Law and Religion Headlines

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Wednesday, 7 April 2021

Religious freedom violated in Laos, says US report
(Union of Catholic Asian News)

The destructiveness of distrust – and how religious freedom can help
(Kent Johnson, Religious Freedom & Business Foundation)

Orthodox Jewish couple alleges NYC housing discrimination
(Larry Neumeister, Associated Press)

Suit says housing discrimination based on family size is religious discrimination against Orthodox Jews
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

British court says removal of Franklin Graham bus ads violated religion and speech rights
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Franklin Graham wins lawsuit against UK town that prohibited him from promoting event using bus ads
(Ruth Aguantia, Christianity Daily)

Missouri Supreme Court upholds some claims of failure to supervise abusive clergy
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Missouri Supreme Court keeps Chaminade clergy sex abuse case alive
(Maria Benevento, St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

An early encounter with ethnic cleansing and its refugees: Bosnia at war
(Steven K. Moore, G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)

Report: Pandemic amped up anti-Semitism, forced it online
(Laurie Kellman, Associated Press)

Discrimination part of everyday life for Peru’s trans people
(Regina Garcia Cano, Associated Press)

Russian man charged with organizing erotic photo shoot in UAE facing at least 6 months in prison
(Interfax-Religion)

Those involved in naked photo shoot in Dubai to be deported
(Isabel Debre, Associated Press)

BJC conversation to feature four Black scholars on white supremacy and religious liberty
(Don Byrd, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)

Nigerian bishop under fire after saying security situation ‘indicts’ the government
(Ines San Martin, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

Iraqi cardinal calls for religion, state separation one month after papal visit
(Elise Ann Allen, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

Just half of Americans belong to a house of worship. Is it time for pastors to panic?
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)

A contest of civility: The stakes of the battle over the Equality Act
(Cory D. Higdon, Public Discourse: The Journal of the Witherspoon Institute)

Protect both religious freedom and LGBT rights: Support the Fairness For All Act, not the Equality Act
(Jack N. Gerard, Public Discourse: The Journal of the Witherspoon Institute)

Nation of Islam says suspect in ‘tragic’ Capitol attack sought to be a member
(Adelle M. Banks, Religion News Service)

Russian investigation bureau nabs four Jehovah's Witnesses
(Regnum, Russia Religion News (Stetson University))

Russian leader on amendments relating to freedom of conscience and religious associations
(Religion Today)

Court unmoved by appeal of elderly Jehovah's Witness
(Credo.Press, Russia Religion News (Stetson University))

Hail to the resurrection of the Religious Left, creating media blitz No. 175 (or thereabouts)
(Richard Ostling, GetReligion)

“Net zero” in 2030 – a courageous decision?
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)

Advertising, religion and Articles 9 & 10 ECHR: Lancashire Festival of Hope
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)

Today’s Supreme Court much more favorable to religious issues
(John Burger, Aleteia)

Inside the debate over Judaism and Zionism that quietly roiled the University of Iowa
(Ben Sales, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Times’ link of Nation of Islam with Capitol killer is based on flawed comparison between rightwing Christian nationalism and black religious nationalism
(Andre E. Key, Religion Dispatches)

NSW Parliamentary report supports religious discrimination law
(Neil Foster, Law and Religion Australia)

A campaign to discriminate religious charities in Australia: Easter articles against Scientology tried to revive old attempts to use the Charities Act to discriminate against religions some politicians and media do not like.
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter: A Magazine on Religious Liberty and Human Rights in China)

Tuesday, 6 April 2021

WEBINAR, 6 May 2021 2:00 pm (BRT / UTC-3): International Colloquium on Law and Religion at the 7th Law and Religion Research Meeting
(Brazilian Center of Studies in Law and Religion)

WEBINAR, 6 May 2021, (9AM New York/3PM Brussels): (Re-)Building a Post-Covid Society pursuing the Sustainable Development Goals
(Ahead of the 2021 Italy G20 Summit Webinar Series (multiple sponsors))

Monday, 5 April 2021

Gorsuch, Alito balk as Supreme Court declines to hear case about workplace religious accommodations
(John Fritze, USA Today)

An extraordinary winning streak for religion at the Supreme Court
(Adam Liptak, The New York Times)

U.S. Supreme Court rebuffs claims of workplace religious bias
(Andrew Chung, Lawrence Hurley, Reuters)

Supreme Court denies review in cases seeking to overturn Hardison's interpretation of Title VII
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Expression vs. dignity: Should a bullying comedy routine be illegal? Canada’s high court may decide.
(Sara Miller Llana, Christian Science Monitor)

Why are fewer Americans involved in organized religion?
(Heather Brown, CBS Minnesota)

Police interrupt JCC Ongata Rongai Church live proceedings for flouting COVID-19 rules
(Jackson Otukho, Tuko.co.ke)

The unity of opposites: political theology and the common good. Jewish mysticism offers wisdom for modern politics
(David Barak-Gorodetsky, Sightings: The Martin Marty Center, University of Chicago Divinity School)

Raphael Warnock and the ongoing legacy of Black liberation theology: The myth of a monolithic Black theology at the heart of political scare tactics.
(Russell Sandberg, Sightings: The Martin Marty Center, University of Chicago Divinity School)

Bloody Holy Spirit members sentenced in Jiangxi: Devotees from the Ji’an area of the Taiwan-based religious movement received jail terms up to 4 years and six months.
(Qi Junzao, Bitter Winter: A Magazine on Religious Liberty and Human Rights in China)

Muslims, Christians critic of the French saw on “separatism”: Some amendments passed by the Senate raise serious religious liberty issues. France’s top Christian leaders officially join Muslims in criticizing the draft law.
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter: A Magazine on Religious Liberty and Human Rights in China)

Religious liberty and US foreign policy: no longer the guiding principle?
(Marco Respinti, Bitter Winter: A Magazine on Religious Liberty and Human Rights in China)

For 100 days, religious scholars sent Trump letters about scripture and modern life. Now they’re writing to Biden.
(Michelle Boorstein, The Washington Post)

A pagan says she faced religious discrimination while working at Panera. Now, she’s suing.
(Heather Greene, The Washington Post)

A group of Catholic leaders, including two bishops, condemn anti-transgender violence
(Jack Jenkins, The Washington Post)

Taiwan: The right to truth is truth for every person
(Lukas Lien, Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

Russia: Special bimonthly on freedom of religion or belief (16-31.03.2021)
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

A Proclamation on Days of Remembrance of Victims of the Holocaust, 2021
(The White House)

Articles of interest - 5 April 2021
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Trump's anti-Muslim statements did not taint passport revocations
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Churches' challenge to Minnesota COVID orders moves ahead
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

IGE Global Horizons Newsletter: March 2021
(Institute for Global Engagement)

Japan calls on China to improve conditions for Uyghurs, Hong Kong
(Alastair Gale, The Wall Street Journal)

U.S. State Department confirms the finding of the Uyghur genocide, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson denies yet again
(Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes)

Mormon leaders decry abortion as evil, call out racism
(Brady McCombs, Associated Press)

Church leader says Mormons not tied to any political party
(Associated Press)

Feds: Couple tried to travel by ship to join Islamic State
(Associated Press)

Report from the Capital (PDF)
(Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)

N Ireland sees 3rd night of unrest amid post-Brexit tensions
(Associated Press)

Pope’s Easter messages highlights conflicts around the world
(Ines San Martin, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

Human rights are undermined when elderly are cast aside, says U.N. nuncio
(Catholic News Service)

Ugandan Catholic archbishop found dead in his room on Holy Saturday
(Fredrick Nzwili, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

Antisemitism video explainer from UC Berkeley aims to cool campus debate
(Gabe Stutman, Forward)

Antisemitism education
(The Berkeley Hillel, YouTube Video)

Religion and the decline of democracy
(Andrew Sullivan, The Weekly Dish)

An epic debate on Trump and true Evangelicalism
(Matt Labash, Eric Metaxas, The New Republic)

Presumed supporter of Ukrainian nationalists detained in Barnaul confesses to plotting to blow up mosque – FSB
(Interfax-Religion)

This just in! More folks are just kind of religious, a key to church membership decline
(Terry Mattingly, GetReligion)

Plug-In flashbacks: Several religion-news questions and answers with Bobby Ross, Jr.
(Terry Mattingly, GetReligion)

New COVID-19 legislation and guidance to 10 April
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)

Law and religion round-up – 4th April
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)

Ecclesiastical court judgments – March 2021 (II)
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)

Church of England sorry for prayer booklet that resembles Passover Haggadah
(Cnaan Liphshiz, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

The last known Jew in Afghanistan is leaving
(Gabe Friedman, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Look down in lock down: Good believers & good citizens in Europe amidst the pandemic
(Andrea Pin, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)

'Allergic reaction to US religious right' fueling decline of religion, experts say
(Adam Gabbatt, The Guardian)

Alabama yoga debate focusing on the wrong question
(Candy Gunther Brown , Religion Dispatches)

Scottish politician slammed for saying covid pandemic 'possibly related' to gay marriages
(Aanchal Nigam, Republic World)

Saudi Arabia to allow only ‘immunised’ pilgrims to Mecca
(Al Jazeera)

Saturday, 3 April 2021

Photos of the week: Holy Week around the world
(Kit Doyle, Religion News Service)

Friday, 2 April 2021

AP photos: Spring holy days and festivals observed worldwide
(Associated Press)

Burma: More dangerous than ever for religious minorities
(Lela Gilbert, Family Research Council)

Liber Amicorum Linos-Alexandre Sicilianos on Fair Trial: Regional and International Perspectives
(Kushtrim Istrefi, ECHR Blog)

Myanmar: Testing the Democratic Norm in International Law
(Mark Weller, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)

India claims Tibet is restricting religious freedom
(Shanghai News)

Qatar: Male guardianship severely curtails women’s rights
(Human Rights Watch)

Muslim body in India seeks end to dowries, lavish weddings
(Aljazeera)

Christians forced to ‘re-convert’ to tribal religion in central India
(Morning Star News)

U.S. State Department releases country reports on human rights
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

2020 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
(U.S. Department of State)

Biden to nominate first Muslim federal judge
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

9th Circuit upholds California limits on in-home Bible study groups
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

North Dakota enacts law to limit restrictions on religious exercise during health emergencies
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Pandemic shed light on the need for additional protections of religious freedom
(Patrick Hatlestad and David Richter, Williston Herald)

Minister sues to hold Good Friday vigil on U.S. Capitol grounds
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Christian minister sues Pelosi, Harris for access to Capitol grounds for Good Friday
(Ronn Blitzer, Fox News)

Court upholds NY law barring discrimination against employees because of reproductive health decisions
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

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