Law and Religion Headlines
Wednesday, 28 February 2024
Algeria inaugurates world’s third-largest mosque ahead of Ramadan
(Al Jazeera)
West Virginia House passes bill to allow religious exemptions for student vaccines
(John Raby, Associated Press)
Alabama justice's ties with far-right Christian movement raise concern
(Odette Yousef, NPR)
The Alabama ruling on embryos claimed to be Christian. Christians aren’t so sure.
(Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)
India: Anti-Muslim hate speech soars in India, research group says
(Kanishka Singh, Reuters)
Burkina Faso mosque attack: Dozens killed during prayers
(Natasha Booty, BBC News)
Pakistan woman in Arabic script dress saved from mob claiming blasphemy
(Caroline Davies, BBC News)
Germany is driving religious freedom off the road
(Lidia Rieder, The European Conservative)
How Hakeem Jeffries’ Black Baptist upbringing and deep-rooted faith shapes his House leadership
(Darren Sands, Associated Press)
Cambodia: Tep Vong, the leader of Cambodia’s Buddhist community, dies at 93
(Associated Press)
Florida Senate unanimously passes bill to define antisemitism
(Brendan Farrington, Associated Press)
Tennessee legislature passes healthcare sharing ministries exemption
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Court upholds Maine's law barring LGBTQ discrimination by Christian school receiving state funds
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Man to plead guilty in ‘killing spree’ of eagles and other birds for feathers prized by tribes
(Matthew Brown, Religion News Service)
New survey finds pockets of support for Christian nationalism across the country
(Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)
Malawi: Bishops blast government of Malawi, saying oversight ‘rendered useless’
(Ngala Killian Chimtom, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Irish official rejects call for No vote on family amendment by bishops
(Charles Collins, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Hulu reverses course, accepts Texas church's ad after demand letter
(Kristine Parks, Fox News)
SBU initiated 73 investigations against clergymen collaborating with the enemy
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Thailand persecutes the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light. Why?
(Willy Fautré and Alexandra Foreman, The European Times)
O.G. and others v. Greece: A belated vindication for (some) sex workers living with HIV
(Dimitrios Kagiaros, Strasbourg Observers)
Indonesia: Is there a new strongman leading the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation?
(Paul Marshall, Religion Unplugged)
Australia: Muslim peak bodies in NSW and Victoria reject invitations to premiers’ iftar dinners
(The Guardian)
Iran: Religious persecution and issues – Monthly Digest February
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Tibet: Mass detention of Tibetans trying to save monasteries
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
Japan: The Unification Church Case in Japan: A politician speaks up. 2. Spies and fake news
(Toshikazu Masubuchi, Bitter Winter: A magazine on religious liberty and human rights)
Kentucky debates increasing religious freedom protections
(World)
Group, Dutch embassy rally religious leaders, others on freedom of religion
(Tina Abeku, Guardian.ng)
Japan: Religious believers should not acquiesce to religious freedom violations
(Haruhisa Nakagawa, Japan Institute for National Fundamentals)
African Philosophy of Religion and Western Monotheism
(Kirk Lougheed , Motsamai Molefe and Thaddeus Metz, Cambridge University Press)
Tuesday, 27 February 2024
WEBINAR, 27 February 2024 (4PM CET): Strengthening Families: A Cornerstone of Sustainable Societies. Episode 1: Families: The foundation of economic prosperity
(Michał A. Michalski, Bradford Wilcox, Vincenzo Bassi, and Aimee Winder Newton, European Union & International Affairs Office of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
HYBRID EVENT, 27 February 2024 (6:30PM ET): "Faith Under Fire", a panel and discussion on Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela (Miami, Florida, USA)
(Outreach Aid to the Americas)
Monday, 26 February 2024
FoRB Podcast: Qur’an-Burning Cases in Europe
(Dmytro Vovk, Merilin Kiviorg and Ed Brown, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)
Cuba reiterates respect for religious freedom
(Beatriz Montes de Oca, Radio Havana Cuba)
Utah passes religious freedom bill with language to prevent discrimination
(Bridger Beal-Cvetko, Deseret News)
EVENT, 26 February 2024: Writing and Publishing in the Law of the ECHR: A Workshop for Early Career Researchers
(University of Essex and Academy for European Human Rights Protection, University of Cologne)
Nigeria: Islamist Nigerian militants press attacks against Christians to foment religious war
(Tonny Onyulo, Religion News Service)
Catholics rally around Annunciation House after lawsuit
(Aleja Hertzler-McCain, Religion News Service)
Backlash to trans activist’s St. Patrick’s funeral reveals deep fault lines
(Aleja Hertzler-McCain, Religion News Service)
Trump tells religious broadcasters he’ll defend Christianity against perceived threats from the left
(Will Weissert, Associated Press)
Hinduism has no rules against marrying outside the faith. But couples say it has its bumps.
(Richa Karmarkar, Religion News Service)
Georgia GOP senators seek to ban sexually explicit books from school libraries, reduce sex education
(Jeff Amy, Associated Press)
Anti-Muslim hate incidents soar in UK amid Israel's war on Gaza: monitor
(TRT World)
Catholic immigrant shelter battles Texas AG, who wants to shut it down
(Suzanne Gamboa, NBC News)
IRFBA Chair’s statement on the somber anniversary of two years since the Russian aggression against Ukraine accompanied by severe violations and abuses, killing of priests and destruction of places of worship
(International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance (IRFBA), U.S. Department of State)
God, Religious Extremism and Violence
(Matthew Rowley, Cambridge University Press)
The Taliban want a piece of Pakistan
(Lynne O’Donnell, Foreign Policy)
Around the web - 26 February 2024
(Law and Religion Forum, St. John's Law School Center for Law & Religion)
Catholic bishops call for No vote in both March referendums
(Patsy McGarry, The Irish Times)
China: Pray.com addresses Apple App Store in China restricting access to content, impacting National Day of Prayer livestream
(PR Newswire)
Church Reporter, Vol. 9, 15 February 2024 - Newsletter for the English speaking members and friends of the Church Law Society (PDF)
(Church Law Society Prague – Brno – Olomouc – Stříbro – České Budějovice)
Algeria inaugurates Africa’s largest mosque after years of political delays and cost overruns
(Associated Press)
Mexican church officials have helped arrange a truce between 2 warring drug cartels
(Fabiola Sánchez, Associated Press)
Civil conspiracy claims against religious organization survive 1st Amendment defenses
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Articles of interest - 26 February 2024
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Pakistan Supreme Court defends free exercise rights of Ahmadis; protests follow
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Anti-immigrant pastors may be drawing attention – but faith leaders, including some evangelicals, are central to the movement to protect migrant rights
(Brad Christerson, Alexia Salvatierra, and Robert Chao Romero, The Conversation)
Faith leaders renew push for ‘accurate’ Black history education in Florida
(Adelle M. Banks, Religion News Service)
Sisters at Work: A Special Global Cohort
(Luisa Banchoff and Katherine Marshall, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Mozambique bishop warns jihadist anti-Christian violence being ignored
(Ngala Killian Chimtom, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Israel court hears challenges to religious draft waiver amid Gaza war
(Reuters)
'An explosion is coming': Hamas warns against Ramadan restrictions on Temple Mount
(Sam Halpern, The Jerusalem Post)
South Africa: Why do some Jews feel forgotten?
(David Ehl and Katharina Peetz both in Johannesburg, Deutsche Welle)
Don't let hate win: Sadiq Khan and Susan Hall make unity plea amid Lee Anderson 'Islamophobia' storm
(Nicholas Cecil and Ross Lydall, The Standard)
Daesh bride loses appeal in UK court to restore her citizenship
(TRT World)
Lee Anderson: MP suspended from Tory party over 'Islamists' comments
(Thomas Mackintosh, BBC News)
Anti-Muslim cases surge in UK since Hamas attacks, charity finds
(Sara Monetta, BBC News)
Law and religion roundup – 25th February
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
What the 2024 US Presidential candidates say about faith
(Clemente Lisi, Religion Unplugged)
It is time to articulate a Muslim approach to justice and liberation
(Shaykh M A Kholwadia, Al Jazeera)
India: Hamas to halal: How anti-Muslim hate speech is spreading in India
(Yashraj Sharma, Al Jazeera)
India: West Bengal: Indian zoo asked to change lions’ 'blasphemous' names
(BBC News)
Law and religion: Legal victories and tools for IRF
(JoAnne Wadsworth, G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)
Two weeks in review, 12– 25 February 2024
(Tal Gross, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)
Berlin coalition to discuss constitutional protections against Islamophobia
(Exberliner)
War in Ukraine: Mgr. Crociata: “We must hope that the diplomatic initiative unfolds in all directions and with the full breadth it can muster”
(The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE))
A future for ecumenism?
(Riley B. Case, Juicy Ecumenism, Institute on Religion and Democracy)
Iran: Majority of Iranians want secular government, leaked study shows
(The Jerusalem Post)
Christian broadcasters ask Supreme Court to hear their religious freedom case
(Alliance Defending Freedom)
Burkina Faso: At least 15 Catholic worshippers were killed in an attack during a service in northern Burkina Faso
(Chinedu Asadu, Associated Press)
Brazil: Financing religious monuments does not harm the secularity of the State, decides Mendonça (Portuguese)
(Rafa Santos, Conjur)
Ex-Catholics in Rome reconnect with roots, spirituality in paganism
(Claire Giangravé, Religion News Service)
Friday, 23 February 2024
Texas AG seeks to liquidate Catholic agency providing services to migrants
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
El Paso bishop defends migrant shelter under attack by Texas attorney general
(John Lavenburg, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Dressed to express: How dress codes discriminate against Texas students and must be changed
(ACLU Texas)
EVENT, 23 February 2024 (10:30 AM): Unity in Diversity: Daring to Overcome the Barriers that Divide (Bengaluru, India)
(Brian Grim, National Institute of Advanced Studies)
California bill would offer motorcyclists religious exemptions from wearing helmets
(Senator Brian Dahle)
Daesh member involved in Istanbul church attack left for Russia: Report
(Daily Sabah)
Al Mujadilah: A women-only mosque in Qatar inspires ‘sense of connection’
(Kubra Solmaz, TRT World)
Canadian, Ukrainian religious leaders call for justice, peace in Ukraine as war enters third year
(Gina Christian, OSV News)
Canada: Judge rules killer of London, Ont., Muslim family committed terrorism, calling it a 'textbook example'
(Kate Dubinski, CBC News)
Canada: Muslim groups say MPs won't be welcome in mosques until they call for Gaza ceasefire
(Yasmine Hassan and Raffy Boudjikanian, CBC News)
Killing of Muslim family in Canada terrorist act: Court
(Daily Sabah)
Mosque in Sweden's capital again targeted by Islamophobes with threatening graffiti
(Alexandra Enberg, Anadolu Agency)
Lebanon: Podcast Episode 026 | National report on freedom of religion or belief
(Fadi Hachem, Religious Freedom Institute)
Macron broods over assisted dying law at dinner with faith leaders
(Tom Heneghan, The Tablet)
Georgia bill aims to protect religious liberty. Opponents say it’s a license to discriminate
(Jeff Amy, Associated Press)
Denmark records highest number of antisemitic incidents since WWII, part of a grim European trend
(Jan M. Olsen, Associated Press)
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