Law and Religion Headlines
Monday, 19 October 2020
New York's zip-code targeted COVID-19 limits are upheld
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Morocco reopens some mosques, even as infections grow
(Associated Press)
Churches and COVID-19, again: Do Capitol Hill Baptist folks have same rights as protesters?
(Terry Mattingly, GetReligion)
India may see 2.6m COVID-19 cases a month during holiday season if rules relaxed: Panel
(Al Jazeera)
Hard-won equality and human rights at risk of going backwards in wake of pandemic
(Equality and Human Rights Commission)
World Mission Sunday: Catholics urged to support evangelization as pandemic spreads
(Hannah Brockhaus, Catholic News Agency)
Religion is not the problem: Brooklyn bishop blasts New York COVID measures
(Matt Hadro, Catholic News Agency)
Friday, 16 October 2020
Al-Asheikh highlights Saudi Arabia's COVID-19 efforts at interfaith forum
(Saudi Gazette)
Religion is essential, even during a pandemic, Latter-day Saint apostle David Bednar tells global forum
(Peggy Fletcher Stack, The Salt Lake Tribune)
Cardus on "The church, the state, and the pandemic"
(Religious Freedom Institute)
Cert. filed in church's challenge to Illinois COVID-19 orders
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Romanian churches petition to SCOTUS
(Liberty Counsel)
Rockland County (NY) synagogues sue over targeted COVID-19 order
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Orthodox Jewish rabbis sue Cuomo for 'blatantly anti-Semitic' COVID order
(Tyler O'Neil, PJ Media)
Jewish leaders call COVID rules ‘blatantly anti-Semitic’
(Larry Neu, Associated Press)
English churches to benefit from government cultural COVID grants
(Charles Collins, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Wednesday, 14 October 2020
Elder Bednar: Lack of respect for faith leads to ‘crisis of legitimacy’ in COVID-19 response
(Tad Walch, Deseret News Faith)
"Leadership is not about knowing everything. It's about knowing who to connect to": G20 Interfaith leaders target COVID-19 relief
(KAICIID Dialogue Centre)
Court rules DC church can hold outdoor services for now
(Adelle M. Banks, Religion News Service)
A DC church shows how to fight for religious freedom
(David French, Dispatch: The French Press)
Judge rules DC COVID restrictions 'substantially burden' religious freedom
(Catholic News Agency)
Orthodox Jewish leaders sue to block New York restrictions where covid-19 cases are rising
(Sarah Pulliam Bailey, The Washington Post)
Lives Lost: London rabbi worked to end community's isolation
(Danica Kirka, Associated Press)
Brazil Catholics drawn to worship despite downsized services
(Tatiana Pollastri and Mauricio Savarese, Associated Press)
Kentucky restrictions on church services debated at Sixth Circuit
(Kevin Koeninger, Courthouse News Service)
Non-qualifying marriages and the COVID regulations
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
Jesus and Wi-Fi: Alaska church helps students during pandemic
(Bobby Ross Jr., Religion Unplugged)
Weekly highlight #127: Continued focus on longer-term impact of COVID-19 emergencies
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
The government's unfair treatment of churches during COVID pandemic
(David Closson, The Daily Signal - Commentary)
Monday, 12 October 2020
The power of a heartbroken community: In sharing others' pain, faith and church show their true resilience.
(Kathryn Ray, Sightings: The Martin Marty Center, University of Chicago Divinity School)
4 Swiss Guards test positive as COVID-19 penetrates Vatican
(Nicole Winfield, Associated Press)
Religious gathering limit upheld as NY hospitalizations rise
(Associated Press)
DC restrictions on outdoor church services violate RFRA
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Capitol Hill Baptist case- COVID restrictions on gatherings unlawful
(Neil Foster, Law and Religion Australia)
Why human rights should guide responses to the global pandemic
(Sandra Liebenberg, The Conversation)
Advice on local outbreaks: Church of England
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
New COVID-19 legislation and guidance to 17 October
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Father Augusto Zampini on the COVID-19 crisis: An interview
(G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)
Saturday, 10 October 2020
Catholic and Jewish organizations sue New York governor over new COVID-19 restrictions
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
400 rabbis back Cuomo and de Blasio in shutdown of New York Hasidic neighborhoods
(Yonat Shimron, Religion News Service)
Orthodox Jews in Covid cluster balk at synagogue limits
(Josh Russell, Courthouse News Service)
Lawsuits filed by Brooklyn Diocese, Jewish groups over new NY COVID restrictions
(ABC 7 NY)
Another religious challenge to California's COVID-19 orders
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Catholic priest sues California governor for violating religious rights with state shutdown
(Press Release, Thomas More Society)
Judge won’t block NY plan to limit gatherings
(Associated Press)
New COVID-19 legislation and guidance to 10 October
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
UK and US churches urge governments to cancel debt of poorest households due to virus
(Peter Kenny, Ecumenical News)
Federal court allows D.C. church to hold services outdoors despite coronavirus restrictions
(Michelle Boorstein, The Washington Post)
“Law, Religion, and Coronavirus in the United States”: Zachary B. Pohlman
(Law and Religion Forum, St. John's Law School Center for Law & Religion)
Austria: Federal Office of Sect Issues targets COVID-19 dissenters. An Orwellian “Ministry of Truth”?
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Austria: Federal Office of Sect Issues targets COVID-19 dissenters. An Orwellian “Ministry of Truth”? (German)
(Forum for Religious Freedom Europe)
New U.N. nuncio addresses economic inequities made worse by COVID-19
(Catholic News Service)
How Christian nationalism may determine whether you wear a mask
(Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)
Friday, 9 October 2020
RECORDING AVAILABLE ONLINE: Law, Religion, and Coronavirus in the United States: A Six-Month Assessment
(Moderators: Brett Scharffs, Jane Wise, John Bernau, Shlomo Pill, Justin Latterell, Stephanie Barclay, Mark Movsesian, Marc DeGirolami, Michael Moreland, BYU ICLRS, Emory CSLR, Notre Dame Church & State, St. John's CLR, Villanova Law)
Wednesday, 7 October 2020
“Law, Religion, and Coronavirus in the United States”: Christopher Lund
(Center for Law and Religion Forum at St. John's University School of Law)
Authenticity, transparency and trust in the age of covid-19
(Kent Johnson, Religious Freedom & Business Foundation)
Catholics in Ireland ‘disappointed’ over new suspension of public worship
(Charles Collins, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
With Cuomo on warpath, Orthodox Jews worry that COVID-19 shutdown will backfire
(Ari Feldman, Forward)
Interfaith demonstrations across California demand release of incarcerated people amid COVID-19
(Alera Molina, Religion News Service)
After Trump tweets about hymn singers' arrest, church plans another event
(Bob Smietana, Religion News Service)
Gov. Andrew Cuomo shuts down New York City yeshivas in virus hot spots
(Yonat Shimron, Religion News Service)
Pope Francis calls for shake-up of healthcare in wake of pandemic
(Catholic News Agency)
Vatican City State makes masks compulsory outdoors
(Catholic News Agency)
Aid to the Church in Need providing aid to nuns in poverty during pandemic
(Catholic News Agency)
New Jersey COVID limits on indoor church services are upheld
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Israeli police clash with ultra-Orthodox over virus rules
(Associated Press)
Weekly Highlight #125: Emerging Research and Vaccination as a Public Good
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
“Law, Religion, and Coronavirus in the United States”: Adelaide Madera
(Law and Religion Forum, St. John's Law School Center for Law & Religion)
Monday, 5 October 2020
“Law, Religion, and Coronavirus in the United States”: Mary Anne Case
(Center for Law and Religion Forum at St. John's University School of Law)
Pilgrims return to Mecca as Saudi eases virus restrictions
(Associated Press)
Governor orders some NYC (religious) schools closed amid virus flare-up
(Associated Press)
New COVID-19 legislation and guidance to 3 October
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Department of Justice files statement of interest supporting Capitol Hill Baptist Church's efforts to practice its faith during COVID-19
(U.S. Department of Justice)
9th Circuit upholds California's COVID restrictions on religious services
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
U.S. appeals court upholds California’s coronavirus restrictions on churches
(Los Angeles Times)
Friday, 2 October 2020
Judge upholds Colorado's coronavirus limits on religious gatherings
(Catholic News Agency)
Iranians call COVID-19 diagnosis 'lesson' for Trump
(Al-Monitor: Iran Pulse)
Faith leaders offer prayers as President Trump tests positive for COVID-19
(Bob Smietana, Jack Jenkins, Adelle M. Banks, Religion News Service)
Most congregations are doing all right during COVID-19. But the future is uncertain.
(Bob Smietana, Religion News Service)
The coronavirus, the compelling state interest in health, and religious autonomy
(W. Cole Durham, Jr., Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
In Uganda, thousands finally return to places of worship
(John Semakula, Religion Unplugged)
Wednesday, 30 September 2020
Nationalism 'must not prevail,' Pope Francis says, addressing the United Nations
(Claire Giangravé, Religion News Service)
France tightens restrictions on Church properties as cases of COVID-19 spike
(Clémence Houdaille, La Croix International (paywall))
Do not suspend worship again, say clergy in open letter
(Hattie Williams, Church Times)
John Macarthur, pastor who defied COVID-19 orders, will face new hearing in November
(Alejandra Molina, Christian Headlines)
3 Christians arrested at outdoor worship service for failing to social distance, wear a mask
(Amanda Casanova, Christian Headines)
DOJ warns San Francisco’s mayor that 1-person limit on church attendance is unconstitutional
(Anugrah Kumar, The Christian Post)
The great turn of the world, Europe has an important role to play on the global scene in the post-COVID era
(Pascal Boniface, La Croix International (paywall))
Places of worship remain closed in Gabon: Pentecostal churches in the central African nation had threatened to resume services last Sunday
(Lucie Sarr, La Croix International (paywall))
Preliminary injunction denied in suit targeting Colorado's COVID-19 limits on size of religious gatherings
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
CO governor sued for targeting ministries
(Liberty Counsel)
US Catholic leaders call on President and Congress to support additional COVID-19 relief for those in need
(Zenit: The World Seen from Rome)
COVID-19 means new format for Germany’s largest ecumenical gathering in 2021
(World Council of Churches)
Weekly Highlight #125: Clashes and Conflicts
(COVID-19: Exploring Faith Dimensions, Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
At virus milestone, Italian priest reflects on loss, lessons
(Maria Grazia Murru and Nicole Winfield, Associated Press)
As virus curbs Nepal’s festivals, devotees fear gods’ anger
(Binaj Gurubacharya, Associated Press)
How many, like the Church of Scotland, are facing a huge shortfall due to the pandemic?
(Peter Kenny, Ecumenical News)
Pope Francis calls for new economic model to rebuild post-coronavirus world
(Catholic News Agency)
Monday, 28 September 2020
The Weekly Round-up: The Coronavirus Act 2020 under review
(Sam Sykes, UK Human Rights Blog)
Justice Department calls on San Francisco mayor to end “one congregant” rule for places of worship to comply with the Constitution
(U.S. Department of Justice)
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