Law and Religion Headlines
Wednesday, 13 April 2022
India: 761 acts of violence committed against Indian Christians in 2021, new report finds
(Anugrah Kumar, The Christian Post)
India: Hindu nationalists want Christian chaplains banned from Indian jails
(Nirmala Carvalho, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
India: Muslims see wave of attacks, hate speech on Hindu festival
(Al Jazeera)
Jains celebrate the founder of their small but ancient faith
(Kalpana Jain, Religion News Service)
Weapons of white supremacy
(Keisha Bush, G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)
Myanmar: Efforts to release priest detained by Myanmar junta
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Panel discussion calls churches to stand up for rights and dignity of every human being
(World Council of Churches)
WCC calls for freedom of access to worship in the Holy Land and preservation of the Status Quo of Jerusalem
(World Council of Churches)
Israeli government coalition collapsing over kosher hypocrisy
(Gil Zohar, Religion Unplugged)
Palestinian pastor released after being jailed for meeting with Israeli leader
(Emily Jones, CBN News)
Weekly Highlight #201: COVID-19: Exploring faith dimensions: Caution ahead of converging religious celebrations
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
Faith leaders appeal for peace, offer words of comfort at faith summit in Ukraine
(Mark Kellner, The Washington Times)
Moscow-aligned Ukrainian Orthodox clerics call for tribunal for Patriarch Kirill, key Putin ally
(Mark Kellner, The Washington Times)
Ukraine upset by Vatican inviting Russian to carry cross
(Frances D'Emilio, Associated Press)
Iraq: Holy Week in Iraq a sign that Christians are slowly returning to their homes
(Ines San Martin, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Nigeria: Aid group labels persecution of Christians in Nigeria a ‘genocide’
(Ngala Killian Chimtom, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Russia must stop aggression and destruction of religious sites and places of worship – joint statement by Special Representatives of OSCE Chairman-in-Office and Council of Europe
(The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe)
Liberia: Towards equality for Muslims?
(David A. Yates, Liberian Observer)
Pakistan: Minorities urge new Pakistani government to defend religious freedom and their rights
(Shafique Khokhar, Asia News)
Senegalese Christians and Muslims "share" Lent and Ramadan
(Clémence Cluzel, La Croix International)
The Festival of Vaisakhi
(Religions for Peace)
Interfaith leaders gather in Ukraine to appeal for peace
(Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)
Holy Week 2022: A wartime meditation
(George Weigel, First Things)
Europe’s Kairos? The role of the Council of Europe under a negotiated peace in Ukraine
(Andrew Forde, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)
Indonesia passes long-awaited sexual violence bill
(Katharina R. Lestari, Union of Catholic Asian News)
Conference calls on churches to listen, speak the truth and advocate for human rights
(World Council of Churches)
Turkey’s top court rules compulsory religion courses violate rights
(Nazlan Ertan, Al-Monitor)
Belarus: Christian leaders opposing regime violence and war on Ukraine targeted
(Felix Corley and Olga Glace, Forum 18 News Service)
Weapons of white supremacy
(Keisha Bush, Viewpoints: A blog of the G20 Interfaith Forum)
Conference of European Churches: Church response to Ukraine
(Conference of European Churches)
Women empowerment and environmental restoration for conflict prevention in the Sahel
(Religions for Peace)
Video: Leaders of world's faiths to visit Ukraine on 12 April 2022
(Religions for Peace)
Monday, 11 April 2022
Turkey: Islamic Civilizations Museum fascinates people
(Hürriyet Daily News)
Interview: Brett G. Scharffs on teaching law and religion globally
(Dmytro Vovk, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)
Ukraine: There are more people in our churches now than before
(Adventist News Network)
Indonesia: Christian YouTuber sentenced to 10 years in prison for posting videos critical of Islam
(Anugrah Kumar, The Christian Post)
Ukrainian nuns open their monastery doors to the displaced
(Renata Brito, Associated Press)
Islamic State morphs and grows in Pakistan, Afghanistan
(Kathy Gannon, Associated Press)
Pope Francis calls for an Easter truce in Ukraine
(Associated Press)
Articles of interest - 11 April 2022
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Brazil: UN expert decries erosion of democracy, urges safe space for civil society
(Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations)
Brazil: Archdiocese sides with politician accused of desecrating church in Brazil
(Eduardo Campos Lima, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Nicaraguan cardinal warns government ‘the kingdoms of this world are fragile’
(Inés San Martín, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Pontifical Academy of Sciences raises alarm about nuclear weapons
(Cindy Wooden, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Jerusalem: With iftar, Jerusalem Christians hope to be bridge to Muslim neighbors
(Judith Sudilovsky, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Russian clergy cajole recalcitrant troops
(RISU, Russia Religion News (Stetson University))
Russia: "Virtually anything can be deemed to be unlawful missionary work"
(Victoria Arnold, Forum 18 News Service)
World Council of Churches faces calls to expel Russian Orthodox Church
(Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)
Israel: Once it was F-15s on Shabbat; now, hametz: The religious issues that end governments
(Judah Ari Gross, The Times of Israel)
Israel needs to fight for true freedom of religion - opinion
(Uri Regev, The Jerusalem Post)
Australia: Unions and law groups push to scrap Queensland clause allowing religious bodies to sack openly LGBTQ+ people
(Ben Smee, The Guardian)
India: BJP using religion for political gains; use of 'saffron' to win votes an insult to seers: Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel to PTI.
(Devdiscourse)
About 200 priests of the UOC-MP demand International Ecclesiastical Tribunal for Kirill
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
"They took almost everything that could be sold out of the seminary" - Bishop of the RCC on rushist looters in Vorzel
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Fact checking on some public and false “information” regarding the Holy See
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Interfaith prayer service for Ukraine held in St. Sophia of Kyiv
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
In Burkina Faso, anti-terrorist militias are an interfaith affair
(Joseph Hammond, Religion Unplugged)
Two weeks in review, 28 March – 10 April 2022
(Gail Lythgoe, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)
Sri Lanka: Church leaders join calls for Sri Lankan govt to quit
(Quintus Colombage, Union of Catholic Asian News)
Myanmar junta raids cathedral complex in Mandalay
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Nigerian bishop decries murders 'for professing Christ'
(Justine John Dyikuk, Union of Catholic Asian News)
Nigeria: Does religion condone domestic violence against Nigerian women?
(Temi Iwalaiye, Pulse.NG)
Nigerian Christians call for improved security after persistent attacks
(Peter Kenny, Ecumenical News)
UPR of Morocco – MRG’s contribution
(Minority Rights Group International)
April editor’s letter: Horror and religion
(The Revealer, The Center for Religion and Media at NYU)
Friday, 8 April 2022
Bangladesh: Schoolteacher detained for discussing the difference between science and religion must be immediately released
(Amnesty International)
Bangladesh: Hare Krishna (ISKCON) in Bangladesh: Why violence continues
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter)
Official Report: 2021 Parliament of the World's Religions
(Parliament of the World's Religions)
Russian priest speaks out against war in Ukraine despite threats
(Jack Jenkins, The Washington Post)
OSCE/ODIHR Panel of Experts on Freedom of Religion or Belief publish a new FoRB video series
(The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe)
Pope Francis kisses Ukrainian flag from Bucha, site of Russian 'massacre
(Mark Kellner, The Washington Times)
Australian convicted in Singapore for killing man in act of ‘religious hostility towards Muslims’
(Staff, The Guardian)
Photos of the week: Ramadan begins, Texas synagogue reopens
(Kit Doyle, Religion News Service)
Ukrainian activists demand that the “Russian World” ideologists led by Patriarch Kirill are sanctioned
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Gender parity in UN’s treaty bodies: Challenges and solutions
(Diplomat Magazine)
OAA's 2021 Annual Impact Report (pdf)
(Outreach Aid to the Americas)
Cuba: Pastor sentenced to eight years in prison
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
Singapore’s slow but steady path toward decriminalizing homosexuality
(Robin Vochelet, The Diplomat)
Yemen: New top Yemeni govt official promises to work towards peace
(Associated Press)
Yemen: Peace at last?
(Bruce Riedel, Brookings Institution)
On Islamophobia Day
(Muhammad Hassan, The Jakarta Post)
The story of Exodus gives Jews empathy to identify with plights of others - opinion
(Benji Levy, The Jerusalem Post)
Egypt: Palm Sunday church attacks: Egypt’s ‘worst day of violence’
(Heba Habib, Al Jazeera)
Egypt: Priest dies from stabbing on seaside promenade in Egypt
(Associated Press)
Israel: The tinder box of Jerusalem and the tyranny of the religious calendar
(Daoud Kuttab, Religion News Service)
Never again, again
(Susan Bigelow Reynolds, Commonweal)
Nigerian bishops: Government must do more to stop terrorist attacks
(Peter Ajayi Dada, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Soyinka: Nigeria is ‘not a nation but a cage if we imprison people for their religious views’
(Akin Irede, The Africa Report)
Nigeria: Network of policymakers and religious leaders launched to address crisis of violence in Nigeria
(KAICIID Dialogue Centre)
Nigeria: Kaduna pastors protest incessant attacks, killings
(Tarzoor Dzoho, Today.ng)
Who Filipinos vote for is moral choice, bishops say at special Mass
(Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
"I couldn’t get YouTube to see that ‘God curse the Jews’ is a form of hate speech"
(David Rose, The Jewish Chronicle)
Russia: Internal enemies pose more risks than West to Russia - Russian Orthodox Church
(Interfax-Religion)
Russian Church doesn’t agree with the division of society into the "party of peace" and the "party of war"
(Interfax-Religion)
Russia: Metropolitan Hilarion discusses situation in Ukraine with head of EU delegation to Russia
(Interfax-Religion)
Patriarch Kirill urges to pray for preservation of the spiritual unity of Russian land
(Interfax-Religion)
Uzbekistan: Latest prosecution for teahouse Islam discussion
(Mushfig Bayram, Forum 18 News Service)
Ukraine war savagery will loom over this year's World Council of Churches Assembly
(Richard Ostling, GetReligion)
Afghanistan: RFI Senior Fellow Charles Ramsey interviewed on Taliban control in Afghanistan
(Religious Freedom Institute)
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