Law and Religion Headlines
Friday, 10 November 2023
Ethiopian troops force armed group out of Orthodox holy site of Lalibela
(Al Jazeera)
India: How India’s Hindu nationalist BJP seeks Muslim vote in 2024 election
(YP Rajesh, Reuters)
Indian Christians refute Hindu group's 'mass conversion' claim
(Bijay Kumar Minj, Union of Catholic Asian News)
Vatican’s Deepavali message: Interreligious collaboration essential for peacebuilding
(Joseph Tulloch, Vatican News)
WCC stands with “Confluence of Conscience: Uniting for Planetary Resurgence” interfaith statement
(World Council of Churches)
Oslo city councillor wants to mark Ramadan publicly
(Christian Network Europe)
WA homeless ministry asks 9th Circuit to protect freedom to hire likeminded people of faith
(Alliance Defending Freedom)
WEA submits recommendations to UN on hate speech and religion
(World Evangelical Alliance)
Sri Lanka: Unleashing the spirit of religious freedom
(The National Peace Council of Sri Lanka)
Congolese faith leaders step up efforts to promote dialogue among warring groups
(Tonny Onyulo, Religion News Service)
Native American and Indigenous Muslim stories: trends and treasures
(Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU))
When it comes to defusing Hindu-Muslim tensions, college kids may know best
(Richa Karmarkar, Religion News Service)
Brandeis University bans campus chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine
(Yonat Shimron, Religion News Service)
Trans people can be baptized unless it causes scandal, says Vatican’s doctrine czar
(Claire Giangravé, Religion News Service)
APEC: Press China’s Xi on human rights
(Human Rights Watch)
Canada: Rise in antisemitic, Islamophobic threats has Canadians 'scared in our own streets,' PM says
(Peter Zimonjic, CBC News)
Canada: Police say 2 Jewish schools in Montreal were hit by gunshots; no injuries reported
(Associated Press)
Pastor's breach of contract suit dismissed on ecclesiastical abstention grounds
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Exclusion of jurors who have conscientious objection to death penalty does not violate Free Exercise clause
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
China’s new ‘Patriotic Education Law’ places further limits on religious instruction
(Matthew Santucci, Catholic News Agency)
China denies accusations of forced assimilation and curbs on religious freedom in Tibet
(Associated Press)
China: Pro-Beijing bishop backs China’s ‘sinicization of religion’
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Justice Scalia predicted ‘anarchy,’ but three decades later, religious freedom law is thriving
(Lori Windham, The Hill)
Nigeria: Casualties of faith: Religious mob’s rule thrives as govt spares killers, forgets victims (2)
(Deji Lambo, Punch)
Kenya: Clergymen oppose Government attempts to regulate churches
(Loise Macharia, The Star)
Thursday, 9 November 2023
VIRTUAL EVENT, 9 November 2023 (9AM CST): RPLP Fellows Meeting: “Government Religious Preference and Intrastate Conflict”
(Religion and Public Life Program, Rice University)
EVENT, 9 November 2023 (6:30PM ET): Religious Freedom for All (Sanford, FL, USA)
(Seminole State College of Florida)
VIRTUAL EVENT, 9 November 2023 (3:30PM ET): Religious Freedom in the Sahel Region of Africa
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
EVENT, 8-9 November 2023: African Union Interfaith Dialogue Forum General Assembly (Kigali, Rwanda)
(KAICIID Dialogue Centre)
VIRTUAL EVENT, 9 November 2023 (17:00hrs in South Africa): Freedom of Religion under Threat
(YouTube Video, Freedom of Religion South Africa (FOR SA) and Word of Faith Christian Centre)
Wednesday, 8 November 2023
5 election day takeaways on the candidates and issues that mattered to faith voters
(Clemente Lisi, Religion Unplugged)
Secretary-General's video message to the “Confluence Of Conscience: Uniting Faith Leaders For Planetary Resurgence” Conference
(United Nations)
Nicaragua: UN experts urge freedom for Bishop Álvarez after 12 Catholic priests were released
(Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations)
EVENT, 8 November 2023 (12:30PM ET): Agreeing to Disagree: How the Establishment Clause Protects Religious Diversity and Freedom of Conscience
(Center for Citizenship & Constitutional Government, University of Notre Dame)
In wake of Ohio abortion victory, some clergy rejoice, others mourn
(Kathryn Post, Religion News Service)
Abortion vote in Ohio pushes ‘pro-life pro-choice’ Black clergy to take a side
(Kathryn Post, Religion News Service)
Former CPS student is awarded $150,000 in religious freedom suit over ‘Hinduistic’ meditation program
(Emmanuel Camarillo, Chicago Sun-Times)
Cardinal Dolan sharply rebukes surging religious hatred in U.S. amid Israel-Hamas war
(Gina Christian, Catholic Review)
Notre Dame Religious Liberty Clinic files amicus brief supporting Jewish schools’ right to receive special education funding in California
(Arienne Calingo, University of Notre Dame Law School)
Parents challenge California law eliminating religious exemptions for vaccine mandates
(Ryan Foley, The Christian Post)
The Church of Jesus Christ joins with Muslim communities in peace-building efforts in West Africa
(Church News)
Iran: UN experts shocked by new wave of attacks on girls and women
(United Nations)
India: Stop abusing counterterrorism regulations
(Human Rights Watch)
Germany concerned over surge in anti-Muslim hatred amid Gaza crisis
(Daily Sabah)
Canada: Police charge man for hate crime toward religious leader
(CBC News)
Analysis: In Central Asia is too much religious freedom a bad thing?
(James Durso, Eurasia Review)
Catholic educators stand against religious discrimination before the Oklahoma Supreme Court
(University of Notre Dame Law School)
Nigeria: Seventh-Day Adventist Church boss calls for religious liberty for Sabbath keepers
(Funmi Ogundare, This Day Live)
November 2023 Newsletter
(The Association of Religion Data Archives)
Sudan: Christian buildings targeted in military conflict in Sudan
(Morning Star News)
CEC webinar highlights protection of worship places and cultural heritage sites in Europe
(Conference of European Churches)
Sudan must not be allowed to slip off the international agenda
(Ellis Heasley, FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)
Japan: Unification Church in Japan offers to set aside up to $67 million in a compensation fund
(Mari Yauchi, Associated Press)
An elderly Jewish man dies after an altercation with pro-Palestinian protesters
(Rachel Treisman, NPR)
Jewish students at UK universities 'deeply anxious', union warns
(Michael Cowan and Sima Kotecha, BBC News)
Jewish man's death at duelling Israel-Palestinian protests ruled a homicide
(Phil McCausland, BBC News)
Jewish-led peace activists protest at Statue of Liberty to demand Gaza ceasefire
(Reuters)
What I’ve learned since the attacks on Israel: people don’t deem Jews worthy of solidarity and empathy
(Danny Cohen, The Telegraph)
India: Delhi High Court seeks government response on PIL to teach difference between dharma and religion in schools
(Prashant Jha, Bar and Bench)
India’s defiant pastor faces probe under anti-conversion law
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Governors call for more funds to secure places of worship as threats toward Jews and Muslims rise
(Joey Cappelletti, Associated Press)
Wisconsin Senate approves amendment blocking church closures during public state of emergencies
(Associated Press)
U.S. Department of Education reminds schools of their legal obligation to address discrimination, including harassment
(U.S. Department of Education)
6th Circuit rejects equal protection challenge to Michigan ban on public funds for private and religious schools
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
NY court rules that parent body is entitled to possession of Hare Krishna temple
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Racism and discrimination in Germany exposed in new survey
(Marcel Fürstenau, Deutsche Welle)
Jakob Finci: Bosnians know how awful war is (video)
(Abdulah Hodzic, Deutsche Welle)
Antisemitic incidents up 800% in the Netherlands since Oct. 7, Dutch watchdog reports
(Shira Li Bartov, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
"The enemy effectively exploits religion in this hybrid war," - Head of the OCU
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Anglican debates: Democracy, ecclesiology, or both?
(Elisabeth Rain Kincaid, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
CEC–CCEE Joint Committee issues declaration on the situation in the Middle East
(Conference of European Churches)
Republican senators call for federally funded schools to protect Jewish students
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)
Schumer wants $1.2B in new security funding for US religious groups: ‘Intolerance has reached a boiling point’
(Steven Nelson, New York Post)
Former British PM Gordon Brown on human trafficking
(G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)
Vietnam releases 4 independent Protestants after 5 days’ detention
(Radio Free Asia)
Calls to action against antisemitism & anti-Muslim hatred
(European Evangelical Alliance)
Turkey inaugurates first state - built church: “We are very happy”
(Evangelical Focus)
Consolidating the legal recognition and protection of same-sex couples: Koilova and Babulkova v. Bulgaria
(Ignatius Yordan Nugraha, Strasbourg Observers)
Victory: New York gives up attack on Sisters of Life
(Becket)
Australia: Religious freedom is a path to peace, Archbishop Paul Gallagher says on Australian tour
(Marilyn Rodrigues, The Catholic Weekly)
Brazil: Reports of anti-Semitism in Brazil grow 1,000% after war in Israel, says Conib (Portuguese)
(Iuri Pitta, CNN Brasil)
Brazil: Tribuna Livre debates religious intolerance and religious racism (Portuguese)
(Bruno Almeida, Câmara Municipal de Aracaju)
Brazil: Religious racism is the theme of an ebook launched by NGOs (Portuguese)
(Redação, Observatório 3º Setor)
Pakistan: European Parliamentarians call for action to address coerced faith conversion and violence against minority women and girls in Pakistan – OpEd
(Kashif Nawab, Eurasia Review)
Monday, 6 November 2023
EVENT, 6 November 2023: Freedom for Faith 2023 National Conference (Village Church Annandale, NSW, Australia)
(Freedom for Faith)
EVENT, 6 November 2023: Religions on War and Peace (Rome, Italy)
(The Luiss Religions in Dialogue Forum)
IGE and Uzbekistan embassy hold seminar on religious freedom and security
(Institute for Global Engagement)
Are the Apostolic Fathers relevant to twenty-first century readers?
(William Varner, OUPblog: Religion)
Faith is a call to dialogue and peacemaking, pope tells rabbis
(Cindy Wooden, Catholic Review)
"This is Pennsylvania, not France": Religious garb ban for teachers repealed
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter)
Coalition of Baptist leaders will file amicus brief challenging NAMB’s view of First Amendment
(Mark Wingfield, Baptist News Global)
Appeals court considers whether Texas teens should be allowed contraception without parental consent under federal program
(Eleanor Klibanoff, The Texas Tribune)
British Christian organization launches online survey to gauge religious exclusion levels
(Alison Lesley, World Religion News)
Campaigners welcome free bus passes for asylum seekers announcement
(The Church of Scotland)
CI: ‘New extremism definition could pose threat to religious freedom’
(The Christian Institute)
Law and religion round-up – 5th November
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
Minnesota: Religious schools in court to protect faith-based education
(Becket Law)
Iran: Prominent Iranian religious scholar says hijab law should be abolished, urges authorities to stop inciting violence
(Mohammad Zarghami and Michael Scollon, Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty)
School board prayer policy violates Constitution, atheist group claims
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)
Antisemitism envoys from 24 countries call on governments to ensure ‘necessary security assistance’ for Jews following Hamas attack on Israel
(Ron Kampeas, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
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