Law and Religion Headlines

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Wednesday, 27 January 2021

Protesters and supporters denounce explosion at anti-LGBTQ First Works Baptist Church
(Alejandra Molina, Religion News Service)

UK free to make trade deals with genocidal regimes after Commons vote
(The Guardian, The Guardian)

Religious leaders discuss racism, religion, faith in United States
(Stamford Advocate, Stamford Advocate)

Man files for removal of religious affiliations in Indian court
(TNN, The Times of India)

The struggle for religious freedom — from Thomas Jefferson to Black Lives Matter
(Paul Rosenberg, Salon)

European concerns regarding the suggested legislation on compulsory translation of non-Danish language sermons. (PDF)
(Conference of European Churches)

Cardinal: Danish bill requiring translation of homilies threatens religious freedom
(Catholic News Agency, Catholic News Agency)

Order of Australian member defends right to religious freedom of speech
(Keane Bourke and Herlyn Kaur, ABC News Australia)

Supreme Court hears campus religious freedom, free speech case
(Staff, The Pathway)

Spotlight on international religious freedom
(Carol Castiel, VOA)

Will Indonesia’s new Religious Affairs minister protect religious minorities?
(East Asia Forum)

Who is behind recent attacks against Turkish presence in Idlib?
(Sultan al-Kanj, Al-Monitor: Syria Pulse)

Pakistan issues notices to Google, Wikipedia over ‘sacrilegious’ content
(Online News Editor, La Prensa Latina)

Shincheonji’s Chairman Lee not guilty of breaking virus law: The decision
(Bitter Winter)

Sri Lanka: ‘Forced’ cremation of COVID victims’ bodies must stop - UN rights experts
(UN News)

Dealing with the ‘curse’ of race and religion in politics
(Imran Ariff, Free Malaysia Today)

Remarks by President Biden in signing of Executive Order reversing the 2018 transgender military ban
(The White House)

US bishops urge Biden to reject abortion rights after 'deeply disturbing' statement
(Catholic News Agency)

Watch what Biden does, not what he says: Executive orders will widen rift within U.S. bishops
(Clemente Lisi, GetReligion)

Biden, faith and tolerance: Op-Ed
(James Freeman, The Wall Street Journal - Opinion)

Biden's executive orders will widen rift among Catholic bishops
(Clemente Lisi, Religion Unplugged Opinion)

El Salvadorian pastor leaves NC church sanctuary for first time in 3 years after Biden executive order
(Jackson Elliott, The Christian Post)

Pope Francis gives over $100K for earthquake relief in Croatia
(Hannah Brockhaus, Catholic News Agency)

Pope Francis: Witness to the truth by exposing ‘fake news’
(Catholic News Agency)

Survey: Americans more likely to say that pandemic strengthened their faith
(Catholic News Agency)

Satanic Temple challenges Boston City Council's prayer policy
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

How a Catholic pastor saved hundreds of his Jewish neighbors in the Warsaw Ghetto
(Catholic News Agency)

Satanic Temple sues Boston over opening prayer policy
(Associated Press)

Pro-abortion, pro-LGBT groups applaud confirmation of new Secretary of State
(Catholic News Agency)

Canadian student journalist fired for Catholic views charges discrimination
(Catholic News Agency)

COVID in the Canadian courts
(Peter Stockland, Convivium)

Poll: Most Americans oppose taxpayer-funded abortion
(Kate Scanlon, Catholic News Agency)

USCIRF condemns mistreatment of religious prisoner of conscience Golrokh Iraee in Iran
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

Experts demand suspension of EU-China investment deal
(Maik Baumgärtner and Ann-Katrin Müller, Spiefel International)

Weekly Highlight #140: COVID-19: Exploring Faith Dimensions - Interfaith Calls for Unity amid Concerns about Vaccine Equity and Hesitancy
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)

Germany remembers Auschwitz liberation in parliament
(Kirsten Grieshaber, Associated Press)

Polls show surprising support for Jewish parties among Arab voters
(Afif Abu Much, Al-Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East)

German woman charged with plotting attack on Muslims, others
(Associated Press)

Judge refuses to toss case against defiant Louisiana pastor
(Associated Press)

Newly confirmed secretary of state vows to promote LGBT agenda
(Ryan Foley, The Christian Post)

China's Communist leaders fear Christian population may reach 300 million by 2030
(Leah MarieAnn Klett, The Christian Post)

Polish man at center of life-support dispute dies in Britain
(Associated Press)

Religion and diplomacy: A conversation with Judd Birdsall
(Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)

Study reveals half of pastors say they’re hearing conspiracy theories in their churches
(Emily McFarlan Miller, Religion News Service)

Argentine official lashes out at clerics accusing him of human rights abuses
(Inés San Martín, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

Catholic LGBTQ nuns are speaking up again, and this time they have no intention of going away
(Claire Giangravé, Religion News Service)

Catholics may have a rooting interest in Italy’s favorite indoor sport
(John L. Allen Jr., Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

Bishop concerned about withdrawal of peacekeepers from struggling Darfur
(Francis Njuguna, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

Church calls for change in UK medical practices after death of coma patient
(Charles Collins, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

Online forum helps Asian Americans find their way in Americanized Buddhism
(Caitlin Yoshiko Kandil, Religion News Service)

For many schools, the Master of Divinity degree is moving online for good
(Yonat Shimron, Religion News Service)

The religious roots of our free enterprise system
(Alan Wolfe, The New York Times)

Macron's 'imam charter' raises fears of state control over Islam of France
(Hassina Mechaï, Middle East Eye)

Jehovah's Witness triumphs in high court over prosecution
(Kavkazskii Uzel, Russia Religion News (Stetson University))

Ancient church in Spain's Granada transferred to Russian Orthodox community for use
(Interfax-Religion)

Senators approve Family Code amendments declaring supremacy of Russian Constitution, moral principles over int'l law
(Interfax-Religion)

Recruiters of the "caliphate" detained in Kaluga Region
(Interfax-Religion)

Turkmenistan: Five conscientious objectors jailed in two days
(Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service)

New COVID-19 legislation and guidance to 30 January 2021
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)

Football Association adopts the IHRA definition of antisemitism
(Ellie Jacobs, Jewish News)

Fifth Circuit loss for employee who refused vaccine for religious reasons
(Tiffany Cox Stacy and Kelly E. Preston, The National Law Review)

Iranians move into front line of the Middle East’s quest for religious change
(James M. Dorsey, Modern Diplomacy)

The problem with India’s ‘love jihad’ laws
(Sumit Ganguly, Religion News Service)

The cross and the criminal record
(Darrin Sims, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)

Bishops reiterate need for direct Israel-Palestine negotiations if there is to be peace
(Catholic News Agency)

Criminal violence is escalating among Arab communities in Israel
(Daoub Kuttab, Al-Monitor: Israel Pulse)

Indian Jews bring traditional celebrations to Israel
(Rina Bassist, Al-Monitor: Israel Pulse)

Tuesday, 26 January 2021

ONLINE TEACHING SERIES, 26 January 2021 (continues into October): ThinkND series to explore world religions
(Amanda Skofstad, ThinkND, University of Notre Dame)

Ultra-Orthodox riot across Israel over lockdown
(Rina Bassist, Al-Monitor: Israel Pulse)

Monday, 25 January 2021

EVENT, 18-25 January 2021: Global ecumenical prayer for Christian Unity
(World Council of Churches)

Nigeria should leverage religion for national peace, group urges
(Best Naira News, Best Naira)

Twitter locks out Chinese Embassy in U.S. over post on Uighurs
(Bloomberg, The Japan Times)

Blasphemy laws and human rights: a match made in hell
(Marie Juul Petersen, OpenGlobalRights)

The Grand Egyptian Festival: religion, heritage and social cohesion
(Mariz Tadros, Institute of Development Studies)

Towards Enriching Understandings of Freedom of Religion or Belief: Politics, Debates, Methodologies, and Practices
(CREID Working Paper 6, Institute of Development Studies)

Freedom of religion or belief and religious inequalities: how is evidence collected?
(Mariz Tadros, Emilie Wilson, Kathryn Cheeseman, Institute of Development Studies)

First Days of the Biden Administration: Ten Suggestions
(Katherine Marshall & Richard Seifman, Impakter: Opinion)

“THOSE people are awful! But …”
(Kent Johnson,, Religious Freedom & Business Foundation)

ECtHR Grand Chamber declares admissible the case of Ukraine v. Russia re Crimea
(Marco Milanovic, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)

Complaints brought by Ukraine against Russia concerning a pattern of human rights violations in Crimea declared partly admissible
(Press Release by the Registrar of the Court, European Court of Human Rights)

Ukraine v. Russia (re Crimea) - Grand Chamber Admissibility Decision
(European Court of Human Rights)

Turkey’s religious authority denounces ‘evil-eye’ charms
(Andrew Wilks, Aljazeera)

India: Haryana withdraws order firing man who made Facebook post against Sikh religion
(Express News Service, The Indian Press)

German District Court declares Corona Ordinance unconstitutional
(Rosalind English, UK Human Rights Blog)

Enforced wearing of masks declared unconstitutional
(Rosalind English, UK Human Rights Blog)

Usmanov v. Russia: a confusing turn in the right direction? (citizenship and counterterrorism)
(Louise Reyntjen, Strasbourg Observers)

SC turns down UP Govt's application to transfer pleas challenging 'Love Jihad' law to itself
(The Wire)

We hold these truths: An Augustinian meditation on the communal dispositions required for democracy
(William Schweiker, Sightings: The Martin Marty Center, University of Chicago Divinity School)

Suit challenges Doe's conditioning of federal grants to colleges on free exercise for student religious groups
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

American Atheists and Americans United sue to overturn Department of Education regulation that forces universities to fund discrimination by student groups
(American Atheists)

Articles of interest - 25 January 2021
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

9th Circuit upholds California's temporary ban on indoor worship services
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Jewish organization fails to prove violations in denial of its use of free after-school space
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Supreme Court dismisses and vacates judgment below in temporary Texas abortion ban controversy
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Case page: Planned Parenthood Center for Choice v. Abbott
(SCOTUSblog)

Review denied in challenge to Nevada's limit on worship services
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Case page: Calvary Chapel Dayton Valley v. Sisolak
(SCOTUSblog)

USCIRF troubled by escalating persecution of Ahmadi Muslims in Algeria
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

China: Special weekly FoRB newsletter (16-24.01.2021)
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

Racism is a precursor to extremism (Malaysia)
(Ryan Chua, Malaysiakini)

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