Law and Religion Headlines
Thursday, 2 April 2020
A grim calculus: Covid-19 presents stark choices between life, death and the economy
(The Economist)
The Seder’s secrets to enduring a pandemic
(Ellen Bernstein, Religion News Service)
In sudden shift, U.S. and China seek to cooperate
(Edward Wong and Ana Swanson, The New York Times)
Intel: Soleimani’s successor visits Iraq, then Trump tweets warning to Iran
(Bryant Harris, Al-Monitor)
Can Russia, Saudi Arabia strike new OPEC+ deal with US help?
(Ruslan Mamedov, Al-Monitor: Russia / Mideast Pulse)
Turkey finally releases epidemic figures: coronavirus epicenter in Istanbul
(Ayla Jean Yackley, Al-Monitor: Turkey Pulse)
Can Iran's president turn around its economy?
(Bijan Khajehpour, Al-Monitor: Iran Pulse)
Wednesday, 1 April 2020
Global Interfaith Moment of Hope & Solidarity: Join us on April 1
(Religions for Peace)
Tackling the Fears of Corona (second installment): Invitation to an International Interfaith Online Meeting
(The Elijah Faith Institute)
United Nations information website: Coronavirus global health emergency
(United Nations)
Canada's faith leaders unite in the face of coronavirus
(Claire Lesegretain, La Croix International)
Dutch scientists find a novel coronavirus early-warning signal
(Jason Gale, Bloomberg)
Kazakhstan: More court-ordered religious literature destruction
(Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service)
Correction: Brazilian churches bristle at virus quarantines
(Diane Jeantet, Associated Press)
Coronavirus: Uyghurs deported to other provinces as slave laborers to restart economy
(Ruth Ingram, Bitter Winter: A Magazine on Religious Liberty and Human Rights in China)
5 Buddhist teachings that can help you deal with coronavirus anxiety
(Brooke Schedneck, The Conversation)
Denying conscience – the Canadian experiment
(Steve Fouch, Christian Medical Fellowship)
Prosecutors voice support for decriminalization of adultery
(Focus Taiwan)
Another Jehovah's Witness gets six years plus
(Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, Russia Religion News (Stetson University))
Sikhs in Afghanistan a neglected, vanishing minority
(Sunil Kukreja, Asia Times)
How WHO became China's coronavirus accomplice
(Hinnerk Feldwisch-Drentrup, Foreign Policy)
A third of coronavirus cases may be ‘silent carriers’, classified Chinese data suggests
(Josephine Ma, Linda Lew and Lee Jeong-ho, South China Morning Post)
China for the first time reveals its number of asymptomatic coronavirus cases
(Lin Jinbing, Caixin)
China concealed extent of virus outbreak, U.S. Intelligence says
(Nick Wadhams and Jennifer Jacobs, Bloomberg)
Estimates show Wuhan death toll far higher than official figure
(Reported by Qiao Long for RFA's Mandarin Service, and by Lau Siu-fung for the Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie, Radio Free Asia)
As virus spreads, China and Russia see openings for disinformation
(Julian E. Barnes, Matthew Rosenberg and Edward Wong, The New York Times)
Why were Jews blamed for the Black Death
(Dan Freedman, Moment Magazine)
Saudis risk losing last Republican defenders with oil price war
(Bryant Harris, Al-Monitor)
Intel: Trump laments oil price war as Saudis lose key defenders in Congress
(Bryant Harris, Al-Monitor)
Iraqi PM-designate may be on futile mission to win Iranian support
(Hassan Ali Ahmed, Al-Monitor: Iraq Pulse)
Mossad, Netanyahu’s secret weapon against the coronavirus
(Ben Caspit, Al-Monitor: Israel Pulse)
WEBINAR RECORDING: RfP-CTI 'Leading in the New Normal of a Pandemic World'
(Religions for Peace International)
Tuesday, 31 March 2020
How should we respond to our shared crisis?
(Faisal Bin Muaammar, Secretary General, KAICIID, KAIICID Dialogue Centre)
Freedom of Religion and Belief for Everyone Everywhere: Lessons learned and good practices
(Brett G. Scharffs, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)
Articles of interest - 30 March 2020
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Competition of Conspiracies: Conflicting Narratives of COVID-19 within the Grassroots Russian Orthodox Milieu
(Elizaveta Gaufman and Dmytro Vovk, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)
An early Good Friday, at last: When too many bells toll in Italy
(Andrea Pin, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)
Panel: Coping with the the Coronavirus
(Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit moderator, Katherine Marshall, Ebun James-Dekun, and more, World Council of Churches)
New Country Profiles on Freedom of Religion or Belief
(The Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers)
The 11th Plague: Passover during coronavirus
(Forward)
How and why has the approach to coronavirus differed in Asia and Europe?
(The Telegraph)
What early Christian communities tell us about giving financial aid at a time of crises
(Cavan W. Concannon, The Conversation)
Government's opacity makes Turkey’s war on COVID-19 harder
(Kadri Gursel, Al-Monitor: Turkey Pulse)
Egypt releases political prisoners amid coronavirus outbreak
(Al-Monitor: Egypt Pulse)
Churchgoers all over world ignore physical distancing advice
(Andrew Roth in Moscow, Shaun Walker in Budapest and Dom Phillips in Rio de Janeiro, The Guardian)
A sermon on COVID-19 and climate change
(Mark Silk, RNS Column: Spiritual Politics)
USCIRF troubled with targeting of Hazara Shi’a in Pakistan amid coronavirus lockdown
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Virus forces religions to improvise, isolate for holidays
(Gary Fields, Associated Press)
Papacies in lockdown: How does the pandemic compare to crises of the past?
(Massimo Faggioli, Commonweal)
Pope, Italian PM likely talk “now” and “then” of the coronavirus
(John L. Allen Jr., Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Coronavirus and Islam: Pakistani clerics refuse to shut down mosques
(Haroon Janjua, Deutsche Welle)
Media report Orthodox churches defying attendance ban in St. Petersburg
(Fontanka.ru, Russia Religion News (Stetson University))
Some ultra-Orthodox Jews are ignoring Israel's coronavirus rules, despite a warning to 'wake up!'
(Oren Liebermann, CNN International)
India tracks attendees after Muslim event linked to virus cases
(Parth MN, Al Jazeera)
Singapore court upholds law criminalizing sex between men
(Melissa Sou-Jie Van Brunnersum, Deutsche Welle)
Queensland takes crucial step towards legalising voluntary assisted dying
(Sonia Kohlbacher, 7 News)
Facing coronavirus travel bans, the Mormon church has chartered jets to bring thousands of missionaries home
(Siobhán O'Grady, The Washington Post)
Virus soars among ultra-Orthodox Jews as many flout Israel's rules
(David M. Halbfinger, The New York Times)
As India's new coronavirus cases are linked to a mosque, some blame Muslims
(Avinash Giri, Religion Unplugged)
Iran's imprisoned Christians face yet another danger: COVID-!9
(Lela Gilbert, Religion Unplugged)
Monday, 30 March 2020
Pope Francis marks the 25th anniversary of Evangelium Vitae
(RIck Garnett, Mirror of Justice Blog)
To the Bishops Priests and Deacons Men and Women religious lay Faithful and all People of Good Will on the Value and Inviolability of Human Life
(John Paul II - Evangelium Vitae, The Vatican)
Love, obligation, and possibilities in the time of COVID-19
(Stephanie Friedman, Sightings: The Martin Marty Center, University of Chicago Divinity School)
Measuring the Apocalypse: Where we will and won't find meaning in this global pandemic
(Evan F. Kuehen, Sightings: The Martin Marty Center, University of Chicago Divinity School)
Pan-nemesis: COVID-19 and beyond
(William Schweiker, Sightings: The Martin Marty Center, University of Chicago Divinity School)
Saudi leader of Muslim World League: Interfaith partnerships during pandemic ‘religious, moral duty'
(Al-Monitor)
Religious freedom in Cuba: The lived reality
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)
More evidence about camps and prisons for Uyghurs in Xinjiang
(Chang Xin, Bitter Winter: A Magazine on Religious Liberty and Human Rights in China)
Islamic schools shuttered, 100,000 Qurans burned
(Ma Xiagu, Bitter Winter: A Magazine on Religious Liberty and Human Rights in China)
Turkey: Pressures, attacks, and discrimination against Christians
(Uzay Bulut, Gatestone Institute)
House committee recommends conscience vote on abortion in Jamaica
(Balford Henry, Jamaica Observer)
What’s next for Iraq’s persecuted Christians: A crisis we can’t keep ignoring
(Alliance Defending Freedom)
Pope calls for heartfelt compassion for those impacted by COVID-19
(Carol Glatz, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Rome mayor meets with Pope Francis; endorses Caritas campaign
(Elise Ann Allen, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
China’s people of faith: Canaries in Xi Jinping’s coal mine
(Leila Gilbert, The Jerusalem Post)
Coronavirus closes mosques, churches and temples across Asia
(Shotaro Tani and Ismi Damayanti, Nikkei Asian Review)
Radical changes taking hold in Nepal
(John Cosenza, International Christian Concern)
Sudanese government return confiscated truck to church, after 8 years
(International Christian Concern)
Cambodia: Fight discrimination amid pandemic
(Human Rights Watch)
China: Funeral of 100-y-o underground bishop restricted by communist gov't
(Leah MarieAnn Klett, Christian Post)
Health certificates required to enter Mandalay religious sites as Myanmar struggles with COVID-19
(Zarni Mann, The Irrawaddy)
Tunisia has a problem with internalised Islamophobia
(Safa Belghith, Al Jazeera)
Turkey ignores its highest court’s verdict on Armenian patriarch’s election
(Harut Sassounian, The Armenian Weekly)
In Nigeria, religion moves the North, politics moves the West, ethnicity moves the East
(Azuka Onwuka, Punch)
Irrespective of religion, all Mumbai Covid-19 victims to be cremated
(Outlook India)
Covid-19 e a Renegociação dos Contratos de Locação de Imóveis
(Iabelle Giannasi, Jusbrasil)
Egypt to offer investors shares in military-run companies
(Al-Monitor: Egypt Pulse)
Defaulted Lebanon hopes to pay off debts with cannabis
(Sarah Abdallah, Al-Monitor: Lebanon Pulse)
Sunday, 29 March 2020
Parliament Trustee invites interfaith colleagues for a for a special meditation-in-place event, March 29
(Master Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj, The Parliament of the Worlds Religions)
Pope’s Urbi et Orbi blessing in light of coronavirus
(Jim Fair, Zenit: The World Seen from Rome)
President Russell M. Nelson invites all to join in fast on March 29 for relief from COVID-19
(The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
Register for The Economist's free daily COVID-19 update newsletter
(The Economist)
Pope Francis says ‘We are all in the same boat,’ during Urbi et Orbi ceremony
(Claire Giangravé, Religion News Service)
UN working to ensure vulnerable groups not left behind in COVID-19 response
(Department of Global Communications, United Nations)
Standing together in Spirit & with Actions: A multi-religious response to Coronavirus (COVID-19)
(Religions for Peace)
The Global Response to the Coronavirus: Impact on Religious Practice and Religious Freedom
(Scott Weiner, Policy Analyst; Kirsten Lavery, International Legal Specialist; and Dominic Nardi, Policy Analyst, United States Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Religion Photos of the Week - 27 March 2020
(Kit Doyle, Religion News Service)
Why outbreaks like coronavirus spread exponentially, and how to “flatten the curve” (multiple languages available
(Harry Stevens, The Washington Post)
COVID-19: CEC calls on churches to stay united in prayers
(CEC Leadership, Conference of European Churches)
Foreign Ministry rescues Israelis stranded abroad during pandemic
(Rina Bassist, Al-Monitor: Israel Pulse)
Email Subscription
The International Center for Law and Religion Studies maintains a Law and Religion Headlines service covering news about freedom of religion or belief internationally. All interested may subscribe to this service, free of charge, using the link below.
Subscribe