Law and Religion Headlines
Monday, 12 June 2023
EVENT, 12 June 2023 (17:00 CET): Syria – Humanitarian and Development Challenges of Faith Based Actors
(The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE))
EVENT, 12-14 June 2023: 8th Annual National Muslim Advocacy Day
(US Council of Muslim Ogranizations)
Introducing IPPFoRB Steering Group new members: Paulina Nuñez Urrita and Sanela Skrijelj
(International Panel of Parliamentarians for Freedom of Religion or Belief (IPPFoRB))
Fostering dialogue and action: The first international parliamentarians conference on freedom of religion or belief in Africa
(International Panel of Parliamentarians for Freedom of Religion or Belief (IPPFoRB))
New book: Confucian Constitutionalism: Dignity, Rights, and Democracy
(Sungmoon Kim, Oxford University Press)
With Turning Point Faith, pastors use politics as a church-growth strategy
(Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)
ND Law’s Program on Church, State & Society names winners of 2023 writing competition
(Denise Wager, University of Notre Dame Law School)
Restricting Diversity Episode 3: How blasphemy laws are used to suppress dissent in Myanmar and Indonesia (podcast)
(ADVOCATE by ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights)
Restricting Diversity Episode 2: The state of women's rights in Malaysia and the Philippines (podcast)
(ADVOCATE by ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights)
Restricting Diversity Episode 1: The state of religious minority rights in Myanmar and Vietnam (podcast)
(ADVOCATE by ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights)
A kind of spiritual evil (podcast episode on religion and politics)
(Spotify, The Deep Map)
S4, Ep. 25: Religion in public schools: New federal guidance and the reality on the ground (podcast)
(Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)
Three years after George Floyd’s death, faith groups quietly advance racial healing
(Adelle M. Banks, Religion News Service)
Georgia: TDI annual report on FORB
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Kenya: NCCK suggests enforcement of existing laws in memorandum to Senate ad hoc committee
(Arnold Neliba, Catholic Information Service for Africa)
Full video of the roundtable on EU-CELAC Summit is now available
(The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE))
Canadian Muslim charity wins 'milestone' settlement after being falsely accused of funding terrorism
(Shanifa Nasser, CBC News)
‘Rewards’ for Tibetans meeting China-backed Buddhist leader
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
China’s “query system for Islamic, catholic, and Christian clergy,” another tool for repression
(He Yuyan, Anglican Ink)
Behind a rare clash, a fight over faith in China
(Vivian Wang, The New York Times)
People in China are so worried about the economy they’re asking for divine intervention
(Laura He, CNN)
Chinese Christians jailed for printing religious materials
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Tajikistan: decree bans funerals for alleged "terrorists", denies relatives bodies
(Mushfig Bayram, Forum 18 News Service)
Christians in Pakistan are struggling to survive barbaric persecution
(David Curry, Religion News Service)
Pakistan: Govt. urged to improve compliance with Jillani Judgment to protect minorities’ rights
(The Nation)
Religion and politics in Malaysia: A new page turns as state elections loom?
(Derrick A Paulo and Zainudin Afandi, Channel News Asia)
Illinois to include halal, kosher options in school meals after muslim students forced to skip lunch
(Elizabeth Urban, The Messenger)
Discussion with Tibetan Youth Leadership Program
(Twitter, Rashad Hussain)
Nicaragua: Regime forces some 77 religious leaders to leave Nicaragua between 2018 and 2023 (Spanish)
(Confidencial)
American churches launch initiative to end Israel’s apartheid
(Victoria Strang, Human Rights Watch)
Al Shabab storms beachside hotel in Somalia's Mogadishu
(TRT World)
Catholic bishop condemns abortion curriculum in Northern Ireland’s schools
(Tyler Arnold, Catholic News Agency)
FoRB discussion at German Protestant Church Congress
(Twitter, David Müller)
Seattle’s Quest Church leaves ECC as church affirms LGBTQ Christians
(Emily McFarlan Miller, Religion News Service)
Friday, 9 June 2023
Restoring justice in Ukraine: True peace means defeating Putin and healing the wounds of war
(Daniel Philpott, Arc of the Universe)
Jerusalem’s chief Sephardic rabbi condemns harassment of Christians
(Canaan Lidor, The Times of Israel)
Israel: MP proposes plan to divide Al-Aqsa Mosque
(Middle East Eye)
Flashpoint in Israel: Divide between religious and secular Jews heats up under Netanyahu’s rule
(Laurie Kellman, Associated Press)
Oklahoma OKs the nation’s first religious charter school – but litigation is likely to follow
(Charles J. Russo, The Conversation)
The politics of gender, pronouns, and public education
(PRRI)
Fact sheet: Biden-Harris Administration announces new actions to protect LGBTQI+ communities
(The White House)
Human Rights Campaign declares state of emergency for LGBTQ+ people
(Erin Doherty, Axios)
15 killed, 50 injured in mosque blast in northern Afghanistan
(Islam Uddin, Anadolu Agency)
The growing threat of the Islamic State in Afghanistan and South Asia
(Abdul Sayed and Tore Refslund Hamming, The United States Institute of Peace)
Manipur Christian tribal leader issues plea to Sunak over 300 church burnings in India
(Premier Christian News)
Archbishop of Canterbury urges Anglican Church of Uganda to reject anti-homosexuality law
(Danica Kirka, Associated Press)
Public benefit for the rich?: Merton LBC v Nuffield Health
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
Catholic Bishop of Derry criticises abortion access lessons plan
(BBC News)
USCIRF releases new report on ethnonationalism and religious freedom in Nigeria
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Sixteen abducted Nigerian Baptists released
(Ken Camp, Baptist Standard)
'God is still alive': Nigerian Christians remain hopeful in face of religious persecution
(Talia Wise, Christian Broadcasting Network)
RFI supports Maryland Muslim parents’ fight for religious freedom
(Religious Freedom Institute)
Massachusetts school counselors suspended after allegations of ‘misgendering,’ prayer, and ‘religious comments’
(Samuel Boehlke, The Federalist)
HHS’s crusade against religious freedom and conscience rights in healthcare
(Religious Freedom Institute)
Conditions harden for Belarus Catholics
(Jonathan Luxmoore, Union of Catholic Asian News)
'A promise of human freedom': Synergies between the right to freedom of religion or belief and LGBTQI+ rights
(Marie Juul Petersen and Dmytro Vovk, Open Global Rights)
E-COURSE: Ethics and Key Theories in Interreligious Dialogue
(KAICIID Dialogue Centre)
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis woos GOP Christian voters but stays tight-lipped on his own Catholic faith
(Tiffany Stanley, Associated Press)
As tourists flock to view volcano’s latest eruption, Hawaii urges mindfulness, respect
(Jennifer Sinco Kelleher, Associated Press)
Religious challenge to Indiana abortion restrictions certified as class action
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Doomed or sign of hope? Pope Francis’ mission for peace in Ukraine is underway
(Claire Giangravé, Religion News Service)
The G20 Interfaith Forum journey
(Katherine Marshall, G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)
Column from Spain: Voting on Sunday can be a dilemma for Christians
(Jorge Ruiz Ortiz, Christian Network Europe)
Church must remove crosses from Danish identity card
(Christian Network Europe)
Italy rightist ruling party pulls support from LGBT event, sparking anger
(Reuters)
Australia plans to ban swastikas and other Nazi symbols in legislation coming next week
(Rod McGuirk, Associated Press)
Muslim community rejoices as Wagga Wagga's first mosque gets council approval
(ABC News Australia)
Australia: Calvary case grim omen for religious health, education
(Greg Craven, The Australian)
Indonesia to relax building rules for worship places
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
FBI claims secret evidence trumps religious discrimination charges in domestic spying case
(Sanya Mansoor, Time)
CAIR-LA, partners appeal landmark case FBI v. Fazaga at the Ninth Circuit
(Council on American-Islamic Relations)
Booker, Omar, Schakowsky reintroduce Combating Global Islamophobia Bill
(Ilhan Omar, Member of Congress)
Detention of followers of the minority Baha’i faith
(Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations)
Brazil: African cults are constant targets of attacks and religious intolerance (Portuguese)
(Angelo Peterson, Gazeta 24h)
Brazil: The church and the propagation of human rights (Portuguese)
(Gilberto Garcia, Migalhas)
Thursday, 8 June 2023
VIRTUAL EVENT, 8 June 2023 (10AM ET): USCIRF Conversation: Evaluating Religious Freedom in Uzbekistan
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Wednesday, 7 June 2023
Florida confirms shipping migrants to Catholic Charities in Sacramento
(John Lavenburg, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
See before-and-after photos of forced mosque alteration in China (video)
(CNN)
China's campaign to 'Sinicize' Islam curbs religious freedom
(William Yang, Deutsche Welle)
More than half of U.S. churches rely on armed members as part of security plan: Survey
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)
Calif. church, preschool sue over federal aid cutoff under Biden administration gender rules
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)
Nature religions are growing in Australia – though witchcraft was illegal in some territories just 10 years ago
(Brendan C. Walsh, The Conversation)
Iraq’s Christians fight to save threatened ancient language
(Al Jazeera)
Iraq: Six Yazidi women rescued from Islamic State captivity
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
Religious tolerance in Suriname
(Twitter, U.S. Ambassador to Suriname)
Breaking: Judge blocks Florida ban on trans health care
(David Minsky, Law360)
US judge blocks Florida ban on trans minor care in narrow ruling, says ‘gender identity is real’
(Brendan Farrington, Associated Press)
USCIRF releases report on religious freedom violations against indigenous communities in Latin America
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
The ARDA June 2023 Newsletter
(The Association of Religion Data Archives)
Colten Stanberry | An interview with Jim Bennett | IRF Summit RFI Profiles
(YouTube Video, Religious Freedom Institute)
Libya court sentences 23 to death for ISIL campaign
(Al Jazeera)
State law may bar women's spa from refusing to serve transgender women who have not had sex-confirmation surgery
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Miami beach settles synagogue's zoning harassment lawsuit for $1.3m
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
US: Muslim parents protest losing right to opt out of LGBTQ school books
(Zainab Iqbal, Middle East Eye)
Head of Secretariat of World Religious Leaders embarks on diplomatic visit to Patriarchate of Jerusalem
(Orthodox Times)
“Transatlantic Policy Network on Religion & Diplomacy” conference was held at Ecumenical Patriarchate
(Orthodox Times)
The gospel of reconciliation: Why people of faith should unite for civil rights
(Jacqueline Cooke-Rivers, Deseret News)
Indian court rejects bishop’s plea on Mass change
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
India: Mob dressed as armed far right Sikh group attacks church
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
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