Law and Religion Headlines
Wednesday, 29 July 2020
Pakistani Muslim accused of insulting Islam killed in court
(Associated Press)
Compression of history and boundary-building in the Hagia Sophia controversy (Responding to: Hagia Sophia: From museum to mosque)
(Belgin Turan Özkaya, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs)
U.S. ambassador for religious liberty warns Vatican: China can’t be trusted
(Charles Collins, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Brazilian church campaign draws attention to threats against advocates
(Lisa Alves, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
A human rights body calls upon States to take legal actions against China for its atrocities against Uighur Muslims
(Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes)
Poroshenko 'proud' of tomos criminal case against him
(Interfax-Religion)
Kazakhstan: Two churches' buildings ordered confiscated in Nur-Sultan
(Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service)
Alarm raised about ongoing crisis in Nigeria at world churches' meeting
(Peter Kenny, Ecumenical News)
Women religious on frontlines of COVID19 pandemic, honored by American & British Ambassadors to the Holy See
(Deborah Castellano Lubov, Zenit: The World Seen from Rome)
Why are philosophers and theologians so hostile to economics?
(Paul Oslington, Public Discourse: The Journal of the Witherspoon Institute)
Bengaluru: Logistical issues see BBMP cremate bodies irrespective of community or religion
(Times Now News)
Delete ‘secular’, ‘socialist’ words from the Constitution: Plea in Supreme Court
(Abraham Thomas, Hindustan Times)
Monday, 27 July 2020
Religion Photos of the Week -24 July 2020
(Kit Doyle, Religion News Service)
Articles of interest - 27 July 2020
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Southern Mongolia, the unknown cultural genocide
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter: A Magazine on Religious Liberty and Human Rights in China)
Kaduna crisis: Interfaith group urges better intelligence, surveillance
(The Nation)
Ulema urged to work for promoting interfaith harmony
(Dawn)
Faithful still avoid churches
(Kirsten Kanja, The Standard)
Pilgrims arrive in Mecca for downsized hajj amid pandemic
(Aya Batrawy, Associated Press)
Is the conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque an Islamic act? (Responding to: Hagia Sophia: From museum to mosque)
(Yasir Yılmaz, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Hagia Sophia and Turkish anxiety to lead the Muslim world (Responding to: Hagia Sophia: From museum to mosque)
(Ihsan Yilmaz, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Hagia Sophia and Islamist nation-building: Hijacking the conservative architectural imaginary (Responding to: Hagia Sophia: From museum to mosque)
(Bülent Batuman, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Erasing history at the Hagia Sophia (Responding to: Hagia Sophia: From museum to mosque)
(Esra Akcan, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Beyond conquest narratives: Hagia Sophia, past and present
(Patricia Blessing and Ali Yaycıoğlu, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Will the real Aya Sofia please stand up?
(Muhammad Wajid Akhter, Muslim Matters)
Russian Orthodox Church calls for learning lessons from Hagia Sophia's transformation into mosque, Nantes Cathedral arson
(Interfax-Religion)
The Uluru statement is not a vague idea of ‘being heard’ but deliberate structural reform
(Gabrielle Appleby, The Conversation)
World Council of Churches names 2022 date for 11th Assembly in Germany
(Ecumenical News)
Religious liberty puts at risk by Hong Kong security law says Asian cardinal
(Peter Kenny, Ecumenical News)
Bishop says Philippines stained with ‘blood of innocents’ under Duterte
(Charles Collins, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Catholic charity blames Zimbabwe rape crisis on lack of ‘social safety net’
(Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Update on rules for NSW churches under COVID restrictions
(Neil Foster, Law and Religion Australia)
Covid-19 as a threat to international peace and security: The role of the UN Security Council in addressing the pandemic
(Erin Pobjie, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)
Why is the West silent on the Uighurs?
(Matthew Eason, MercatorNet)
Freedom of religion or belief: China – Special Weekly FORB Newsletter (20-26.07.2020)
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Wife of detained Nigerian humanist pleads for 'proof of life'
(Emmanuel Akinwotu, The Guardian)
More Turks disassociate morality and faith in God – study
(Ahval)
Russkiy Mir: The role of Russian Orthodox Church in cultural diplomacy
(Bhagya Raj Rathod, Modern Diplomacy)
Faithful return to Mexico City churches with masks, gel
(Maria Verza, Associated Press)
Mexican bishops call for action ahead of Supreme Court abortion ruling
(David Agren, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Dispute in Egypt over control of new Anglican province rooted in yearslong legal challenge
(Egan Millard, Episcopal News Service)
Sissi sets his sights on Al-Azhar, the beating heart of Egypt's religious life
(Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz)
India’s PM to attend temple groundbreaking at disputed site
(Emily Schmall, Associated Press)
Indian archdiocese offers the government its facilities as treatment centers for covid-19
(Zenit: The World Seen from Rome)
Alexei Lidov: The Cathedral of the Russian Armed Forces and the future of the Russian Orthodox Church
(Spotify, Religion Unplugged Podcast)
Friday, 24 July 2020
Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia opens as a mosque for Muslim prayers
(Mehmet Guzel and Suzan Fraser, Associated Press)
Hagia Sophia: Former Istanbul museum welcomes Muslim worshippers
(BBC News)
Turkey: From today on, the Byzantine Church of Hagia Sophia will be a mosque
(Rosa Die Alcolea, Zenit: The World Seen from Rome)
Erdogan joins thousands to pray for first time at Istanbul's Hagia Sophia
(Ali Kucukgocmen, Daren Butler, Reuters)
Erdogan fulfills cherished goal, opening Hagia Sophia to prayers
(Carlotta Gall, The New York Times)
Turkey's Hagia Sophia holds first Friday prayers since conversion back to mosque
(Isil Sariyuce, Arwa Damon and Laura Smith-Spark, CNN International)
Why Hagia Sophia remains a potent symbol of spiritual and political authority
(Anna Bigelow, Religion News Service)
Hagia Sophia: From museum to mosque
(Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
As Hagia Sophia opens as mosque, Orthodox observe day of mourning
(Elise Ann Allen, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Why is Hagia Sophia's (re)conversion into a mosque bad for Muslims? (Responding to: Hagia Sophia: From museum to mosque)
(Ramazan Kilinc, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Why I do not intend to pray in the Hagia Sophia 'mosque' | Opinion
(Mohammed Alsherebi, Newsweek)
Restored as mosque, Hagia Sophia opens up to Islamic prayers
(David Gauthier-Villars, The Wall Street Journal)
Hagia Sophia and places of religious freedom
(Massimo Faggioli, La Croix International)
Lessons from Jerusalem: The Hagia Sophia in Turkey is too disputed to turn back into a mosque
(Theophilos III, Opinion contributor, USA Today Opinion)
Turkey names 3 imams, including professor, for Hagia Sophia
(Associated Press)
Putin, Greek PM discuss situation surrounding Hagia Sofia Cathedral in Istanbul
(Interfax-Religion)
Problematic women: What is known about China's forced sterilization of Uighur women
(Virginia Allen, The Daily Signal)
What’s faith got to do with COVID-19?
(Katherine Marshall and Olivia Wilkinson, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Kidnapped Nigerian priest set free and in ‘good health’
(Elise Ann Allen, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Vatican foreign minister: Religious freedom must be protected
(Simon Caldwell, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
The next pope and Vatican diplomacy
(George Weigel, First Things)
Russia's first trial on FGM restarts after coronavirus lockdown
(Emily Sherwin, Deutsche Welle)
FSB detains over 20 Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan terrorists in Moscow, Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk Territory
(Interfax-Religion)
Uzbekistan: Agents provocateurs, arrests, torture, criminal cases
(Mushfig Bayram, Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service)
South African priest highlights religious freedom in Cuba
(Prensa Latina)
With Trump’s failure to protect religious minorities, Afghan Hindus and Sikhs face an uncertain future in India
(Tejpaul Singh Bainiwal, Religion Dispatches)
Standing in solidarity for what matters: IGE at the Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom
(Institute for Global Engagement)
IGE shares religious freedom work with Kazakhstan government officials
(Institute for Global Engagement)
The attempted shutdown of China’s Christians
(Nina Shea, National Review)
In Haiti, more LGBT-friendly penal code prompts outcry from pulpit
(Sandra Lemaire, Renan Toussaint, Yves Manuel, Matiado Vilme, Voice of America)
Mexican Supreme Court case could open door to legalized abortion throughout Mexico
(Nancy Flanders, Live Action)
Taliban say ready for talks with Kabul after Eid holiday
(Kathy Gannon, Associated Press)
Ukraine proposes to introduce fine for promoting homosexuality
(Interfax-Religion)
Patriarch Kirill calls on Armenia, Azerbaijan to have dialogue
(Interfax-Religion)
Catholic peacebuilding in the Democratic Republic of Congo during the COVID-19 emergency
(Coby Vail, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Israel’s government coalition teeters after vote to ban gay conversion therapy
(Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Thursday, 23 July 2020
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)
Wednesday, 22 July 2020
Religious leaders warn against Pompeo's push for religious freedom as priority human right
(Laura Kelly, The Hill)
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)
Another French cathedral burns, raising safety questions
(Arnaud Bevilacqua and Corinne Laurent, Élodie Maurot and Emilie Spertino, La Croix International)
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)
One UK, 6 U.S. NGOs designated undesirable in Russia
(Interfax-Religion)
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)
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