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Events Headlines
INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP and PUBLISHING PROJECT: 12-13 February 2021: Religion, State, and Society in Post-Communist Countries: Thirty Years after the End of the Cold War
(Elizabeth Clark, Merilin Kivirog, Dmytro Vovk, BYU Law ICLRS, University of Tartu School of Law, Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University’s Center for Rule of Law and Religion Studies)
SUMMER SCHOOL & INTERRELIGIOUS TRAINING SEMINAR, 2-13 August 2020: Religion in Times of Crisis. Live from Jerusalem
(Elijah Interfaith Institute)
VIRTUAL ROUNDTABLES ON ASIAN LAW, 6 August 2020 (4PM SGT - 8AM GMT): Freedom of Religion or Belief: Asia and Comparative Perspective
(Arif Jamal, Nazila Ghanea, Jaclyn Neo, Benjamin Schonthal, Mark Hill QC, Center or Asian Legal Studies, National University of Singapore School of Law)
International Headlines
LATEST ISSUE of the Journal of Law and Religion (free access through November 30)
(various, Cambridge University Press)
G20 INTERFAITH FORUM 2020: Bringing Faith and Policy Together
(Website, G20 Interfaith Forum Association)
Hagia Sophia: From museum to mosque
(Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Freedom of Religion or Belief—Creating the Constitutional Space for Fundamental Freedoms: A New Book on Religious Freedom and its Protection from the Perspective of Several Jurisdictions
(Neville Rochow QC, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)
Constitutional Cultures Creating Constitutional Space
(Brett Scharffs and Brock Mason, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)
Towards a Constitutional Definition of Religion: Challenges and Prospects
(Alex Deagon, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)
Individual Spirituality and the Future of Freedom of Religion
(Jeremy Patrick, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)
Three Ways of Thinking about Reasonable Accommodation
(Brett Scharffs and Brock Mason, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)
Religious Freedom and Same Sex Marriage Laws: Constitutional and Other Issues
(Neil J. Foster, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)
Freedom of Religion or Belief: Creating the Constitutional Space for Fundamental Freedoms
(Paul T. Babie, Neville G. Rochow QC, and Brett G. Scharffs, eds., Edward Elgar Publishing)
Weekly Highlight #115: COVID-19: Exploring Faith Dimensions
(Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Joint Learning Initiative on Faith & Local Communities, World Faiths Development Dialogue)
Religious leaders warn against Pompeo's push for religious freedom as priority human right
(Laura Kelly, The Hill)
Rapid COVID-19 spike strains South Africa's health system as churches rush to aid those hit
(Anli Serfontein, Ecumenical News)
USANAS Foundation appeals to UN, USCIRF and European Parliament over religious minorities in Pakistan
(Savio Rodrigues, Goa Chronicle)
New assaults on Ahmadi Muslims in Bangladesh and Pakistan
(Aaron Rhodes, Forum for Religious Freedom Europe)
Bangladesh: When intolerance marches to religious extremism – OpEd
(Rock Ronald Rozario, Eurasia Review Opinion)
Persecution of Ahmadis in Pakistan - June 2020 Monthly report
(Ahmadiyya Foreign Missions Office)
Mexican bishops comment on nation’s challenges
(Zenit: The World Seen from Rome)
Moroccan Christians repeatedly arrested
(Zenit: The World Seen from Rome)
Iraq’s Christians remain at risk of eradication
(Zenit: The World Seen from Rome)
All the Dictator’s sheikhs: How Sisi co-opted Egypt’s religious institutions for political gain.
(Khalil Al-Anani, Foreign Policy)
Religious news from around the web July 20, 2020
(Wayne Edward Hanson, World Religion News)
DMK not against any religion, says Stalin
(The New Indian Express)
Reopening of ancient cathedral a silver lining for Syria’s Christians
(Elise Ann Allen, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Aleppo cathedral rises from ashes of persecution
(John Pontifex, Zenit: The World Seen from Rome)
Syrian cathedral, a glimmer of hope in the midst of chaos
(Xavier Le Normand, La Croix International)
Is belief in God necessary to be moral? Answers vary by economic development, education and age
(Christine Tamir, Aidan Connaughton, Ariana Monique Salazar, Pew Research Center Fact Tank)
Africa: The appointment of Samah Norquist as chief advisor for International religious freedom to the administrator of USAID
(All Africa)
‘The pandemic is gaining momentum’: Africa prepares for surge in infections
(David Pilling, Financial Times)
Did Toronto ban Catholic churches from administering Holy Communion?
(Nur Ibrahim, Snopes)
Key unalienable rights threatened – OpEd
(William Donohue, Eurasia Review)
Argentine bishops battle corruption, legalized abortion
(Inés San Martín, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
South African bishops denounce racism in society and the Church
(Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
‘Sue us,’ says Philippine bishop after Duterte criticizes pastoral letter
(Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Bishops: New Philippines anti-terrorism act ‘eerily similar’ to Hong Kong security law
(Charles Collins, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Egyptian Grand Mufti: There is no objection to building churches with Muslim money
(Zenit: The World Seen from Rome)
‘Franciscan International’ denounces human rights abuses in Asia
(Zenit: The World Seen from Rome)
India's Nagpur University makes religion field mandatory in forms again
(Sarfaraz Ahmed, Times of India)
UAE is vocal about tolerance because religion has been hijacked: Al Otaiba
(Khaleej Times)
The Vatican and China Part I, the Mainland
(Ed Condon, Catholic News Agency)
'Companies can't hide their head in the sand': Commerce Department warns of Chinese religious repression
(Nicholas Rowan, Washington Examiner)
When toppling monuments serves authoritarian ends
(Supriya Gandhi, When toppling monuments serves authoritarian ends: India's Hindu nationalists erect an imagined past on modern ruins)
COVID-19 and the destruction of a religious movement in South Korea
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
US sanctions Chinese companies over Muslim abuse complaints
(Joe McDonald, Associated Press)
New archbishop says Vatican courtship of China doesn’t imperil Taiwan
(Elise Ann Allen, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Chinese Christians told to replace Christ with Mao or lose government support
(Catholic News Agency)
Freedom of religion and belief news: China special weekly FORB newsletter (12-19.07.2020)
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Australian lawmakers join 600+ from 30 countries calling for end to Chinese regime’s persecution of Falun Gong
(Caden Pearson, The Epoch Times)
Erdoğan and the Hagia Sophia: Nostalgia for the Ottoman Empire (Responding to: Hagia Sophia: From museum to mosque)
(M. Hakan Yavuz, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Hagia Sophia, Islamism, and secularism in Turkey (Responding to: Hagia Sophia: From museum to mosque)
(Ahmet Kuru, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Turkey’s Hagia Sophia decision: A stone that hits no birds (Responding to: Hagia Sophia: From museum to mosque)
(Ahmet Erdi Öztürk, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Jordanian PM says support for one-state solution possible if Israel annexes West Bank
(Al-Monitor: Jordan Pulse)
Jordan PM hints at support for one Israeli-Palestinian state
(Associated Press)
Europe Headlines
Church leader raises concerns for Christian businesses in Northern Ireland that refuse services to gay weddings
(Anugrah Kumar, The Christian Post)
Another French cathedral burns, raising safety questions
(Arnaud Bevilacqua and Corinne Laurent, Élodie Maurot and Emilie Spertino, La Croix International)
German synagogue attack: Memories are still fresh and painful
(Ben Knight, Deutsche Welle)
One UK, 6 U.S. NGOs designated undesirable in Russia
(Interfax-Religion)
Parliamentarians and activists in UK debate state of religious freedom, minorities in Pakistan
(The Economic Times)
Russian court fines influential monk who denies virus exists
(Vladimir Isachenkov, Associated Press)
Russia intensifies persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses with 110 armed raids
(Brendan Cole, Newsweek)
Shamima Begum: what the legal ruling about her return to the UK actually means
(Devyani Prabhat, The Conversation)
Scottish hate crime Bill threatens gospel freedom
(The Christian Institute)
German state bans burqas in schools
(Deutsche Welle)
A book review of Travelling Home: Essays on Islam in Europe by Abdal Hakim Murad
(Luqman Quilliam, Traversing Tradition)
Churches and religious organizations unite to counter domestic violence in Ukraine
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
SSU exposed Internet agitators inciting religious hatred
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Zelensky posthumously confers the order on Bishop Milan Shashik
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Parliamentary group on British Jews elects new co-chair
(Jewish News)
Report says contribution of faiths to society ‘more pressing’ after Covid-19
(Jewish News)
Spain: Vatican reminds that it has never pronounced itself on Franco’s exhumation
(Larissa I. López, Zenit: The World Seen from Rome)
British Labour Party apologizes for defaming ex-staffers who spoke out on anti-Semitism
(Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
British Jewish leader urges China to ‘immediately’ free Uyghur Muslims from camps
(Jewish News)
In Sweden, female priests now outnumber male ones
(AFP, Yahoo News)
Church accuses Montenegro of abusing talks on disputed law
(Samir Kajosevic, Balkan Insight)
In Ireland, protests spur push for hate-crime laws
(Alistair MacDonald and Paul Hannon, The Wall Street Journal)
Poland has an anti-Semitism problem. Here’s how the Trump administration could help fight it.
(Ira N. Forman, Jewish Telegraphic Agency: Opinion)
Poland won’t let EU ‘force’ it into legalizing same-sex marriage, Justice Minister says
(Marcin Goclowski, Reuters)
United States Headlines
Draft Report of the Commission on Unalienable Rights
(U.S. Department of State)
Got bias? Pompeo gave a 'divisive' speech, which implies two kinds of insiders were divided
(Terry Mattingly, GetReligion)
State Department releases Draft Report of the Commission on Inalienable Rights
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
CAIR welcomes federal court decision advancing broad challenge to terror watchlist
(Press Release, The Council on American-Islamic Relations)
Various challenges to terrorism watch list practices can move ahead
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Biden urges Muslim Americans to help him defeat Trump
(Mariam Fam and Elana Schor, Associated Press)
9th Circuit: En banc review denied in suit over FBI surveillance of Muslims
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Multiracial congregations may not bridge racial divide
(Tom Gjelen, National Public Radio (NPR))
Guide to navigating home insurance without discrimination as an LGBTQ individual
(Taylor Learney, Reviews.com)
Panel looks at role racism, religion, COVID-19 will play in elections
(Kurt Jensen, Catholic News Service)
As seminaries welcome openly transgender students, church lags behind
(Kathryn Post, Religion News Service)
Under new California rules, LA Catholic schools will no longer be able to resume in-person classes
(Alejandra Molina, Religion News Service)
Before we scold DeSean Jackson and others for anti-Semitism we need to talk about ‘chosenness’
(Andre E. Key, Religion Dispatches)
Rejecting symbols of hate is more than symbolic
(Jim Wallis, Religion News Service Opinion)
RNS gives the life of another civil rights hero – the Rev. C.T. Vivian – the ink it deserves
(Terry Mattingly, GetReligion)
Another Catholic hospital sued for refusing transgender hysterectomy
(Wesley J. Smith, National Review)
‘We’ve been essential for 2,000 years’: Pasadena church holds indoor services despite coronavirus warnings
(CBS Los Angeles)
Collaboration is the strategy for a hopeful religious future
(Mitch Randall, Baptist News Global)
The dark underbelly of the Supreme Court's religion record
(John Stonestreet and Roberto Rivera, CNS News Opinion)
Coronavirus’ impact on Indigenous communities puts new focus on protecting elders, preserving language and culture
(Heather Beasley Doyle, Episcopal News Service)
Supreme Court rulings make the world safer for both LGBT people and religious freedom
(Andrew Koppelman, USA Today Opinion)
Religious employment, insurance convictions protected
(Tom Strode, The Pathway)
California churches defy Newsom, sue over 'unconstitutional' executive orders
(Bethany Blankley, The Center Square)
Religious discrimination takes center stage at the Supreme Court
(Michael A. Helfand, Tablet Magazine)
Transgender lawsuit against Catholic hospital cites new US Supreme Court precedent
(Catholic News Agency)
As pandemic wears on, faith leaders dig in on life or death decisions
(Silma Suba, Religion News Service)
Can kindness heal a world divided by pandemic, protests and politics? Pastor Ashlee Eiland thinks so
(Emily McFarlan Miller, Religion News Service)
TRO denied in church's suit over California COVID limits on worship
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Federal judge denies emergency order in Pasadena church singing case
(Pasadena Now)
23 states sue HHS over rollback of anti-discrimination protections in health care
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Attorney General James Sues Trump administration for allowing health care discrimination
(New York Attorney General)
States sue over White House rollback of transgender health care protections
(Nicholas Iovino, Courthouse News Service)
Are private, religious schools exempt from school opening restrictions? Texas, California go in different directions
(Don Byrd, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)
Ultra-Orthodox Jews already shy away from the census. Is the pandemic making it worse?
(Molly Boigon, Forward)
Honor the conscientious objector
(Luther Ray Abel, National Review)
Presidential nominees rarely speak to Muslim audiences. Biden did Monday
(Asma Khalid, National Public Radio)
Thinking with Ryan Burge charts: Whaddaya know? Some evangelicals are rethinking Trump
(Terry Mattingly, GetReligion)
Seattle Times' story on evangelical race relations nabs most of the local power players
(Julia Duin, GetReligion)
Why is proving race discrimination a lot harder than proving religious discrimination?
(Tyler Broker, Above the Law)
The U.S. Supreme Court expands protection for religious employers against discrimination claims
(Alex Polishuk and Meghan H. Hanson, The National Law Review)
PayPal launches “Believe”
(Religious Freedom & Business Foundation)
Corporate pledge: Promoting sustainable and innovative business through protecting workplace freedom of religion or belief
(Religious Freedom & Business Foundation)
Imperial pieties: religion, the sanctification of whiteness, and the duplicity of the sacred
(Joseph Winters, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
Supreme Court ruling on the ministerial exception worries Catholic school teachers
(Yonat Shimron, Religion News Service)
Hate crime charge added for Colorado man accused of running over Sikh store owner
(Aysha Khan, Religion News Service)
State of the Bible: Left unread during the coronavirus pandemic
(Emily McFarlan Miller, Religion News Service)
COVID-19 crisis provides opportunities and grace
(Thomas Reese, Religion News Service)
Faith in the public square: US Supreme Court decisions impact religious principles, freedom
(Cheryl Magness, The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod)
Gay rights, religion and what's wrong with principles
(Andrew Koppelman, The Hill Opinion)
Religious access to state programs affirmed
(Tom Strode, The Pathway)
Maryland hospitals allow religious visitation after HHS intervention
(Nicholas Rowan, The Washington Examiner)
2nd Circuit: Free speech and Free Exercise claims of Christian adoption agency can move forward
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Christian adoption agency’s legal fight back to trial court
(Associated Press)
EEOC sues airline over requiring pilot to attend religious AA program
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
EEOC sues United Airlines for religious discrimination
(U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission)
Problem meeting parking requirements can be RLUIPA "substantial burden"
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Texas AG says cities cannot restrict reopening of religious private schools
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Attorney General Ken Paxton issues guidance to religious private schools for fall reopenings
(Texas Attorney General)
Right test, wrong outcome: Avoiding misuse of the ministerial exception in faith-based schools
(Charles J. Russo & Allan G. Osborne, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
Life, liberty, & vaccines: The clash between the coronavirus and religious freedom
(Sara Pullen Guercio, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
Where is the national news coverage of current surge of vandalism at Catholic churches?
(Clemente Lisi, GetReligion)
Teachers at religious schools fear Supreme Court took away their civil rights
(Yonat Shimron, Religion News Service)
Muslims and the myths in the immigration politics of the United States
(Sohail Wahedi, SSRN)
Remembering Rep. John Lewis as a man of faith who inspired others
(Hamil R. Harris, Religion Unplugged)
St. Junipero Serra could soon be removed from California county seal
(Kevin Jones, Catholic News Agency)
Christian adoption agency can sue NY for threatening closure over not placing kids with gay couples
(Michael Gryboski, The Christian Post)
The opinions expressed or biases reflected in the headlines in this digest do not necessarily represent opinions or attitudes of those who maintain this headline news service. We strive for balance in presenting issues of potential interest to our readers.
This service is provided by the International Center for Law and Religion Studies.
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