Law and Religion Headlines

---

Friday, 3 October 2025

Manchester synagogue attack: What we know so far
(Maia Davies and Jessica Rawnsley, BBC)

Japan: UN experts concerned by continued stigmatisation of religious minorities
(Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations)

Congress must support college students’ religious liberty
(Ismail Royer, Religious Freedom Institute)

Manchester’s Jewish community feels let down by Britain after deadly synagogue attack
(Danica Kirka and Kwiyeon Ha, Associated Press)

Appointment of the Archbishop of Canterbury: 3 October 2025
(Prime Minister's Office)

Law and religion roundup – 4th October
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)

Attacks on houses of worship in America demand the attention of all of us
(Religious Freedom Institute)

Nonreligious Americans might not be as spiritual as we thought
(Ryan Burge and Tony Jones, Religion News Service)

Religion often shapes someone’s view of abortion – but what about a woman’s actual decision?
(Amy Adamczyk, The Conversation)

Is South Korea’s ‘Buddhistcore’ aesthetic a fad or a spiritual awakening?
(Yan Zhuang and Seung-ku Lee, The New York Times)

‘Christianophobia’ resurfaces in Europe as attacks rise against Christians
(ACI MENA)

Human rights activist reports video surveillance cameras in mosques across occupied Crimea
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))

Ecumenical delegation from Christian churches of Nordic countries honor victims of Russian aggression in Bucha
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))

Squatters remain a problem in Uganda: How the Anglican Church is fighting back
(John Semakula, Religion Unplugged)

Character education supports younger generations living in diversity
(Ester Lince Napitupulu, G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)

WCC participates in Summit for Interfaith Unity and Peace
(World Council of Churches)

Note from the President of COMECE on the crisis in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan
(The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE))

Russia: Religious issues and persecution: Bimonthly Digest September 16-30
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

Next Week: Supreme Court to consider bans on counseling for kids struggling with their biological sex
(Becket)

WEA and Salvation Army support urgent call by the Special Rapporteur on modern slavery to end the worst forms of child labour
(World Evangelical Alliance)

Panel explores Catholic social teaching and human rights in Africa
(University of Notre Dame Law School)

‘No more beardos’: Hegseth gives military branches 60 days to end shaving waivers for almost all US troops
(Corey Dickstein, Stars and Stripes)

Cardinal Koovakad: Religions have a unique role in fostering peace
(Vatican News)

Spanish priest faces prison as hate-speech law tests limits of religious expression
(Niwa Limbu, Catholic Herald)

Nigeria: Tinubu preaches religious tolerance as APC National Chairman buries mother
(Agabus Pwanagba, Daily Post)

Wednesday, 1 October 2025

Man tears up copies of Quran inside French mosque
(TRT World)

Justice Department files lawsuit under the FACE Act against violent protestors at synagogue in West Orange, New Jersey
(U.S. Department of Justice)

Why the left is persecuting one of France’s most active Christian charities
(Hélène de Lauzun, The European Conservative)

My 3rd grade lawsuit proves you’re never too young to stand up for religious liberty
(Lydia Booth, The Federalist)

EVENT, 12-14 March 2026: International Moot Court Competition in Law and Religion (9th ed.) (Rome, Italy)
(St. John's Law, ICLARS, and BYU Law)

EEOC sues Apple for religious discrimination and retaliation
(U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission)

Nepal chooses a 2-year-old girl as new living goddess worshipped by both Hindus and Buddhists
(Binaj Gurubacharya, Associated Press)

Internet blackout hits Afghanistan as Taliban enforce morality crackdown
(AP, Politico)

Sustainable development goals and faith-based leadership
(Council on Foreign Relations)

Georgetown honors 60th anniversary of turning point in Catholic-Jewish relations
(Georgetown University)

Pope's October prayer intention: 'Collaboration among religions'
(Deborah Castellano Lubov, Vatican News)

Massachusetts appellate court reverses dismissal of vaccine exemption claim
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Religious Liberty Commission hosts third hearing on religious liberty in public education
(U.S. Department of Justice)

Christians in Chad complain of Islamicization of public institutions
(Ngala Killian Chimtom, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

Uzbekistan: Prisoners of conscience pressured to implicate others, banned from reading Koran
(Mushfig Bayram, Forum 18 News Service)

This Yom Kippur, Chabad Shanghai emissaries reflect on absence of inherent antisemitism in China
(Giorgia Valente, The Jerusalem Post)

The responsibility of host countries to protect refugees fleeing religious persecution — Examples from South and Southeast Asia
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

Schwarzenegger at Vatican in mission to 'terminate' fossil fuels
(Joshua McElwee, Reuters)

Religious freedom: A cornerstone of peace and prosperity
(Brian Grim, Religious Freedom & Business Foundation)

Churches reflect on security and Europe’s future in Kraków conference
(Conference of European Churches)

Monitoring group says appeals court in Qatar overturns conviction of the Baha’i community’s leader
(David Crary, Associated Press)

Presidential message on Yom Kippur
(The White House)

Kansas Supreme Court: Expanded religious exemption from covid vaccine mandate is not in conflict with Title VII
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

When it comes to Palestinian statehood, many British Jews recoil
(Yonat Shimron, Religion News Service)

Opening of Iowa mosque becomes a celebration of refugees' resilience and interfaith unity
(Ulaa Kuziez, Religion News Service)

Andrew Cuomo apologizes to Orthodox Jews for past handling of COVID-19 restrictions
(Joseph Strauss, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

World Jewish Relief to help 4,000 Ukrainians and Hong Kongers enter U.K. job market under new government contract
(The J)

Parental rights at the Supreme Court: Protecting children from government orthodoxy
(Emilie Kao, Public Discourse: The Journal of the Witherspoon Institute)

Buddhist monks oppose Sri Lanka's child protection law
(Union of Catholic Asian News)

Let us find a way of building bridges, Church of England's racial justice bishop tells conference
(The Church of England)

16 states, prominent legal scholars, & diverse faith groups urge Supreme Court to protect custom baker
(Becket)

Reps. Salazar and Meng, along with Senators Hassan and Johnson, reintroduce bipartisan bill to protect houses of worship
(María Elvira Salazar, U.S. House of Representatives)

Federal government probes Oregon in faith-based push against LGBTQ+ foster policy
(Shaanth Nanguneri, Oregon Capital Chronicle)

Violent acts in houses of worship are rare but deadly – here’s what the data shows
(James Densley and Jillian Peterson, The Conversation)

Tuesday, 30 September 2025

CALL FOR PAPERS, abstracts due 30 September 2025: Law, Religion, and Youth in Africa
(The African Consortium for Law and Religion Studies)

Monday, 29 September 2025

Freedom of religion: Global, South African, and local issues
(Mark Hill, G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)

4 dead following shooting, fire at Latter-day Saint church in what FBI calls ‘targeted violence’
(Tad Walch and Aaron Shill, Deseret News)

A list of notable shooting attacks on houses of worship in the US in the past 20 years
(Associated Press)

Around the web - 29 September 2025
(Law and Religion Forum, St. John's Law School Center for Law & Religion)

Pronouns, employment and religious schools
(Neil Foster, Law and Religion Australia)

Save the Children's Back to School 2025 dossier
(Fondazione Bruno Kessler)

Solidarity for priests after threats from organised crime
(katholisch.de)

A Muslim perspective on assisted dying
(Haifaa Jawad, London School of Economics Religion and Global Society Blog)

What 3 words end a marriage?
(Faraz Firouzi Mandomi, London School of Economics Religion and Global Society Blog)

Hindus escape Pakistan’s persecution, only to hit India’s bureaucratic walls
(Anuj Behal, The Revealer)

South Korea’s religious purge
(Forum for Religious Freedom Europe)

Religion Watch, ‘Volume 40 No. 10’
(Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion)

On prohibiting pupil prayers: Conceptions of religion and secularism in Webber Academy (Canada) and Michaela School (UK)
(Ashleigh Keall and Howard Kislowicz, Oxford Journal of Law and Religion)

Global Interfaith Monitor No. 39
(Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)

Religious groups join UN's 'Stand Up for Children in War' campaign
(Peter Kenny, Ecumenical News)

September/October 2025 issue
(Liberty Magazine)

UN Secretary-General’s report highlights persecution of Bahá’ís in Iran
(Bahá’í World News Service)

Fostering cohesive neighborhoods in the United States
(Bahá’í World News Service)

Faith and diplomacy: Kazakhstan reconciles religious leaders
(The Times of Central Asia)

A new school year for internally displaced students and teachers in Myanmar
(Seng Mai Aung, Hyeyeon Park, and Tala Alnasser, Institute for Global Engagement)

Faith-inspired development approaches that empower women and girls
(Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)

The forgotten crisis: Children in the Sahel bear the brunt of conflict
(Katherine Marshall and Jean Marc Tiendrebeogo, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)

A half century of legal recognition—Jehovah’s Witnesses in New Caledonia
(Jehovah's Witnesses)

Articles of interest - 29 September 2025
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Defense Secretary Hegseth tests Constitution in Pentagon worship services
(Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)

Faith returns to the public square
(R. R. Reno, First Things)

Council of Churches calls on democratic countries to provide Ukraine with effective air defense systems
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))

Law and religion roundup – 28th September
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)

Mamdani’s bid to be New York’s first Muslim mayor tests limits of identity politics
(Clemente Lisi, Religion Unplugged)

China: Draft ‘Ethnic Unity’ law tightens ideological control
(Human Rights Watch)

Addiction to constitutionally protected activity: Speech, press, and religion
(Eugene Volokh, The Volokh Conspiracy)

Belgium: Jehovah’s Witnesses’ prisoners cannot be visited any more by their chaplains
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

HRC60: Oral statement during adoption of UPR outcomes on Türkiye
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)

Urgent appeal for a Children’s Commissioner | The Commission on Justice and Peace
(Canadian Council of Churches)

Pope encourages European parliamentarians to pursue ‘healthy secularism’
(Cindy Wooden, OSV News)

Gallagher: Reform the UN to promote peace, development, and human rights
(Vatican News)

The International Buddhist Forum in Russia
(Asia News)

Jewish Federations welcome deal to release hostages
(Jewish Federations)

Spain denies asylum to Moroccan who claims persecution for being non-Muslim
(Morocco World News)

Steinmeier commemorates 500 years of the Anabaptist movement (German)
(Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland)

Search

Go!

Filter by Category

Events

International

Europe

United States

Filter by Topic

Abuse Adoption Blasphemy / Offense to Religion Children and Youth Church-State Relations Citizenship Constitutional Space COVID-19 COVID-19 Resources Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (abortion case) Ecclesiastical Abstention Education Environment Espinoza v. Montana (SCOTUS school funding case) Eugenics Extremism Family Law Freedom of Expression Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) Fulton v. Philadelphia (faith-based adoption agencies and same-sex couples) G20 Interfaith Forum Gender Genocide George Floyd Health and Wellbeing Human Dignity Human Fraternity ICLRS Symposium Identity Interfaith Dialogue Jewish Law June Medical Services (SCOTUS abortion case) Little Sisters of the Poor v. Pennsylvania Our Lady of Guadalupe School (SCOTUS ministerial exception case) Politics Poverty Property Race Religious Food Practices Religious Freedom Religious Holidays Religious Literacy Rule of Law Russia's Extremism Laws Slavery Social Service Spirituality Technology, Innovation, Infrastructure The Economy Ukrainian Autocephaly Violence Women / Equality Abortion Accreditation Activism Advocate Health Care Network v. Stapleton Affordable Care Act/HHS Mandate Al-Qaeda Annual International Law and Religion Symposium Anti-Christian Sentiment Anti-Islam Film Anti-Muslim Sentiment Anti-Semitism Apartheid Apostasy Articles & Speeches Asylum Australia Same-Sex Marriage Vote Bakery cases Billy Graham Blaine Amendments Boko Haram Bostock v. Clayton County (LGBT employment rights case) Boy Scouts Braidwood v. Becerra (Affordable Care Act) Brexit Calls for Papers / Contests Canada's Office of Religious Freedom Censorship Charlie Gard Case Charlie Hebdo Circumcision Climate Change Conscientious Objection Copenhagen Declaration (2018) Counter-terrorism Death Penalty Defamation Definition of Religion or Belief Democracy Derogation Desecration Discrimination Dissent ECHR/ECtHR ENDA ERISA Ethics Ethnic Cleansing EU Guidelines on Freedom of Religion or Belief European Court of Justice Euthanasia/Assisted Dying Events Eweida and Others Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Faith Based Law Schools Family FIDELA First Amendment Defense Act (FADA) Franciscan Alliance v. Burwell (Texas Transgender Mandate Case) Freedom of Assembly Freedom of Movement Globalism Gloucester County School Board ("Transgender Bathroom case") Government Funding of Religion Government Obligations Ground Zero Cross Hate Crimes Hate Speech Headscarf / Veil / Burqa HHS Transgender Mandate Hobby Lobby case Holt v. Hobbs Honor Killing Human Genomics Debate Human Rights Human Trafficking Humanitarian Aid Immigration Inequality Inhumane Treatment Interfaith International Law ISIS / ISIL / Daesh / "Islamic State" Jehovah's Witnesses v. Wall (Canada) Jerusalem passports case Jurisdiction Justice Scalia Kelley v. Becerra (Affordable Care Act) Kentucky Clerk Case Lee v. Tam (trademark case) Legislation & Religion LGBTQi+ issues Magna Carta Malaysia Allah Case Margin of Appreciation Marrakesh Declaration Marriage / Divorce / Civil Union Masterpiece Cakeshop Case Mexico Massacre Middle East Migration Military Ministerial Exception Minorities Missionary/Proselytism Mt. Soledad Cross Multiculturalism Narratives Neutrality New Religious Movements Newsletter NIFLA v. Becerra (compelled-speech case) Oaths of Allegiance Obergefell v. Hodges Orlando Massacre Pan-Orthodox Council Parental Rights Parliament of the World's Religions Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Peacebuilding Pluralism Politics & Religion Pope Francis Pope Leo XIV Pornography Prejudice Prisoner Free Exercise Prisoners Privacy Private and Family Life Proselytism / Evangelism Public Cross Cases Public Morals Public Prayer Publications Pussy Riot case Quebec Charter Plan Radicalization Refoulement Refugee/Migrant Crisis Registration Religion & Culture Religion & Government Religion in the Public Sphere Religious Accommodation Religious Autonomy Religious Clergy Religious Clothing Religious Conversion Religious Demographics Religious Demonstration Religious Diversity Religious Exemption Religious Free Exercise Religious Freedom & Business Religious Harmony Religious Hatred Religious Hostilities Religious Incitement Religious Intolerance Religious Oppression Religious Persecution Religious Registration Religious Symbols Religious Tolerance Reparations Restrictions on Religion RFAR RFRA Right to Effecitve Remedy Right to Fair Hearing Right to Life RLUIPA Roe v. Wade Romney Sacred Spaces Same-sex unions Secularism Security Social Justice Social Media Sovereignty Sterling v. United States (RFRA) Stormans v. Weisman (Pharmacists' Case) Surrogacy Sustainable Development Syria Tax / Finance and Religion Terrorism The Vatican Third-party intervention Title IX Torture or inhuman treatment Travel Ban Treaties Trinity Lutheran Church v. Comer Trinity Western University Ukraine UN Human Rights Council UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief US Constitution US State Department Religious Freedom Reports USCIRF Utah Compromise Victims War Crimes Wedding vendor cases Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt (Texas abortion case) Workplace / Employment Zubik v. Burwell ("Little Sisters of the Poor")

Filter by Country

Afghanistan African Union Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas, The Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of the Cook Islands Costa Rica Côte d'Ivoire Council of Europe Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czechia Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia European Union Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Polynesia Gabon Gambia, The Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Greenland Grenada Guam Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Holy See Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao PDR Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macau Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Mauritania Mauritius Mexico Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar (Burma) Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherland Antilles Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue North Macedonia Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestinian Territories Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Russia Rwanda Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino São Tomé and Príncipe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Sweden Switzerland Syria Taiwan (Republic of China) Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Tibet Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Türkiye Turkmenistan Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine Union of Soviet Socialist Republics United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United Nations United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam Virgin Islands, British Yemen Yugoslavia Zambia Zimbabwe