Law and Religion Headlines
Monday, 10 July 2023
Religion Watch, Volume 38 No. 8
(Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion)
Friday, 7 July 2023
Most Swedes want ban on Quran burnings after global outcry
(Nils Adler, Al Jazeera)
New UN policy paper launched to counter and address online hate
(UN News)
Summertime spirits: Village of Lily Dale reopens for believers and doubters alike
(Fiona André, Religion News Service)
LGBTQ+ Americans are more religious than our Supreme Court battles let on
(Kelsy Burke, Andrew Flores, Suzanna Krivulskaya, and Tyler Lefevor, Religion News Service)
Breaking barriers: Amman's first dialogue journalism fellowship training concludes with great success
(KAICIID Dialogue Centre)
Canada: Religion and belief among immigrants to Canada
(Johanna Lewis, Cardus)
Nigeria: Tragic incidents at Salvation Army and Redeemed Christian Church of God
(Christian Association of Nigeria)
California’s caste discrimination bill is a vote for all civil rights
(Nirvair Singh, Religion News Service)
The interplay between business and human rights and the rule of law
(Olena Uvarova, Rule of Law and Corporate Actors)
China: House church leaders prosecuted as criminal 'clique'
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
The Statesmanship and Religious Freedom Seminars
(Religious Freedom Institute)
Photos of the week: Quran burning protests; Dalai Lama birthday
(Kit Doyle, Religion News Service)
Colombia: President Gustavo Petro affirms commitment to religious freedom and tolerance at national day commemoration
(María Alejandra Trujillo, BNN)
A gunman opens fire at a Lebanon mosque, killing one person and wounding several others
(Bassem Mroue, Associated Press)
Muslims across Pakistan hold anti-Sweden protests to denounce burning of Islam’s holy book
(Munir Ahmed, Associated Press)
New Hampshire bans boycotts of Israel in state procurement and investments
(Associated Press)
Ministerial exception applies to slander, but not contract claims
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Russia: Long jail terms for Moscow Nursi readers
(Victoria Arnold, Forum 18 News Service)
Report finds a growing exodus of Jews from Russia and Ukraine
(Yonat Shimron, Religion News Service)
Japan’s bishops skeptical on plan to release radioactive water
(Nirmala Carvalho, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Mosques – Centres of peace and religious freedom
(The Review of Religions)
ADL CEO: The British Green Party looks like the next hub of antisemitism in UK politics
(Jacob Judah, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Marriage and/or holy matrimony
(HH Peter Collier KC, Law & Religion UK)
Norwegian Storting wants to introduce gender quotum in the church
(Christian Network Europe)
EU: From the EU Guidelines on FoRB to “Religious freedom is not a second-class right”
(Andrea Benzo, Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
COMECE joins a global faith leaders appeal for a robust EU due diligence law
(The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE))
Explainer: Recent Supreme Court rulings protect free speech and religious liberty
(Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission)
On Groff v. DeJoy and 303 Creative v. Elenis
(Mark Movsesian, The Volokh Conspiracy)
Legal Spirits 052: SCOTUS decides Groff and 303 Creative
(Law and Religion Forum, St. John's Law School Center for Law & Religion)
'Trinity' that binds India, Nepal, Sri Lanka: Envoy Bagley cites Buddha, Lord Rama
(Devdiscourse)
Australia: Labor’s ideological war on faith a threat to dignity, morality
(Julian Leeser, The Australian)
Nicaragura: Ortega cancels and confiscates property from nuns of the Fraternidad Pobres de Jesucristo after expelling them (Spanish)
(Confidencial)
Angola: UNITA leader says democracy could collapse and warns of the danger of “excessive” religious denominations (Portuguese)
(Manuel José, Voa Portugues)
Brazil: TJ-SP confirms decision that refused compensation for blood transfusion against patient's will(Portuguese)
(Bom Dia Advogado)
Brazil: Religious issues cannot interfere with granddaughter's visits to grandparents (Portuguese)
(Bom Dia Advogado)
It was the Religious Freedom Act that paved the way for the 2004 Concordat (Portuguese)
(António Marujo, Sete Margens)
The Colorado website designer’s win is one of dozens of federal cases where religious beliefs and LGBTQ+ rights have clashed – and the pattern might not be what you think
(Kelsy Burke and Emily Kazyak, The Conversation)
Wednesday, 5 July 2023
Myanmar: Tatmadaw targets religious and ethnic communities in Myanmar yet again
(Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes)
Religious Freedom Annual Review 2023: Religious Communities: Worshipping, Serving, and Learning Together
(International Center for Law and Religion Studies (ICLRS), Brigham Young University)
The web designer case is a free speech decision that protects everyone, gay and straight
(Brett G. Scharffs, Deseret News)
EVENT, 5-7 July 2023: Seminar on eco-theology (Geneva)
(World Council of Churches)
Pope Francis ‘outraged and disgusted’ by burning of Quran
(Claire Giangravé, Religion News Service)
Podcast "Inside Sources" highlights the role of religion in secular politics and society
(Wheatley Institute, Brigham Young University)
Why Japan should guarantee religious liberty to the Unification Church/Family Federation: A letter to the government
(Bitter Winter)
Groups urge Indonesia to place moratorium on blasphemy
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Evangelicals say new Basque religious diversity law is “step forward”
(Evangelical Focus)
Australia: Is taking over Calvary Hospital a religious freedom breach?
(Neil Foster, Law and Religion Australia)
Religion won at the Supreme Court, but not as big as people think
(Michael A. Helfand, Forward)
The Court upholds Washington's promise of religious liberty
(Mark Rienzi, Real Clear Politics)
Iran: Rights violations against Christians in Iran in 2022
(YouTube Video, World Evangelical Alliance)
Photos of the Week: Hajj pilgrimage; Peru Fishermen Day; Eid al-Adha
(Kit Doyle, Religion News Service)
Türkiye must not deport members of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light seeking asylum: UN experts
(Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations)
Continuity and Change of Traditional Islamic Law in Modern Times: tarjīḥ as a Method of Adaptation and Development of Legal Doctrines
(Ahmed Gad Makhlouf, Oxford Journal of Law and Religion)
Religion and Pluralism before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights: From Individualizing Religious Freedom to Deregulating the Religious Market
(Moncef Chaibi, Oxford Journal of Law and Religion)
Church of Scientology backs UN appeal to save lives with drug prevention
(Church of Scientology)
Global Ethic Symposium celebrates 30 years of the Global Ethic document
(Parliament of the World's Religions)
SCOTUS corrects an old mistake on religious rights
(Mark Silk, RNS Column: Spiritual Politics)
A unanimous victory for religious freedom in the workplace
(Jennie Bradley Lichter, Real Clear Religion)
Covering the 303 Creative decision: Why do reporters keep ignoring the fine print?
(Julia Duin, GetReligion)
Azerbaijan: Envisioning a future beyond tolerance
(Bahá’í World News Service)
Judge awards Black church $1 million after BLM banner burned by Proud Boys during protest
(Associated Press)
Defendant's beliefs about psilocybin were personal, not religious
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
4th Circuit panel members disagree on use of ministerial exception doctrine in suit against Liberty University
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Articles of interest - 3 July 2023
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Russia, A Jehovah’s Witness to serve two years of forced labor
(Willy Fautré, The European Times)
Russia: Movement of conscientious objectors is “foreign agent”
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Russia: Religious persecution and issues – Bimonthly Digest June 16-30
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
USCIRF releases new reports on Russia’s religious freedom violations
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
2020 U.S. Religion Census Data
(The Association of Religion Data Archives)
Afghanistan: Al-Qaeda is back in Afghanistan. It is a threat to Christians around the world
(Martin Parsons, Premier Christianity)
Canadian Anglican Church ratifies resolution for reconciliation with Jews
(Zvika Klein, The Jerusalem Post)
Quran burnings have Sweden torn between free speech and respecting minorities
(Karl Ritter and Jan M. Olsen, Associated Press)
A shared commitment to freedom
(Stephanie Barclay, Deseret News)
Christians in Pakistan risk greater persecution from blasphemy laws, while living in poverty
(Myriam Renaud, The Conversation)
Italy to bar soccer players from wearing No. 88, which has coded meaning for neo-Nazis
(Jacob Gurvis, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Kazakhstan: fined, as "he had no basis for conducting a religious event"
(Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service)
Nigeria: Catholic bishops kick, reject bill for council on Christian education
(Christian Okpara, The Guardian)
Senegal: Muslim "holy city" in Senegal wants Vatican state-like status
(Charles Senghor, La Croix International)
Free Bibles, study materials reach prisoners via online portal for chaplains, Prison Fellowship says
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders rejects call to erase Latin cross from mansion
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)
China: Religious persecution and issues – Bimonthly Digest June 16-30
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
EU: Some thoughts about public diplomacy for religious freedom
(Willy Fautré, Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
EU: 10th Anniversary of the EU Guidelines on Freedom of Religion or Belief
(Peter van Dalen, Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
EU: An OSCE/ ODIHR point of view of the EU Guidelines on FoRB
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Maymulakhin and Markiv v. Ukraine – A case of love conquering all?
(Andy Hayward, Strasbourg Observers)
Welby: Carrot and stick approach the best way to encourage universities to tackle antisemitism
(Jenni Frazer, Jewish News)
Why universities should help students build relationships across religion and worldview differences
(Kristin Aune, London School of Economics Religion and Global Society Blog)
Church welcomes asylum court ruling
(The Church of Scotland)
Church of England sets out hopes for flourishing schools system
(The Church of England)
Alternative to cremation announced
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Law and religion round-up – 2nd July
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
Contested heritage: amendments to faculty jurisdiction rules
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Seal of confession: ELS Working Party Report
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Iraq: Addressing challenges to tolerance and religious diversity in Iraq
(Shivan Fazil, Middle East Institute)
Sri Lankan government to frame new laws to promote religious harmony within country
(Republic World)
Malaysia: IKIM addresses Upholding Human Dignity through international symposium
(New Straits Times)
Brazil: Lawyer is prevented from acting in court for wearing candomblé costumes (Portuguese)
(Daniele Dutra, UoL)
Brazil: Clécio Luís signs a law that prohibits religious intolerance in Amapá (Portuguese)
(Redação, Diário do Amapá)
Mexico: Bishops of Mexico demand respect for religious freedom and the secular state (Spanish)
(Ana Paula Morales, ACI Prensa)
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