Law and Religion Headlines
Monday, 11 September 2023
50,000 Jewish worshipers gather for Selichot prayers at Western Wall
(The Jerusalem Post)
Hundreds of Pride activists march in Serbia despite hate messages sent by far-right officials
(Marko Drobnjakovic, Associated Press)
Not religious, not voting? The ‘nones’ are a powerful force in politics – but not yet a coalition
(Evan Stewart, The Conversation)
Algeria: Religious freedom failures in Algeria must be addressed
(Miles P. J. Windsor, Real Clear Politics)
China's Uyghur villages hide their secrets after Xinjiang crackdown
(France 24)
China: Xi Jinping: Hater of God
(Rebeccah L. Heinrichs, Providence)
The Vatican beatifies a Polish family of 9 killed by the Nazis for sheltering Jews
(Monika Scislowska, Associated Press)
Burkino Faso: As persecution worsens in Burkina Faso, Christians come back to the Church
(Ngala Killian Chimtom, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Around the web - 11 September 2023
(Law and Religion Forum, St. John's Law School Center for Law & Religion)
Canada: Does prayer belong in the public square?
(Brian Dijkema, The Hub)
Gangs and congregations in Latin America: An interview with Stephen Offutt
(Religion & Diplomacy: A Resource of the Transatlantic Policy Network on Religion and Diplomacy)
September/October 2023 Issue
(Liberty Magazine)
Malaysia: Fatwa against voting for me is absurd: Suhaizan
(New Straits Times)
Michigan Catholic group wins zoning fight over display of Stations of the Cross
(Ed White, Associated Press)
Articles of interest - 11 September 2023
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Saudi reforms are softening Islam’s role, but critics warn the kingdom will still take a hard line against dissent
(Nathan French, The Conversation)
Gender, religion, and forced displacement in Muslim settings: missed opportunities?
(Sandra Iman Pertek, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
The link between gender and religion: in a populist age, may an intersectional perspective enhance international protection of displaced women?
(Adelaide Madera, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
“I wish I had been asked”: removing gender barriers to coping supports among displaced women of faith
(Kathleen Rutledge, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Antisemitism won’t be stopped by censoring Musk’s X
(Jonathan S. Tobin, Jewish News Syndicate)
Turkmenistan: raids, literature seizures, imam detained
(Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service)
Barrister to head Church’s ISB Review
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Agenda: The climate is in crisis. It’s time to make polluters pay.
(Sally Foster-Fulton, The Herald)
Law and religion round-up – 10th September
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Outcry over official Spanish definition of Jew as ‘greedy or usurious’ person
(Juan Melamed, The Times of Israel)
Five Russian Jehovah’s Witnesses sentenced to 30 years in prison in all
(Willy Fautré, The European Times)
Russia’s leadership role is wrong for UNESCO
(Knox Thames, The Messenger)
EU paper touts antisemitic tropes against Russian Jews, Roman Abramovich
(Zvika Klein, The Jerusalem Post)
General Secretary resigns, expressing confidence in CEC’s positive future
(Conference of European Churches)
Do post-pandemic houses of worship have a prayer? New reports offer insights
(Bobby Ross Jr., Religion Unplugged)
Uganda: Court ruling seeking proof of adultery sparks debate among Christians in Uganda
(John Semakula, Religion Unplugged)
Uganda killed over 500 Daesh/ISIS allied rebels in Congo, says president
(Godfrey Olukya and Hassan Isilow, Anadolu Agency)
U.S. religious groups rush aid to quake-stricken Morocco
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)
Two weeks in review, 28 August – 10 September 2023
(Tal Gross, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)
Indian Catholics in Goa urged to respect religious sentiments
(Michael Gonsalves, Union of Catholic Asian News)
India: What is happening in India’s State of Manipur?
(Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes)
India: Building a more caring world: implications for the family and the community
(Bahá’í World News Service)
Jayapal, Omar, Tlaib, Chu, Carson introduce September 11th Congressional Resolution
(Pramila Jayapal, Member of Congress)
"A world free from nuclear weapons is possible"
(World Council of Churches)
WCC general secretary, at gathering in Berlin: “Audacious peace is inspired by our faith”
(World Council of Churches)
Niger, coups, and violence in West Africa
(Eric Patterson, Providence)
After TV report on ‘conversion therapy’, French minister calls to close Christian association
(Joel Forster, Evangelical Focus)
French shrug off Muslim upset at abaya ban in schools
(Hugh Schofield, Khadidiatou Cissé, and Kaine Pieri, BBC News)
Chile: ‘The only church that enlightens is the one that burns’: The glowing embers of Chile’s Latin American success story
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)
Catholic ministry asks court to recognize that serving the poor is religious
(Becket)
New Texas law deprives families of religious liberty rights
(Amanda Tyler, CNN)
Massachusetts’ religious bigotry leaves foster kids without homes
(Thomas Jipping and Katie Samalis-Aldrich, The Heritage Foundation)
Holy See appeals for adhesion to Convention on Cluster Munitions
(Vatican News)
“You are not alone," - the Vatican Secretary of State addressed the Synod of the UGCC Bishops
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Saturday, 9 September 2023
Vietnam: Biden should raise rights on Hanoi visit
(Human Rights Watch)
Friday, 8 September 2023
The Students for Fair Admissions cases at the Supreme Court: Commentary by Paul Gowder
(Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)
Taiwan: Religious groups bring Washington's National Prayer Breakfast to Taiwan
(Jono Thomson, Taiwan News)
VIRTUAL EVENT, 8 September 2023 (12 PM ET): Debrief for the Jewish Community
(Twitter, Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism)
France’s education minister bans long robes in classrooms. They’re worn mainly by Muslims
(Elaine Ganley, Associated Press)
Another Washington-area mosque receives threatening call
(Fiona André, Religion News Service)
Why some Americans prefer to go to religious services in person and others prefer to watch virtually
(Michelle Faverio and Justin Nortey, Pew Research Center)
Women’s perspectives on gender discrimination and society today
(Madelyn Snodgrass, PRRI)
What the Beehive State’s high rate of weekly religious attendance means
(Hanna Seariac, Deseret News)
Iranian spokesperson expresses concerns over human rights report in Canada
(Tasnim News Agency)
Canada man goes on trial for killing four members of Muslim family
(TRT World)
IRF Ambassador: Meeting with members of the faith-based Burma Advocacy Group
(Twitter, Rashad Hussain)
USCIRF releases report on the bureaucratization of religion in Southeast Asia
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Mongolia: Far-reaching implications of Pope Francis’ visit to ‘island of religious freedom’ Mongolia
(Antonio Graceffo, bne IntelliNews)
Photos of the Week: Shiite pilgrims; Francis visits Mongolia
(Kit Doyle, Religion News Service)
Catholic bishops take issue with Biden Administration’s proposed LGBT discrimination rules
(Daniel Payne, National Catholic Register)
Hoop dreams, with hijab
(Liz Kineke, Religion News Service)
How women have cultivated religious authority at LA’s Women’s Mosque of America
(Alejandra Molina, Religion News Service)
Outrage over Abbas's antisemitic speech on Jews and Holocaust
(Yolande Knell, BBC News)
Uzbekistan’s Bukharan Jews are disappearing
(The Economist)
Paris mayor revokes Mahmoud Abbas’ top honor after he spreads Holocaust falsehoods
(Ron Kampeas, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
France’s top court rejects appeal against ban on wearing abaya in schools
(Al Jazeera)
USCIRF concerned by France’s expanding interpretation of ban on religious outfits in public schools
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
The First Amendment and the Supreme Court
(Mark Movsesian, Law and Religion Forum, St. John's Law School Center for Law & Religion)
Religion and private law
(Neil Foster, Law and Religion Australia)
Mexico decriminalizes abortion, extending Latin American trend of widening access to procedure
(Fabiola Sánchez and Megan Janetsky, Associated Press)
Catholic bookstore now free to speak, operate consistent with beliefs
(Alliance Defending Freedom)
RFI champions rights of Muslim and Christian parents, files amicus brief in Fourth Circuit
(Religious Freedom Institute)
Nigeria: Rivalry among Boko Haram factions compounds violence in northern Nigeria
(Al Jazeera)
Nigeria: Attack on Catholic parish intended to ignite religious, ethnic tension — Kaduna Gov
(Muhammad Sabiu, Tribune Online)
Nigeria: Priest in Nigeria urges church leaders to be “articulate enough” on Christian persecution
(Agnes Aineah, ACI Africa)
California lawmakers vote to fast-track low-income housing on churches’ lands
(Trân Nguyễn and Sophie Austin, Associated Press)
Chile: The Catholic Church defended human rights during Chile’s dictatorship. An archive tells the story
(María Teresa Hernández, Associated Press)
Video pressing estranged husband to give wife a get is protected speech
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
May a judge sanction lawyers by requiring them to get remedial training from a particular ideological organization?
(Eugene Volokh, The Volokh Conspiracy)
Posting condemnation of ex-husband, urging viewers to contact him, is protected by First Amendment
(Eugene Volokh, The Volokh Conspiracy)
America is experiencing a ‘great dechurching.’ What’s happening to all the church buildings?
(Jennifer Graham, Deseret News)
Catholic-Jewish research backs reports Catholic convents sheltered 3,000-plus Roman Jews during WWII
(Nicole Winfield, Associated Press)
Brazil: Under the protection of God: Does the Preamble of the Brazilian Constitution of 1988 allow freedom of expression solely for Christians?
(Damião Benilson Gomes de Melo, Rafaela Albuquerque Fires & J. Ernesto Pimentel Filho, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
Brazil: Furor erupts in Brazil after archbishop gives communion to Muslim sheikh
(Eduardo Campos Lima, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Book review: When the church becomes the state
(Mustafa Akyol, Acton Institute)
CUNY doubles down on antisemitism
(Gary S. Branfman, Jewish News Syndicate)
India could be renamed ‘Bharat’: A history of the Sanskrit word and its Hindu ties
(Clemente Lisi, Religion Unplugged)
India: 'Eradicate Sanatana Dharma' remark: After Hindus, Muslim clerics in UP join calls for Udhayanidhi Stalin's apology
(Abhay Rathore, Swarajya)
India: State will act against those hurting religious sentiments, warns Goa CM Pramod Sawant
(Murari Shetye, The Times of India)
India: Birth of Our Lady unites people of all faiths in India
(Prasanthi Mandapati, Herald Malaysia)
Nepal: Christians face violence over cow slaughter in Nepal
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Sri Lankan cardinal wants international Easter bombings probe
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
The government is surveilling American Muslims by buying their data. It’s time to close the loophole.
(Sumayyah Waheed, The Hill)
WCC general secretary, Protestant Church in Switzerland meet with Swiss peace ambassador
(World Council of Churches)
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