Law and Religion Headlines
Wednesday, 11 December 2019
UK politicians ‘don’t do God’ but religion matters in this election
(Holly Ellyatt, CNBC)
Freedom of Religion at Stake Competing Claims among Faith Traditions, States, and Persons
(Dion A. Forster, Elisabeth Gerle, Goran Gunner, Pickwick Publications: Church of Sweden Research Series)
COP25: “It is our Christian duty to care for creation”
(Conference of European Churches and the European Christian Environmental Network (ECEN))
Tuesday, 10 December 2019
CALL FOR PAPERS: Deadline 10 December 2019: Human Dignity and Human Rights – Christian Perspectives and Practices: A Focus on Constitutional and International Law
(International Center for Law and Religion Studies)
Event, 10 December 2019: Silencing Religious Freedom in Africa: The Impact of Speech Restrictions
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
December 10: United Nations Human Rights Day
In depth- Human Rights Day 2019
(Rajya Sabha TV, YouTube Video)
Human Rights Day celebrates ‘tremendous activism’ of the world’s young people
(UN News)
On Human Rights Day churches call for the protection of human life
(Conference of European Churches)
Human rights day 2019: Human rights evolution since establishment of the day
(India Today)
Borell: EU reaffirms its strong commitment to the full enjoyment of human rights by all women and girls
(News Armenia)
December 9: The world is marking the International Day and Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of Genocide
(Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes)
International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime 9 December
(United Nations)
Victims of ISIS genocide still waiting for justice
(ADF International)
Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide
(United Nations, Prevent Genocide International)
Middle East business leaders pledge support for religious freedom, acceptance in the workplace
(Press Release, Religious Freedom & Business Foundation)
Recent Articles and Books of Interest - 9 December 2019
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Misuse of anti-extremism: Reports from the SOVA Center
(SOVA Center for Information and Analysis)
Racism and xenophobia: Reports by the SOVA Center
(SOVA Center for Information and Analysis)
Republicans introduce bill to protect LGBTQ rights and religious freedom
(Yonat Shimron, Religion News Service)
USCIRF releases new report on shari’ah criminal law in northern Nigeria
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Australia: Second draft of Religious Discrimination Package released
(Neil Foster, Law and Religion Australia)
Evangelical church sues Castle Hills, TX for denying SUP for Sunday School space
(Evan Seeman, RLUIPA-Defense)
Court dismisses challenges to NY repeal of religious exemption from vaccination requirement
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Court rules New York school vaccination rule is constitutional
(Bethany Bump, Albany Times Union)
Misunderstanding of RFRA not a defense to willful failure to file tax returns
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
New USCIRF report on apostasy, blasphemy and hate speech laws in Africa
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Indian protesters stage shutdown against citizenship bill
(Wasbir Hussain, Associated Press)
India’s crackdown hits religious freedom in disputed Kashmir
(Aijaz Hussain, Associated Press)
Nicaraguan Church leaders call out Ortega regime for human rights abuses
(Inés San Martín, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Kenyan nun uses law degree to navigate Church through African society
(Christopher White, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Experts say formal Vatican-China ties are a distant hope
(Elise Harris, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
North Dakota county votes to take limited number of refugees
(James McPherson, Associated Press)
Editor's Letter: Intersecting identities
(Brett Krutzsch, The Revealer)
Learning to write about religion
(Briallen Hopper, The Revealer)
American JewBu: Jews, Buddhists, and religious change
(Emily Sigalow, The Revealer)
Adoption and race discrimination: Mander
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
The December Dilemma: Less oy, more joy (How do Jewish-Christian interfaith families navigate the holiday season?)
(Samira Mehta, The Revealer)
Teens in the South more likely than other U.S. teens to experience religion in public school
(Jeff Diamant, Pew Research Center Fact Tank)
Not all findings of religious freedom index are encouraging
(Thomas Jipping, The Heritage Foundation)
Why French Jews and Muslims are learning each other’s language
(Colette Davidson, Christian Science Monitor)
‘It felt from the very first days of the February Revolution that its twin brother October walked near it’ (Russia)
(Matvey Antropov, Realnoe Vremya)
Coalition's revamped bill allows religious organisations to discriminate against staff
(Paul Karp, Guardian (Australia))
Controversial religious discrimination bill overhauled as Government releases new draft
(Stephanie Dalzell, ABC News Australia)
India considers religion-based citizenship, U.S. panel opposes
(Devjyot Ghoshal, Reuters, Christian Science Monitor)
Gov't wants high court to revisit religious bias precedent
(Law 360)
Cambodian Christians’ government endorsement represents a ‘modern-day miracle’
(Bob Craft, Christianity Today)
Sudan’s new government can’t succeed if it remains on the U.S. blacklist
(Hala Al-Karib, El Sadig Hassan, Foreign Policy)
Religious prejudice: A cancer to peaceful coexistence
(Abubakar Obilan, New Vision (Uganda))
Human Rights Day 2019: Knowing the history and significance
(Hindustan Times)
Human Rights Day, 10 December 2019: Statement by David Zalkaliani, President of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia
(Council of Europe Newsroom)
Human Rights Day — Resources
(United Nations)
UN General Assembly President on Human Rights Day 2019
(Mr. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, UN General Assembly, YouTube Video)
Standing up for human rights for everyone
(Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes)
Monday, 9 December 2019
Anti-Anti-Catholicism: Is anti-Catholicism on the rise once again in the U.S.?
(Martin E. Marty, Sightings: The University of Chicago Divinity School)
Crimea: Court orders parish to destroy its chapel
(Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service)
“Major Churches” and “Festival Churches” – II
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
European asylum & migration policy: exercise solidarity, share responsibility, show leadership
(Rev. Christian Krieger and Dr. Torsen Moritz, Conference of European Churches and Churches' Commission for Mirgrants in Europe)
Same-sex marriage: NI councils in call for ‘conscience clause’ for registrars
(News Letter)
Amid terrorism fears in Indonesia, heavy security planned for Christmas
(Catholic News Agency)
Sheen beatification delay an act of 'sabotage,' Peoria official writes
(Catholic News Agency)
India parliament passes citizenship amendment bill
(Alistair Walsh, Deutsche Welle)
Protests erupt as India pushes for religion-based citizenship bill
(Zarir Hussain, Abhirup Roy, Reuters)
USCIRF raises serious concerns and eyes sanctions recommendations for citizenship (amendment) bill in India, which passed lower house today
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Church of England under pressure to publicly oppose Labour and Lib Dem plans to liberalise abortion laws
(Tim Wyatt and Phoebe Southworth, The Telegraph)
India: In a remote Indian village, a victory against persecution
(Phil Lawler, Catholic Culture.org)
India continues to struggle with surrogacy
(Pinki Virani, Mercator Net)
Sudan: Concern remains regarding the Criminal Code despite the repeal of the Public Order Laws
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
Physical interventions on the bodies of children to 'affirm' their 'gender identity' violate sound medical ethics and should be prohibited
(Ryan T. Anderson & Robert P. George, Public Discourse: The Journal of the Witherspoon Institute)
Ireland: 10% of GPs have signed up to provide abortion services, HSE confirm
(Sarah Slater, Irish Examiner)
UK: New test brings big fall in birth of Down’s babies
(Nics Hellen, The Sunday Times)
Nigeria: The slumbering and plummenting state of human rights
(Emmanuel Onwubiko, The Nigerian Voice)
Human dignity – a perspective from disability
(Jennie Pollock, CMF blog)
Australia: Assisted dying bill leaves sick and elderly open to coercion
(Xavier Symons, The Sydney Morning Herald Opinion)
Main Lebanon PM candidate withdraws from consideration
(Omar Akour, Associated Press)
The rising trend of Christian persecution
(Ewelina U. Ochab, Religion Unplugged)
Nina Shea: Lebanon’s Christians threatened, need US help
(Nina Shea, Fox News Opinion)
Christmas: a Kenyan story (A tale of family traditions and the inculturation of a Christian feast)
(Mathew Otieno, MercatorNet)
Catholics split, Vatican largely mum on Hong Kong protests
(Elise Harris, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Cardinal Zen targets Vatican silence on China, Hong Kong
(Michael Sainsbury, La Croix International)
China claims everyone in Xinjiang camps has ‘graduated’
(Yanan Wang, Associated Press)
China always protects freedom of religious beliefs
(Bai Tian, New Straits Times)
Pope calls for peace in Ukraine
(La Croix International)
German Church's survival rests on synodal procedure, says woman theologian
(Christa Pongratz-Lippitt, La Croix International)
'Not to clericalize women, but to declericalize Church'
(Mikael Corre and Céline Hoyeau, La Croix International)
Cardinal Tagle, new 'red pope'
(Nicolas Senèze, La Croix International)
Belgian Church on the decline
(Xavier Le Normand, La Croix International)
Wilson & Drakeman’s church-state reader
(Marc O. DeGirolami, Center for Law and Religion Forum at St. John's University School of Law)
New book: Church and State in American History (Key Documents, Decisions, and Commentary from Five Centuries, 4th Edition)
(John Wilson, Donald Drakeman, Routledge)
USCIRF raises alarm about speech laws that restrict religious freedom in more than half of African countries
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Supreme Court denies review of Kentucky ultrasound informed consent law
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Supreme Court rejects challenge to Kentucky abortion ultrasound law
(Ariane de Vogue, CNN)
Palestinians in Bethlehem look beyond religious tourism
(Joseph Krauss and Mohammad Daraghmeh, Associated Press)
Pope Francis prays to mark start of Italy’s holiday season
(Associated Press)
Pope prays for ‘Normandy Summit,’ peace in Ukraine
(Junno Arocho Esteves, Catholic News Service)
The continued threat to religious liberty is undeniable
(Kelly Shackelford, Real Clear Politics)
Religion shouldn't play a role in economic decisions: UAE official
(Sarwat Nasir, Khaleej Times)
Religion costs Flemish taxpayer €79 per year
(Maïthé Chini, The Brussels Times)
Arabs believe religion, politics should be separate
(Theodore Karasik, Al Bawaba)
Sudan prime minister meets with USCIRF, shares plans to improve religious freedom
(Samuel Smith, The Christian Post)
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