuses to enjoin California's limits on worship services
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Court declines to lift restrictions on crowds at church services
(Amy Howe, SCOTUSblog)

TRO denied in church's challenge to Delaware COVID-19 order
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Federal judge denies request to more broadly open Delaware churches
(Esteban Parra and Isabel Hughes, Delaware News Journal)

Court refuses to order Vermont to extend dual enrollment program to Catholic school
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Church's RLUIPA zoning claim rejected
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Guidance released on NSW COVID-19 laws and churches
(Neil Foster, Law and Religion Australia)

U.S. Supreme Court upholds California’s COVID-19 restrictions on religious worship
(Evan Seeman, RLUIPA-Defense)

Minneapolis basilica damaged by fire In riots
(JD Flynn, Eurasia Review)

The US report on religious freedom in India calls for reflection
(Faizan Mustafa, The Indian Express)

Taiwan court strikes down law criminalizing adultery
(Amy Qin, The New York Times)

Religious responses to domestic abuse during the covid-19 pandemic
(Katherine Marshall, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs | World Faiths Development Dialogue)

Pixar makes history with first LGBT protagonist in short movie Out
(Jake Coyle, Time)

Supreme Court decision could affect abortion debate in America
(Charles C. Camosy, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

Missouri's only abortion clinic wins licensing battle against state health department
(Gabriella Borter, Reuters)

DOJ supports church suing to overturn Colorado governor’s executive order
(Tyler Gillett, Jurist)

Vice President Pence mourns loss of evangelist at service
(Jeff Martin, Associated Press)

Faith leaders in dual roles guiding congregations and police
(Giovanna Dell’Orto, Associated Press)

Missionary says ‘one nation, two systems’ sets up Hong Kong for a fall
(Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

London archbishop says opening churches a matter of ‘basic equality’
(Charles Collins, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

Africans in Germany lose their church communities
(Daniel Pelz, Deutsche Welle)

Pandemic creates problems for Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
(Kavkazskii Uzel, Russia Religion News (Stetson University))

When covering riots and flames, it's wise to seek veteran voices from black churches
(Terry Mattingly, GetReligion)

COVID-19: latest guidance from the Church of England – updated
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)

Captain Flinders navigates the law of burial
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)

White evangelicals shown as a group with slipping trust in Trump's handling of COVID-19
(Peter Kenny, Ecumenical News)

80% of Dutch cities involved in theft of Jewish property have no record of it
(Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Germany reports highest number of anti-Semitic crimes since 2001
(Toby Axelrod, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Latin America’s pandemic highlights best and worst of church-state relations
(Inés San Martín, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

Old religious quarrels return as covid-19 lockdowns ease
(The Economist)

Post-Soviet immigration strengthens Kazakhstan’s Jewish community
(Khaya Himmelman, Eurasianet)

Web series producer booked for hurting religious sentiments on BJP spokesperson's complaint
(Sahaya Novinston Lobo, The New Indian Express)

Widespread condemnation of mosque vandalism (Update 2)
(Evie Andreou, Cyprus Mail)

Freedom to worship must not be sacrificed to government restrictions during COVID-19 pandemic
(Miche P. Orsi, The Washington Times Opinion)

Pastors planned to ignore Governor’s rules on Sunday
(Valley News)

North American Division releases practical guide to digital discipleship and evangelism
(Big Data + Social Media, North American Division, Adventist Review Online)

Reopening states are still treating churches and businesses differently
(Nicole Russell, The Washington Examiner Opinion)

Federal finding on transgender athletes applauded
(Tom Strode, Biblical Recorder)

Churches in 6 states damaged by violent protests
(Christine Rousselle, Catholic News Agency)

Press Release: His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros direct Archdiocese clergy Syndesmos address
(Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America)

In the name of ‘Religious Liberty,’ Roger Severino wants to feed U.S. Christians to the (COVID-19) lions
(Ivan Strenski, Sightings: The University of Chicago Divinity School)

Sunday, 31 May 2020

Berkley Center May 2020 Newsletter
(Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)

Christian Association of Nigeria demands release of kidnapped Bishop Joseph Masin
(Anugrah Kumar, The Christian Post)

Pope Francis prays for pandemic-hit Amazon region at Regina Coeli
(Catholic News Agency)

Pope Francis calls for 'a more just, equitable and Christian society' after coronavirus crisis
(Catholic News Agency)

Pope Francis urges Christians to be united as 'witnesses to mercy'
(Catholic News Agency)

Venezuelan bishops: Country’s situation is ‘unacceptable’
(Catholic News Agency)

Amazon delivery driver who prayed God would protect sick child says 'God is good'
(Catholic News Agency)

COVID-19: Akufo-Addo lifts ban on religious activities in Ghana
(Andreas Kamasah, Pulse.gh)

Black activists to learn from on Blackout Tuesday
(Kathryn Post, Religion News Service)

Saturday, 30 May 2020

GAiN Europe Series Launches May 30, 2020
(Victor Hulbert/Corrado Cozzi, Adventist News Network)

What COVID-19 restrictions on religious freedom reveal about America in 2020: An interview with Thomas Farr
(Religious Freedom Institute: Cornerstone Blog)

Pope Francis to lead global prayer ceremony on eve of Pentecost
(Claire Giangravé, Religion News Service)

Religion Photos of the Week - 29 May 2020
(Kit Doyle, Religion News Service)

The European Convention on Human Rights Law Review - Volume 1, Issue 1

The Conscience of Europe that Landed in Strasbourg: A Circle of Life of the European Court of Human Rights
(Kanstantsin Dzehtsiarou and Vassilis P Tzevelekos, The European Convention on Human Rights Law Review, Vol. 1 (1): 1–6)

A sage appraisal of COVID-19
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)

Churches begin navigating a gradual reopening with safety as top priority
(Jeff Thomas, Catholic News Service)

Supreme Court, in rare late-night ruling, says California may enforce certain restrictions on religious gatherings
(Robert Barnes, The Washington Post)

Why staying home from church fulfills commandment to love thy neighbor
(Gracie Bond Staples, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Opinion)

When pastors and pews disagree on churches reopening
(Kara Bettis, Christianity Today)

Jews tell about celebrating Shavout under quarantine
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))

Ukraine opened a case against FSB for searches of Jehovah's Witnesses
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))

DAILY HIGHLIGHT #74: Reopening Churches: Risks Versus Benefits
(COVID-19: Exploring Faith Dimensions, Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)

Covid-19 and Elections in sub-Saharan Africa: what risks for democracy and human rights?
(Statement, FIDH: International Federation for Human Rights)

West Africa facing food crisis as coronavirus spread: Pandemic adds to jihadi and climate change threats to present ‘immense challenge’ for region
(Emmanuel Akinwotu, The Guardian)

Human rights threatened under COVID-19 pandemic
(VOA - Straight Talk Africa)

Remembering Shaheen: A Yazidi who gave his life rescuing Arab Muslims in Mosul
(Matthew Travis Barber, Syria Comment: Syrian Politics, History, and Religion)

Islam and free speech in Denmark
(Flemming Rose and Mustafa Aykol, Law & Liberty)

Worship in Coronavirus time- the latest NSW rules
(Neil Foster, Law and Religion Australia)

Isolation Bookshelf: Words matter
(Matthew J. Franck, Public Discourse: The Journal of the Witherspoon Institute)

The McHugh Factor: The ideology of transgenderism will brook no dissent
(Matthew J. Franck, Public Discourse: The Journal of the Witherspoon Institute)

Supreme Court rejects challenge to limits on church services
(Mark Sherman, Religion News Service)

From Illinois to Puerto Rico, Latino Muslims navigate faith and quarantine among their non-Muslim families
(Alejandra Molina, Religion News Service)

Trained in rebuilding after disasters, NC Baptists now distribute food boxes
(Yonat Shimron, Religion News Service)

Efrem Smith on the death of George Floyd and what divides white and black Christians
(Bob Smietana, Religion News Service)

In Minneapolis, faith groups rush to aid demonstrators as they decry racism
(Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)

Condemnation of acts of racism and white supremacy
(Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta, RNS Press Release Distribution Service)

How Ravi Zacharias changed the way evangelism is done
(Timothy Keller, Religion News Service)

George Floyd's ministry friends say he was their 'OG,' a 'man of peace'
(Liza Vandenboom, Religion Unplugged)

State bar group calls for ‘mandatory’ COVID-19 vaccinations, regardless of objections
(Jason Grant, New York Law Journal, DiReSoM: Diritto e Religione nelle Società Multiculturali/ Law and Religion in Multicultural Societies)

COVID-19 story few are covering: Vast majority of Baptists (and others) are being careful
(Terry Mattingly, GetReligion)

When American conservatism becomes un-American
(George F.Will, The Washington Post Opinions)

Ontario: Recalibrating education
(Peter Stockland, Convivium: Canada's Premier Hub for Faith in Common Life)

COVID-19: Re-opening plans across Canada
(Deina Warren, Canadian Council of Christian Charities: Noteworthy)

Why Americans should worry about religious persecution in Nigeria: A conversation with Eric Patterson
(https://www.religiousfreedominstitute.org/blog/why-americans-should-worry-about-religious-persecution-in-nigeria, Religious Freedom Institute Blog)

Growing animus toward religious schools in Sweden
(Jacob Rudenstrand and Paul Marshall, Religious Freedom Institute: Cornerstone Blog)

Cyber attacks and cyber (mis)information operations during a pandemic
(Marko Milanovic, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)

First Five: Should courts decide who is a religious minister?
(Benjamin Marcus, Salina Post)

Orthodox Jews will challenge Doug Ford’s COVID-19 restrictions on religious liberty
(Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, LifeSiteNews)

U.S. Attorney's office files Statement of Interest in support of freedom of religion against the state of Colorado
(Patch)

Justice Department backs Colorado church suit against Polis
(The Hour)

California ends ban on in-person religious services as one church takes it to US Supreme Court
(Paul Strand, CBN News)

What is worship and is it really ‘essential’?
(Richard Kannwischer, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Opinion)

Divided Supreme Court rejects churches on covid restrictions
(Greg Stohr, Bloomberg Law)

Some say if retail stores are open, churches should be too. Here’s why it’s not so simple.
(Carol Kuruvilla, Huffington Post)

Minn. gov. issues 'full mobilization' of National Guard, says violent rioters are 'attacking civil society'
(Anugrah Kumar, The Christian Post)

Supreme Court rejects Calif. church’s request to lift limits on in-person services ahead of Pentecost Sunday
(Anugrah Kumar, The Christian Post)

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