Law and Religion Headlines
Wednesday, 12 July 2023
Synod backs trial of dropping wedding fees
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Türk calls on States to combat "the weaponization of religious differences for political purposes"
(Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations)
UN Council condemns alarming rise in religious hatred
(Lisa Schlein, Voice of America)
EVENT, 12 July 2023 (7:30PM ET): Who is the ‘human’ in human rights? (Maryland, USA)
(St. John’s College)
Herzog condemns Quran burning in Sweden, attacks on Christians in Israel
(Zvika Klein, The Jerusalem Post)
After Quran burnings, UN rights body calls for more action to combat religious hatred
(Associated Press)
Afghan Taliban suspend all activities of Swedish aid groups over burning of Islam’s holy book
(Munir Ahmed, Associated Press)
Chinese evangelist refutes state propaganda
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Egypt: Session: Practical solutions for achieving equal citizenship rights for Egypt’s Copts
(YouTube Video, Coptic Advocacy)
New Virginia law offers churches additional protections against being shut down
(Daniel Payne, Catholic News Agency)
For Argentine sociologist Ariel Goldstein: “The growth of evangelical churches is a result of the failure of the state to resolve the major problems that people face”
(Roxana Baspineiro, Equal Times)
Activists outraged as anti-LGBTQ Santa Rosa church receives state grant
(John Ramos, CBS News)
Firing of gay Catholic school teacher could test latest Supreme Court ruling
(Rachel Weiner, The Washington Post)
Violations of religious freedom in Azerbaijan
(JAMnews)
India: Islam occupies unique 'position of pride' amongst religious groups in India: Doval
(Devdiscourse)
Jordan: Prince Hassan’s UJ lecture centres on multidimensional poverty, human dignity
(The Jordan Times)
Laos accused of replicating China’s religious persecution
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Behind CUNY graduation speech furor, a university divided over Zionism
(Arno Rosenfeld, Forward)
Zimbabwe bishops urge August elections to be ‘different’
(Ngala Killian Chimtom, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Vivek Ramaswamy leans into his Hindu faith to court Christian voters
(Ruth Graham, The New York Times)
State and church leaders of Ukraine and Poland pay tribute to the victims of violence in Volhynia during WW II
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Ukrainian military chaplains learn about Judaism
(Edward Doks, Ynet News)
Should taxpayers’ money in Belgium go to suspicious anti-cults outfits?
(Willy Fautré, The European Times)
“You couldn’t pay me to say that”: 303 Creative and compelled commercial speech
(Abram Pafford, Public Discourse: The Journal of the Witherspoon Institute)
The Netherlands takes steps to prosecute crimes against Yazidis
(Priyanka Shankar, Al Jazeera)
Church deplores ‘anti-state forces’ remark by South Korean prez
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Middle East parliamentarian warns young Christian, Jewish, and Muslim peacemakers of social media hazards
(World Council of Churches)
As South Sudan celebrates 12 years of independence, church leaders amplify peace and hope
(World Council of Churches)
COMECE and its partners share key messages in view of the upcoming EU-CELAC Summit
(The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE))
German bishops push for better climate protection
(Christian Network Europe)
Cuba: Into exile: Yoel Suárez
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)
Cuba: Into exile: Enrique de Jesús Fundora
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)
The harassment of Italian evangelical churches
(Rachel Wierenga, Evangelical Focus)
Ghana: Navigating the crossroads: Balancing values, religion, and secularism in Ghana's approach to LGBTQI rights
(Isaac Ofori, Modern Ghana)
Nigeria: Govt, cleric warn MURIC against causing religious war in Osun
(The Guardian)
The religious fact is barely mentioned in Spanish electoral programs
(Evangelical Focus)
Brazil: Judge meets MPF and orders videos of [Pastor] André Valadão removed (Portuguese)
(Poder 360)
Mozambique: Disastrous prospects for religious freedom (Portuguese)
(Deutsche Welle)
Colombia: In Duitama they signed a pact for the rights to religious freedom (Spanish)
(Siete Dias Boyacá)
Supreme Court’s decision in Groff v. DeJoy vindicates Thurgood Marshall
(Jeremy Dys, The Washington Times)
Tuesday, 11 July 2023
EVENT, 11-13 July 2023: Religious Liberty Summit 2023 (London)
(University of Notre Dame Law School)
VIRTUAL EVENT, 11 July 2023 (10AM ET): Peacemakers in Action Podcast: Episode Discussion
(Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding)
Monday, 10 July 2023
Court sides with Amish families in case that pits septic tank rules against religious beliefs
(Steve Karnowski, Associated Press)
Keeping Our Balance: Why the Free Exercise Clause Needs Text, History, and Tradition (pdf)
(William J. Haun, Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy)
Supreme Court says 1st Amendment entitles web designer to refuse same-sex wedding work
(Nina Totenberg, NPR)
The search for gender identity, say trans seekers, brought them closer to God
(Emma Ryan, Religion News Service)
Black nun who founded first African American religious congregation advances closer to sainthood
(Luis Andres Henao, Associated Press)
US talks sanctions against Uganda after a harsh anti-gay law – but criminalizing same-sex activities has become a political tactic globally
(Nicolette Manglos-Weber, The Conversation)
Bahrain: Shi’a worshippers blocked from attending Friday prayers
(Human Rights Watch)
Why are Cuba’s religious leaders going into exile?
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)
Erdoğan urges joint action against Islamophobia
(Hurriyet Daily News)
German churches under supervision for view on homosexuality
(Christian Network Europe)
Quran burnt, thrown from moving vehicle outside mosque in Germany
(Daily Sabah)
Canada: City of Toronto officially launches new ‘Toronto For All’ Anti-Islamophobia Campaign to celebrate acceptance without exceptions
(City of Toronto)
Around the web - 10 July 2023
(Law and Religion Forum, St. John's Law School Center for Law & Religion)
Supreme Court ruling in favor of mail carrier celebrated across religious spectrum
(Yonat Shimron, Religion News Service)
A business can decline service based on its beliefs, Supreme Court rules – but what will this look like in practice?
(Charles J. Russo, The Conversation)
2023 Rule of law report - the rule of law situation in the European Union
(European Commission)
Australia: Faith’s freedom narrows after Calvary
(Patrick McArdle, CathNews)
Council of Churches calls for mutual forgiveness on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Volyn tragedy of World War II
(Institute for Religious Freedom, Ukraine)
Fostering food systems in light of the principle of oneness: Some considerations for the AU – EU partnership
(Bahá’í World News Service)
Articles of interest - 10 July 2023
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Volodymyr Zelenskyy meets with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in Istanbul
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Gove defends online safety legislation over claims it is ‘weak’ on antisemitism
(Lee Harpin, Jewish News)
UK Parliament looks at business & religious freedom
(Religious Freedom & Business Foundation)
Law and religion round-up – 9th July
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
Synod to consider deposition from holy orders
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
It’s a Christian mandate to create a society where all flourish — SCOTUS keeps undermining it
(Sally Vonner, Religion News Service)
Refreshing unity on religious liberty
(Richard W. Garnett, Law & Liberty)
If your faith makes you discriminate at work, change jobs
(Scott Altman, The Hill)
Police in Nicaragua arrest, jail another Catholic priest
(Reuters)
Alarming similarities between Nicaragua and the New Right emerge on religious liberty
(Andrea Picciotti-Bayer, Real Clear Religion)
Why has environmental governance failed? Greed.
(Arthur Lyon Dahl, G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)
Yemen’s Houthis implement Swedish import ban over Quran burning
(Al Jazeera)
Showcasing the power of interreligious dialogue 2022 Annual Report
(KAICIID Dialogue Centre)
Belgium, Is CIAOSN ‘Cults Observatory’ at odds with principles of the European Court of Human Rights?
(Willy Fautré, The European Times)
The world can’t remain silent on China’s Uyghur Muslim’s torture issue – OpEd
(Ibrahim Islam, Eurasia Review)
Süleymancılar: Russia cracks down on Turkish Sufi organization
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter)
Menchik appointed Director of CURA: The Institute on Culture, Religion, and World Affairs
(Boston University)
After the fall of Roe, emboldened religious conservatives lobby to restrict abortion in Africa
(Cara Anna, Associated Press)
9th Circuit: Falun Gong can move ahead with human rights suit against Cisco
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
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)
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