Law and Religion Headlines

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Friday, 24 April 2026

Apache Stronghold returns to court to halt destruction of Oak Flat
(Becket)

Is Indonesia’s blasphemy law for religious protection or political purpose?
(South China Morning Post)

Wilson leads bipartisan, bicameral legislation to combat Russia’s attack on religious freedom
(Joe Wilson, U.S. House of Representatives)

Suozzi unveils bipartisan SACRED Act to protect houses of worship
(Tom Suozzi, U.S. House of Representatives)

Advancing FoRB through targeted programming
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

Religious council rejects sovereignty bill, warns of threats to rights and civic space
(Ramson Muhairwe, Nile Post)

Thursday, 23 April 2026

EVENT, 21-23 April 2026: Religion & Human Flourishing: Building Pathways to Peaceful Societies in South Asia (Laie, Hawaii, USA)
(Religious Freedom & Human Dignity Initiative at BYU–Hawaii)

VIRTUAL EVENT, 23 April 2026: Strategic Religious Engagement in Peacebuilding: Tools, Applications, and Insights
(Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)

Wednesday, 22 April 2026

HYBRID EVENT, 22-23 April 2026: Radical Thinking and The Concept of Truth
(University of Pretoria)

Psychology and religion: Identity does not hang on a coat rack (Portuguese)
(Thiago Rafael Vieira and Jean Marques Regina, Gazeta do Povo)

Texas can require public schools to display Ten Commandments in classrooms, US appeals court rules
(Jamie Stengle, Associated Press)

‘If my people': Here’s why the Bible passage Trump read aloud is so potent and polarizing
(Peter Smith, Associated Press)

Presidential message commemorating 250 years of the Bible in America
(The White House)

Opinion: Nathan v. Alamo Heights ISD (10 Commandments case)
(Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals)

Unprecedented ruling finds Hungary's anti-LGBTQ laws in breach of EU values
(Paul Kirby, BBC)

Values of the European Union: by adopting a law which stigmatises and marginalises LGBTI+ persons, Hungary has acted in breach of EU law
(Court of Justice of the European Union)

Multifaith Texas families condemn Fifth Circuit decision upholding mandatory display of Ten Commandments in public-school classrooms
(ACLU)

Attending multiple places of worship is the norm for many Americans
(Katie E. Corcoran and Christopher P. Scheitle, Conversation)

'Freedom of religion must be for everybody,' Bishop Mounstephen says, calling it a test for societies
(Timothy Goropevsek, Christian Daily)

‘If there is silence nothing will change’ says former secretary general on religious freedom
(Nathalie Raffray, Aid to the Church in Need)

Legal Spirits 077: Dignity in Judgment (podcast)
(Law and Religion Forum, St. John's Law School Center for Law & Religion)

Japanese police arrest a South Korean for allegedly obstructing Yasukuni Shrine festival
(Mari Yamaguchi, Associated Press)

Supreme Court will hear from religious preschools challenging exclusion from taxpayer-funded program
(Lindsay Whitehurst, Religion News Service)

Pope Leo’s delicate task in Equatorial Guinea: Bless the faithful, not the regime
(Tonny Onyulo, Religion News Service)

Hegseth, Barron, evangelical leaders to join Trump event rededicating America to God
(Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)

Death of nearly 8000 migrants in 2025 is ‘nothing short of a tragedy’ says bishop
(Fionn Shiner, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomes PACE’s resolution on protecting freedom of religion and belief in Europe
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))

KAICIID and African Union Commission sign new agreement, deepening a decade of partnership for peace in Africa
(KAICIID Dialogue Centre)

Iran, Vatican envoys in Cairo condemn insults to divine religions
(Islamic Republic News Agency)

Nigeria convicts nearly 400 terrorists as Christian persecution continues
(Diana Chandler, Religion Unplugged)

Al-Azhar Grand Imam receives Finnish president
(Egypt Independent)

The EUCJ Ruling in Katholische Schwangerschaftsberatung v. JB and Its Impact on Ecclesiastical Labor Law in Germany
(Judith Hahn, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)

Religious issues and persecution – Bimonthly news digest April 01-21
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

Egypt: Court refuses to recognise marriage of Baha'i couple together for almost 45 years
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)

Christian nationalism is central to the Texas GOP primary runoffs for Senate and attorney general
(Andrew Schneider, Houston Public Media)

The Pope, ‘Chrislam,’ and the selective courage toward power
(Alberto Pizzoli, The European Conservative)

Unification Church: Japan’s dissolution order and international law. 1. Violating the believers’ rights
(Patricia Duval, Bitter Winter)

Human fraternity as an alternative to the instrumentalization of religion for geopolitical purposes
(Antonio Angelucci, TRENDS Research & Advisory)

Belarus rights groups urge Church to ‘continue caring’ amid ongoing suppression of religion
(Jonathan Luxmoore, OSV News)

'I prayed it was AI': Catholic Church condemns IDF soldier's destruction of Jesus statue in Lebanon
(Alexandra Lukash, Ynet News)

Street preacher set to appear in court after being accused of 'attempting to influence women near abortion clinic'
(Fintan Starkey, GB News)

Freedom House experts on what Trump should discuss with Xi in Beijing
(Freedom House)

Iowa bill bars rejecting foster parents over religious beliefs
(Marissa Payne, Des Moines Register)

Trial opens in Egypt for Christian charged with ‘challenging Islam’
(Edward Ross, Christian Daily)

Senior CPC official stresses law-based governance of religious affairs
(Xinhua)

Monday, 20 April 2026

CEC Pathways to Peace steering group advances work on just peace in Europe
(Conference of European Churches)

Are American young men really surpassing young women in faith? Digging into Gallup and PRRI’s new reports
(Jacob Hess, Deseret News)

Supreme Court takes up religious liberty case over Colorado's universal preschool program
(CBS News)

Supreme Court to decide whether Colorado can exclude Catholic families from “universal” preschool program
(Becket)

Rise in young men's religiosity realigns gender gaps
(Frank Newport and Lydia Saad, Gallup)

2025 PRRI Census of American Religion
(PRRI)

The Council of Europe is accompanying countries in the fight against all forms of religious intolerance online
(The Council of Europe)

Two arrested over Kenton synagogue attack
(Aurelia Foster, BBC)

Budapest pharmacy refuses to prescribe any form of contraception due to religious reasons
(Daily News Hungary)

Government urges rapid data completion for ethnic, religious sectors
(Vietnam Net Global)

Articles of interest - 20 April 2026
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Faith groups seek out founding documents in bid to rescue democracy
(Yonat Shimron, Religion News Service)

New Yorkers recall Sikh history of social justice at Vaisakhi festival
(Kyle Desrosiers, Religion News Service)

Ye concerts scrapped in Poland, Switzerland as backlash over antisemitic remarks continues
(Grace Gilson, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

US to ban European politicians from World Cup over 'antisemitism'
(Eddy Wax, Euractiv)

States eulogize Charlie Kirk with new laws promoting religion and free speech
(David A. Lieb, Associated Press)

Supreme Court will hear religious liberty case on Catholic preschools and LGBTQ families
(Amy Howe, SCOTUSblog)

Appointment of the Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland: 15 April 2026
(GOV.UK)

ISIS member convicted in landmark Yazidi genocide trial
(Ewelina U. Ochab, Religion Unplugged)

Vermont bill advances to increase oversight of health care sharing ministries
(Kim Roberts, Religion Unplugged)

Property dispossession and the exodus of Hindus in Bangladesh – OpEd
(Sangeeta Mohanty, Eurasia Review)

Outrage after photo shows Israeli soldier smashing Jesus statue in Lebanon
(Al Jazeera)

Strengthening the interpretation and implementation of UN Resolution 55/17, human rights and a culture of peace
(Brett G. Scharffs, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)

Slovakia: State registration and recognition of religious or belief communities
(Marek Smid, Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

Recognition & registration of religions in Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary & Slovakia
(Brandon Reece Taylorian, Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

Quebec’s Bill 9: When secularism treats religion as a problem
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter)

Trump to read Bible verse from Oval Office after feud with Pope and deleted AI image
(Kaanita Iyer and Aleena Fayaz, CNN)

Argüello denounces the Government's «ideological drift» in life, family, and institutional freedom
(Infovaticana)

While the Supreme Court deliberates on Quebec’s secularism law, Jewish schools and hospitals wait
(Joel Ceausu, Canadian Jewish News)

Christian satellite TV has broadcast evangelical faith – and end‑times prophecies – into Iran for decades
(Febe Armanios, Conversation)

Repression of Uyghurs persists as the world moves on
(Yalkun Uluyol, ABC News Australia)

KZN government removes children from controversial religious sect in KwaMaphumulo
(Nkosikhona Cele, IOL)

God, death, and the right to choose: A religious divide on assisted suicide
(Ryan Burge, Graphs about Religion)

Mexico: Evangelicals in Hidalgo take religious intolerance case to national human rights commission
(Ommar Ayala, Christian Daily)

Indiana Supreme Court will hear challenge to religious-based abortion lawsuit
(Tyler Haughn, Fox 59 News)

New study: Most Canadian Sikhs face hate, however very few report it
(Aadya Arora, New Canadian Media)

Friday, 17 April 2026

Australian Journal of Law and Religion - Volume 7 (2026)

Egypt legalizes 191 additional churches in ongoing push for religious inclusivity
(Egypt Independent)

Leo XIV's journey to Africa (1): Algeria
(FSSPX news)

Turkey recalibrates global religious strategy to bypass European restrictions, committee records reveal
(Abdullah Bozkurt, Nordic Monitor)

The Istanbul warning: How ISIS is expanding inside Turkey
(Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury, Blitz)

Mass killings, widows abandoned: Behind Nigeria's 'religious war'
(Jamal Osman, Channel 4 News)

Yemen’s female journalists face Islamic cleric-led harassment campaigns
(Ibrahim Abdullah, Religion Unplugged)

How Jewish heritage projects in Morocco are being used to push pro-Israel politics
(Middle East Eye)

Dozens detained during Easter gatherings in Turkmenistan
(Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)

China’s definition of an ‘evil cult’ is expanding beyond religious groups
(Jianli Yang, The Diplomat)

Archbishop of Canterbury expresses solidarity with Pope Leo XIV in calling for peace in Iran
(Associated Press)

U.S. Bishops’ Chairman on Doctrine issues clarification on Just War theory
(United States Conference of Catholic Bishops)

Thomas More Society settlement establishes landmark religious liberty protections for Coast Guard
(Thomas More Society)

Justice Department report charges Biden Administration with weaponization of FACE Act enforcement
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

What a new Gallup poll shows about young men’s religious revival
(Deepa Bharath, Associated Press)

French appeals court rejects antisemitism charge in poisoning of Jewish family by nanny
(Grace Gilson, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Kazakhstan: Husband jailed in Xinjiang, wife to be jailed from 2027
(Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service)

Reintegrating faith into the nation’s approach to homelessness
(Michele Steeb, Real Clear Religion)

Two visions of religious liberty
(Owen Anderson, First Things)

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