Law and Religion Headlines
Friday, 10 February 2023
Pope: Human trafficking 'disfigures dignity'
(Deborah Castellano Lubov, Vatican News)
Pope seeks release of Cubans arrested during 2021 protests
(Andrea Rodriguez, Associated Press)
Federal Circuit hears arguments by organization seeking "church", but not non-profit, tax status
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Bishop must testify in divorce case with millions of dollars at stake
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
2nd Circuit hears arguments on religious objections to NYC employee vaccine mandate
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Ministerial exception doctrine requires dismissal of Jewish teacher's defamation suit
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
S4, Ep. 12: Accusations of religious bias on campus and in Congress (podcast)
(Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)
When did prayer become acceptable to NFL? When a crisis happened on live television
(Terry Mattingly, Religion Unplugged)
Let us honour the memory of Patriarch Antonios by bringing an end to the violations of the Eritrean regime
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)
ACLJ files federal lawsuit against Smithsonian museum for accosting, berating, and kicking out Christian students for their pro-life hats
(Jay Sekulow and Jordan Sekulow, American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ))
Return the Lavra to its rightful owners. Basilian monks met with the chairman of the Ternopil Regional Council
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Head quarter Jehovah's Witnesses closed in Kherson
(Christian Network Europe)
Protestant Church Switzerland appeals in public baptism case
(Christian Network Europe)
In the news: Breaking religious freedom stories across the country - 10 February 2023
(First Liberty)
Iran urged by HRWF to release 13 Ahmadis detained for 8 weeks
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Iran: “Christians are constantly watched as spies”
(Willy Fautré, Bitter Winter)
WCC general secretary offers reflections at Global Tolerance & Human Fraternity Summit in Abu Dhabi
(World Council of Churches)
Judge England condemns lawless executive power in Moscow, ID
(Eugene Volokh, The Volokh Conspiracy)
Spain offers citizenship to freed Nicaraguan political prisoners
(Al Jazeera)
Demolition threatens 400-year-old chapel in India
(Basant Rawat, Union of Catholic Asian News)
Indian gov’t withdraws appeal to hug cows on Valentine’s Day
(Associated Press)
Indian states asked to report on Christian persecution
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
CEC participates in Prague Continental Assembly of the Synod
(Conference of European Churches)
Blackburn mosque extension, new dome and minarets approved
(Bill Jacobs, Lancashire Telegraph)
Canon B5 and the Prayers of Love and Faith
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Priest faces legal battle for “praying for free speech” – and pro-life bumper sticker
(ADF UK)
FBI retracts leaked document orchestrating investigation of Catholics
(Tyler Arnold and Joe Bukuras, Catholic News Agency)
Do American evangelicals suffer 'second class' status among political conservatives?
(GetReligion)
Russia: Fled fearing prosecution for preaching that war is "terrible"
(Victoria Arnold, Forum 18 News Service)
The withdrawal mystery solved: how the European Court of Human Rights decided to move forward with the cases against Russia
(Julia Emtseva, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)
In synagogues and on the streets, Israel’s new ‘faithful left’ is making itself felt
(Deborah Danan, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Social media restricted in Ethiopia after church rift turns violent
(Reuters)
Nicaraguan Catholic bishop sentenced to decades in prison, citizenship stripped
(Ismael Lopez, Reuters)
Parliament of the World’s Religions welcomes faith leaders to Board of Trustees
(Religion News Service)
Fordham hosts civil religion lecture with Pulitzer prize-winning author Ian Johnson
(Tony Wu, The Observer)
Pandora’s Box of Religious Exemptions
(Harvard Law Review)
USCIRF releases new report on religious freedom concerns in Central Africa
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
China: An idolatrous state tries to smother the church
(Eric Patterson, World)
Do Australian churches require buffer zones against protests?
(Madeleine Rose Jones, Spectator Australia)
The pope is concerned about climate change. How do U.S. Catholics feel about it?
(Jeff Diamant, Pew Research Center)
Wednesday, 8 February 2023
U.S. national statement for the OSCE Conference on Addressing Antisemitism in the OSCE Region
(U.S. Mission to the OSCE)
HYBRID EVENT, 8 February 2023 (7PM ET): The Politics of Forgiveness
(Baylor in Washington, Faith & Law)
WEBINAR, 8 February 2023 (10:30AM ET): Two Years after the Coup: Religious Freedom in a Contested Burma
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Faith leaders urge independent review of Alabama executions
(Kim Chandler, Associated Press)
EVENT (VIRTUAL OR LIVE), 8 February 2023 (10AM EST): Understanding the threat of white Christian nationalism to American democracy today: Findings from the PRRI and Brookings Christian Nationalism Survey
(Brookings Institution)
International lawmakers call on social media giants to act against online antisemitism
(Omri Nahmias, The Jerusalem Post)
Interview: Religion & DEI by Colleen Frye
(Religious Freedom & Business Foundation)
EU bishops demand release of clergy detained in Nicaragua
(Nicole Winfield, Associated Press)
Catholic priests in Nicaragua sentenced to decade behind bars
(Reuters)
Global Interfaith Monitor No. 8
(Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Sweden issues rare ban over Quran burning rally
(Deutsche Welle)
Sweden: Anti-Turkish protests have increased attack threat
(Associated Press)
Holy See upholds OSCE efforts to combat rise of Anti-Semitism in Europe
(Vatican News)
USCIRF releases new report on religious freedom concerns in the Horn of Africa
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Supreme Court review sought in ministerial exception case
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Case page: Gregory Tucker v. Faith Bible Chapel
(Becket)
Court tells city to negotiate damages after its wrongful arrest of "psalm sing" protesters against covid restrictions
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
The canary in the coalmine: The IRF Summit and protecting religious freedom in our world today
(Andrew Likoudis, Patheos)
In fresh move in tax dispute with Vatican, Israel freezes Notre Dame hotel accounts
(Lazar Berman, The Times of Israel)
FBI internal memo warns against ‘Radical Traditionalist Catholic Ideology’
(Brittany Bernstein, National Review)
Ukrainian ambassador condemns the congratulations of the head of the Polish Orthodox Church to Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Occupation "police officers" brag about "exposing" the Jehovah's Witnesses in the Kherson region
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Many Ukrainians are fleeing to the Greek Catholic Church in Lviv, which has a long and complex history in the Orthodox faith
(J. Eugene Clay, The Conversation)
Death of old-school journalism may be why Catholic church vandalism isn't a big story
(Clemente Lisi, GetReligion)
Progress Pride flag as altar frontal
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Tibetan political prisoner and monk dies in Chinese custody
(Radio Free Asia)
Irreconcilable differences: Law, Religion, and Taiwan’s relationship with China
(André Laliberté, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
400 KAICIID-supported journalists promote peace in CAR
(KAICIID Dialogue Centre)
Indonesia: Who are genuine Muslim moderates? Separating the wheat from the chaff – analysis
(James M. Dorsey, Eurasia Review)
Pakistan’s top rights group raises ‘alarm’ on religious freedom
(Al Jazeera)
German party wants ban on ritual slaughter
(Christian Network Europe)
Basu v. Germany and Muhammad v. Spain: Why the first European Court of Human Rights’ judgments on racial profiling in identity checks are disappointing
(Julie Ringelheim, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)
Cardinal Hollerich demands the release of Bishop Rolando and the other detainees in Nicaragua
(The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE))
Kenya: In new interview, Archbishop Muheria berates persistent political bickering, calls on government, opposition to deliver
(Catholic Information Service for Africa)
Cuba: Documented religious freedom violations more than double in 2022
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
General Synod: Archbishop delivers Loyal Address to The King
(The Church of England)
Suspected ISIS members arrested in Turkey - report
(The Jerusalem Post)
Outrage over Charlie Hebdo’s Turkey-Syria earthquake cartoon
(Al Jazeera)
Court won't revisit ruling allowing priest to sue church for defamation
(Daniel Wiessner, Reuters)
U.S. court leery of blocking LGBT bias claims against religious employers
(Daniel Wiessner, Reuters)
A new lens into the overlap of religion and right-wing politics
(Philip Bump, The Washington Post)
Democrats pass resolution condemning ‘white religious nationalism’
(Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)
More states are paying to send children to private and religious schools
(Laura Meckler and Hannah Natanson, The Washington Post)
Nicolás Maduro places his faith in the evangelical churches
(Florantonia Singer, El País)
The Illinois voucher law is about to ride into the sunset. will lawmakers rescue it, or just wave goodbye?
(Peter Greene, Forbes)
Brazilian bishops' "holy indignation" over violence against Indigenous people
(Ivan Fernandes, La Croix International)
Brazil: Babalorixá assumes coordination of religious freedom in the ministry of Silvio de Almeida (Portuguese)
(Monica Bergamo, Politica Livre)
Brazil: Legal implications of the exercise of faith in Brazil (Portuguese)
(Gilberto Garcia, Migalhas)
Brazil: Government ordinance prohibiting religious contact with Yanomamis is unconstitutional (Portuguese)
(Leonardo Desideri, Gazeta do Povo)
Minister of Justice highlights Portugal's role in protecting religious minorities (Portuguese)
(República Portuguesa)
Tuesday, 7 February 2023
EVENT, 7 February 2023 (8:30AM in New York): Multi-Religious Prayer for Peace and Compassion
(Religions for Peace and the Committee of Religious NGOs at the United Nations)
VIRTUAL EVENT, 7 February 2023 (11AM EST): Virtual IRF Roundtable with Civil Society and USCIRF Chairman Nury Turkel
(International Religious Freedom Roundtable)
Spain's Catholic Church 'soul-searching' after 3 years under progressive government
(Jonathan Luxmoore, National Catholic Reporter)
Monday, 6 February 2023
What is religious freedom, and what is it not?
(JoAnne Wadsworth, Viewpoints: A blog of the G20 Interfaith Forum)
You’ve heard of ‘spiritual but not religious.’ What about ‘religious but not spiritual’?
(Matthew Bowman, The Salt Lake Tribune)
Psychedelic churches in US pushing boundaries of religion
(Williamsport Sun-Gazette)
Two more mosques were vandalised and set ablaze in a wave of Anti-Ahmadiyya hatred in Pakistan
(The European Times)
Hazara Committee in UK releases report on situation of community in Pakistan
(Myind.net)
The politics of blasphemy: Why Pakistan and some other Muslim countries are passing new blasphemy laws
(Ahmet T. Kuru, The Conversation)
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