Law and Religion Headlines

---

Wednesday, 30 December 2020

Proclamation on 850th Anniversary of the Martyrdom of Saint Thomas Becket
(The White House)

Montenegro lawmakers change religious law opposed by church
(Associated Press)

Dublin archbishop who helped Ireland heal from abuse retires
(Associated Press)

Russian monk charged with inciting suicidal acts in sermons
(Vladimir Isachenkov, Associated Press)

Three cheers for socialism: Christian love & political practice
(David Bentley Hart, Commonweal)

Nicaragua bishops fear violence ahead of 2021 presidential poll
(Inés San Martín, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

Why does no one care about genocide?
(Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes)

Bill legalizing abortion passed in pope’s native Argentina
(Almudena Calatrava and Débora Rey, Religion News Service)

Argentina legalizes abortion, a milestone in a conservative region
(Daniel Politi and Ernesto Londoño, The New York Times)

Argentina approves bill to legalize abortion
(Deutsche Welle)

Argentina to become largest country in Latin America to legalize elective abortion
(Ruby Mellen and Ana Vanessa Herrero, The Washington Post)

The Supreme Court sided with ROSHVE (Russian)
(Religion Today)

5 ‘in real life’ religion and pop culture clashes from 2020
(Roxanne Stone and Emily McFarlan Miller, Religion News Service)

Survey: UK teens are more likely than millennials to believe in God
(Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)

LDS church sued for alleged role in Boy Scouts sex abuse
(Terry Tang, Religion News Service)

Our best religion stories from a terrible year
(Religion News Service)

The Christmas crisis
(Emma Green, The Atlantic)

'The Next Jihad' authors talk religion, Christian persecution in Nigeria with Nick Cannon
(Jackson Elliott, The Christian Post)

At least 5 dead after Boko Haram attacks Nigerian Christian community
(Theophilus Abbah, Religion Unplugged)

Massachusetts House overrides governor's veto of abortion bill
(Ryan Foley, The Christian Post)

Most never married US adults hope to get married someday, despite culture shift: poll
(Leonardo Blair, The Christian Post)

FBI suspects 5G conspiracy motivated Nashville Christmas Day bomber
(Jackson Elliott, The Christian Post)

Kanye West releases new surprise Christian album 'Emmanuel' with ancient, Latin sounds
(Jeannie Law, The Christian Post)

Sudan joins forces with Egypt to crack down on Muslim Brotherhood
(George Mikhail, Al-Monitor)

Acquittal in assault of Christian woman casts pall over Christmas for Egypt's Coptic community
(Shahira Amin, Al-Monitor)

USCIRF calls for release of Ramy Kamel
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

Mob led by Islamists demolishes Hindu temple in NW Pakistan
(Associated Press)

Indonesia bans militant group Islamic Defenders Front
(Edna Tarigan, Associated Press)

Top Palestinian DJ detained as party at Muslim holy site sparks angry scenes and scapegoating claims
(Zeena Saifi, Abeer Salman and Andrew Carey, CNN)

Rights, freedom, and sustainable development: Looking ahead
(Katherine Marshall, G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)

Legacy of the Statute of the Permanent Court of International Justice, 100 years onward
(Brian McGarry, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)

COVID updates: NY congregation limits halted, MI’s school mask requirements remain in place, new COVID funding
(Don Byrd, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)

New COVID-19 legislation and guidance to 2 January 2021
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)

End of life care, “best interests” and Article 6 ECHR: JB
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)

Christianity and Trumpism collide at Liberty University as student leaders say Gospel comes first
(Peter Kenny, Ecumenical News)

Ruling over Al Quds speaker who blamed Zionists for Grenfell goes to High Court
(Jewish News)

Student reveals ordeal after uni awards him £15k over ‘antisemitic environment’
(Sandy Rashty, Jewish News)

New Mexico megachurches fined for packed Christmas services, governor slams as 'pro-virus'
(David K. Li and Ali Gostanian, NBC News)

Religious persecution set to rise in India and China in 2021
(Andrea Morris, CBN News)

Mike Pompeo calls for release of Chinese Christian journalist jailed for Wuhan reporting
(Leah MarieAnn Klett, The Christian Post)

China: Special Weekly Newsletter on Freedom of Religion or Belief (15-30.12.2020)
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

Indian state's "Love Jihad" law denounced by ex-bureaucrats, diplomats in open letter
(Saurabh Sharma, Reuters)

Tuesday, 29 December 2020

Madhya Pradesh Cabinet gives nod to ordinance on Freedom to Religion Bill
(Iram Siddique, The Indian Express)

Sikhism now an official religion in Austria
(Yudhvir Rana, The Times of India)

Religious freedom stories related to COVID-19 should be no. 1 on RNA's top 10 list
(Terry Mattingly, Religion Unplugged Opinion)

Monday, 28 December 2020

Articles of interest - 28 December 2020
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Church video shows massive Nashville explosion; possible human tissue found
(Anugrah Kumar, The Christian Post)

International Criminal Court prosecutor: Violence in Nigeria merits an ICC investigation
(Jackson Elliott, The Christian Post)

Nigerian court hears blasphemy conviction appeals in northern city Kano
(Reuters, Sowetan Live)

Church leaders abducted, Christians killed in Nigeria during Christmas week
(Anugrah Kumar, The Christian Post)

Massive explosion rocks Nashville on Christmas morning
(The Christian Post)

8 Christmas traditions on 7 continents
(Jackson Elliott, The Christian Post)

The Christian Post's top 10 news stories of 2020 (part 1)
(The Christian Post)

The Christian Post’s top 10 news stories of 2020 (part 2)
(The Christian Post)

Egyptian court acquits Muslim men who stripped, beat Christian grandmother
(Jackson Elliott, The Christian Post)

Hungary passes constitutional amendment defining marriage as between man and woman, bans gay adoption
(Ryan Foley, The Christian Post)

Hollywood visual effects artist creates ‘David vs. Goliath' VR game ‘to tilt scales’ of gaming
(Jeannie Law, The Christian Post)

Microchurches and how the coronavirus is shaking up the traditional model (part 1)
(Brandon Showalter, The Christian Post)

HC junks FIR, unites UP interfaith couple
(Rajesh Kumar Pandey, The Times of India)

‘Love jihad’: Laws targeting interfaith marriages creating atmosphere of hatred, says JD(U) leader
(Scroll.in India)

New England Journal of Medicine pushes for changes to sex designations on birth certificates
(Ryan Foley, The Christian Post)

Interfaith couples are fleeing Uttar Pradesh to avoid arrest under new 'love jihad' law
(Anuja Jaiswal, India Times)

In this Rajasthan village, fear of inter-caste, interfaith relationships robs girls of education
(Shruti Jain, The Wire)

Madhya Pradesh conversion law tougher than UP’s
(Shruti Tomar, Hindustan Times)

Another BJP-governed Indian state plans anti-conversion law
(Al Jazeera)

Uttarakhand HC grants police protection to interfaith couple
(Prashant Jha, The Times of India)

'Hurts the spirit of Sanatan Dharma': Hindu Mahasabha asks govt to clarify if COVID-19 vaccine contains cow's blood
(Free Press Journal)

MP govt to promulgate Dharma Swatantrya (religious freedom) ordinance tomorrow
(Yahoo News India)

Each year 1,000 Pakistani girls forcibly converted to Islam
(Kathy Gannon, Associated Press)

Pakistan announces renewed commitment to protect minorities and promote interfaith harmony
(Sana Jamal, Gulf News)

Top 10 religious liberty and church state developments of 2020
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Weekend Plug-In year in review: Religion-beat scribes select their top journalism of 2020
(Bobby Ross Jr., GetReligion)

Ten findings that describe the U.S. in 2020
(PRRI)

Of course the pandemic was top 2020 religion-news story: But which COVID-19 story?
(Terry Mattingly, GetReligion)

Boise State keeps team chaplain away from game after atheists protest postgame prayer with BYU
(Tad Walch, Deseret News)

6th Circuit refuses injunction pending appeal of religious school closure order
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

1st Circuit: Church's appeal of TRO denial is dismissed
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Court again refuses to enjoin California's COVID limits on church services
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Appellate Court upholds New York City measles vaccination order
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Universal Life Church can move ahead in challenge to Tennessee ban on marriages by those ordained online
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Presidential Message on Kwanzaa, 2020
(The White House)

Presidential Message on Christmas, 2020
(The White House)

USCIRF troubled with the relocation of Rohingya refugees to Bhasan Char Island
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

Mubarak Bala must be released, says Abuja High Court
(Humanists International)

Pope formally strips Vatican secretariat of state of assets
(Nicole Winfield, Associated Press)

Biden the Catholic: How does his faith matter?
(Paul Baumann, Commonweal)

Pope proclaims year of families, offers advice to keep peace
(Associated Press)

Thousands of Montenegrins protest government plan to amend controversial religion law
(Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty)

Protests erupt against new Montenegro govt over religion law
(Associated Press)

Montenegro protesters accuse new government of cozying up to Serbia
(Deutsche Welle)

No gender-segregated swimming at nature reserves, Israel's Deputy AG says
(Haaretz)

Are you committing blasphemy?
(Doug Bandow, National Review)

What Jesus means to me as a Muslim
(Omar Suleiman, Religion News Service)

Russia casts net wider for Jehovah's Witnesses
(Social Media News, Russia Religion News (Stetson University))

Belarus allows Catholic leader to return from Poland after forced exile
(Peter Kenny, Ecumenical News)

Exiled archbishop appeals for forgiveness after emotional return to Belarus
(Elise Ann Allen, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

Belarus: Regime allows Archbishop's Christmas return
(Olga Glace, Forum 18 News Service)

Law and religion round-up – 27th December
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)

AMIA bombing suspect acquitted in historic trial, sparking outrage from Argentine Jewish groups that vow to appeal
(Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Court strikes down Gov. Cuomo’s order limiting capacity in houses of worship because it ‘discriminates against religion on its face’
(Jerry Lambe, Law and Crime)

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