Law and Religion Headlines
Tuesday, 2 January 2024
King Charles III’s Christmas message is a call to protect the planet
(Time)
Iran shutters bookshop over hijab law violation: media
(AFP, Arab News)
COP28: Broader conception of human progress needed, says the BIC
(Bahá’í World News Service)
Articles of interest - 1 January 2024
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
School board not liable for teacher's proselytization of Muslim student
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
UN Commissioner Ombudsman: Ukraine doesn't deserve criticism for the bill banning Churches controlled by Russia
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Statement of the UCCRO on Russia's latest terrorist attack against Ukraine
(Institute for Religious Freedom, Ukraine)
Two weeks in review, 16 – 31 December 2023
(Tal Gross, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)
Chinese film accuses Italy-based magazine of promoting cult
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Violence against women denounced by Pope Francis in his New Year's Day homily
(Peter Kenny, Ecumenical News)
Reaffirming the nature of medicine in a society that too often rejects it
(Andrew Kubick and David Trimble, Religious Freedom Institute)
Trinidad: Saving society from crime begins with strengthening the church and family says Trinidadian bishop
(George Conger, Anglican Ink)
The Netherlands also sees “no reason” to criminalize shunning
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter)
Ghana: Prophecies of doom in Ghana: between religious freedom and social disorder
(Fatshimetrie)
Religious liberty in 2024: Healing our deep divides
(Steve West, World)
Hamas or Abraham Accords: religion fueling conflict or connection?
(YouTube Video, The Jerusalem Center)
Fights over antisemitism, Israel and religion coming to Georgia Capitol
(Mark Niesse, Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
Australia: Unions warn on religious work bias
(Sarah Ison, The Australian)
Nigeria: US lawmaker pushes for Nigeria's inclusion on religious persecution list
(Adekunle Agbetiloye, Business Insider Africa)
Nigeria: In defense of religious freedom, human rights and peace in Nigeria (Portuguese)
(R7)
Brazil: Advancement of the religious bench generates debate about the influence of faith on bills (Portuguese)
(Política ao Minuto)
Brazil: The construction of peace and religious tolerance in the Constitution (Portuguese)
(Betina Treiger Gupenmacher and Heleno Taveira Torres, Poder 360)
Saturday, 30 December 2023
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS, Martin E. Marty Award for the Public Understanding of Religion
(American Academy of Religion)
Piecing together different perspectives: IF20 in 2023
(Marianna Richardson, G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)
Afghan Minister suggests separating religion from governance
(Saboor Bayat, BNN)
China: Religious persecution and issues – Bimonthly digest Dec 16-30
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
China’s Christian groups told to ensure ‘strict’ oversight of religion as Communist Party controls tighten
(Amber Wang, South China Morning Post)
Human Freedom Index 2023
(Ian Vásquez, Fred McMahon, Ryan Murphy, & Guillermina Sutter Schneider, Cato Institute and the Fraser Institute)
Việt Nam-Vatican relations at historic moment: Deputy Minister
(Viet Nam News)
Religious Peacebuilding Action Guides (now available in Arabic)
(The United States Institute of Peace)
Indonesian government adjusts name above all names
(Daniel Silliman, Christianity Today)
India's far-right cow vigilantes bolster clout before high-stake elections
(Rupam Jain, Reuters)
India: Decoding the competitive religious politics between BJD and BJP in Odisha – OpEd
(Bhabani Shankar Nayak, Eurasia Review)
The rapper Ye, who has a long history of making antisemitic comments, issues an apology in Hebrew
(Maria Sherman, Associated Press)
Israel: High Court rules same-sex adoption must be allowed, in landmark decision
(Jeremy Sharon, The Times of Israel)
How a Sikh Marine made history with the help of a 30-year-old religious freedom law
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)
The top religion stories of 2023
(Paul O'Donnell, Religion News Service)
Don’t let the war tear apart the tapestry of faith that makes America strong
(Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, Religion News Service)
South Africa bishops push back against Chief Rabbi who slammed Pope over Hamas
(Ngala Killian Chimtom, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Israel's ambassador to Germany warns of soaring antisemitism
(Deutsche Welle)
Jewish groups object to GOP’s treatment of Muslim candidate for Court of Appeals seat
(Ron Kampeas, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
DeSantis, Trump court Iowa's evangelical voters, promising Christian-focused policy
(Oren Oppenheim, ABC News)
Ecclesiastical court judgments – December
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Sharp rise in religious hate crimes recorded by UK’s largest police forces
(Jewish News)
10th Edition of Religious Freedom Awards announces new book
(Juan Sanchez Gil, The European Times)
Vandalism of West Philly mosque is under police investigation; calls for hate crime probe arise
(Chris Compendio, Philly Voice)
Nebraska court upholds order that father not take son to sweat lodge
(Eugene Volokh, The Volokh Conspiracy)
Iran: Religious issues and persecution – Monthly Digest Dec. 01-30
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
EU/Russia: TV channel of the Russian Orthodox Church under EU sanctions
(Willy Fautré, Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Belgium: The Court of Cassation upholds the right of Jehovah’s Witnesses to exclude members
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Sikh Coalition argues that FBI must be held accountable for unlawful actions
(Jorge Gomez, First Liberty)
Nigeria: Interim report on Christmas Eve militia attacks in Plateau State
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
Nicaragua arrests 4 more priests, intensifies crackdown on Catholic Church
(Voice of America)
Congo cardinal blasts national elections as ‘gigantic, organized mess’
(Ngala Killian Chimtom, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Sudan: Religious freedom, along with everything else, is unraveling in Sudan
(Kelsey Zorzi, The Hill)
Promoting the Vietnam-US comprehensive strategic partnership in the field of religion
(Vietnam.vn)
Argentine President Javier Milei speaks at Jewish sports tournament’s opening ceremony
(Juan Melamed, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Argentina: A yoga school falsely described as a “horror cult” is about to be absolved (Spain)
(Willy Fautré, Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Brazil: Pope Francis prays for religious freedom and peace for those devastated by war (Portuguese)
(Uol)
Friday, 29 December 2023
Discussing religion in school is tough, but the cost of not doing so is clear
(Charles J. Russo, Religion Unplugged)
New book: Human Dignity, Judicial Reasoning, and the Law: Comparative Perspectives on a Key Constitutional Concept
(Edited By Brett G. Scharffs, Andrea Pin, Dmytro Vovk, Routledge)
New book: Security, Religion, and the Rule of Law: International Perspectives
(Edited By Tania Pagotto, Joshua M. Roose, G. P. Marcar, Routledge)
Articles of interest - 24 December 2023
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Malaysia: Include non-Muslim experts on special shariah law panel, says MP
(Free Malaysia Today)
Ala. death row minister says religious liberty lawsuit settled ahead of nitrogen execution
(Howard Koplowitz, Corrections 1)
Addressing hate speech in sport to build inclusive societies
(Council of Europe)
South Africa: Two years after Desmond Tutu, South Africa still searches for moral guides
(Joséphine Kloeckner, La Croix International)
Uzbekistan: Why Muslims in Uzbekistan follow Zoroastrian traditions
(Heerea Kaur Rikhraj, Religion Unplugged)
Reproductive violence in international criminal law and the ICC OTP’s revised policy on gender-based crimes: An emerging concept
(Aldo Zammit Borda, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)
Australia: Why has cricketer Khawaja been barred from showing solidarity with Gaza?
(Al Jazeera)
Nicaragua’s dictatorship versus its prisoner of conscience
(Andrea Picciotti-Bayer, The Hill)
Nicaragua arrests second bishop as crackdown on Catholic church intensifies
(Verónica Calderón and Kathleen Magramo, CNN)
A ‘tsunami’ of antisemitism is on the rise across Latin America, U.S. officials warn
(Michael Wilner, Miami Herald)
Cuba: OAA open letter to World Council of Churches
(Teo Babun, Outreach Aid to the Americas)
20 riot police sent to remove 10 young people praying rosary at abortion clinic in Spain
(Nicolás de Cárdenas, Catholic News Agency)
Russian Orthodox Church condemns abortion as murder, at odds with Putin
(Timothy H.J. Nerozzi, Fox News)
EEOC announces settlements in 2 religious discrimination lawsuits
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Triple Canopy, Inc. to pay $110,759 to settle EEOC religious discrimination and retaliation lawsuit
(U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission)
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta to pay $45,000 to settle EEOC religious discrimination lawsuit
(U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission)
Children’s hospital to pay parking lot worker $45,000 for refusing to grant him a religious exemption to flu vaccine mandate
(Eluira Nanos, Law & Crime)
Crackdown on Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia continues with new jail sentences, raids
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)
Brazil: Night of peace, night of love (Portuguese)
(Jean Marques Regina and Thiago Rafael Vieira, Gazeta do Povo)
Mexico ranks second in Latin America with the most attacks against religious leaders (Spanish)
(Pedro Domínguez Telediario, Telediario)
Archbishop of Greece: Church and State should focus on unity beyond past divisions
(Orthodox Times)
Turkey fines popular TV series after religious controversy
(ekathimerini)
Pope, Zelenskyy speak as war grinds on and religious freedom concerns grow
(Elise Ann Allen, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
The Ukrainian Council of Churches called on the world community to recognize Russia as a terrorist state (English and Italian versions)
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Bishops can opt diocese out of same-sex 'blessings,' Vatican says
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)
Tuesday, 26 December 2023
Introduction: Faith and the Founding Figures of Human Dignity
(Brett G. Scharffs, The Review of Faith & International Affairs)
The Loveliness Men Hide: Eleanor Roosevelt on Human Dignity
(Brett G. Scharffs, Leah Blake, Kimberley Farnsworth, Holly Hinckley Lesan & Marianna Richardson, The Review of Faith & International Affairs)
Drafting on the Basis of Dignity: John Peters Humphrey’s Contribution to the UDHR
(Paul Martens, The Review of Faith & International Affairs)
P.C. Chang, Multicultural Confucian Philosopher and Human Rights Champion
(Hans Ingvar Roth, The Review of Faith & International Affairs)
Being and Becoming: The Human Person and Human Dignity in Charles Malik’s Contribution to the UDHR
(Peter Petkoff, The Review of Faith & International Affairs)
Lives on Hyphens: Contributions of Hernán Santa Cruz from Chile and Guy Pérez Cisneros from Cuba to the UDHR
(Kristina Arriaga, The Review of Faith & International Affairs)
A Courageous Muslim Voice: How Sir Muhammad Zafrulla Khan Saved Article 18 of the UDHR
(Amjad Mahmood Khan, The Review of Faith & International Affairs)
Charles Dukes, the Deist and Labor Unionist who Shaped the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
(Fearghas O’Beara, The Review of Faith & International Affairs)
Colonel William Roy Hodgson: A Soldier of Principle, Peace, and Pugnacity for Human Rights
(Renae Barker, The Review of Faith & International Affairs)
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Soviet Political Religion, and Soviet Law
(Dmytro Vovk, The Review of Faith & International Affairs)
UNESCO and the Drafting of the UDHR: Navigating Theories and Practices
(Phinith Chanthalangsy, The Review of Faith & International Affairs)
Contending Discourses on Human Rights and Dignity in the Post-World War II Era
(Dicky Sofjan, The Review of Faith & International Affairs)
Email Subscription
The International Center for Law and Religion Studies maintains a Law and Religion Headlines service covering news about freedom of religion or belief internationally. All interested may subscribe to this service, free of charge, using the link below.
Subscribe