Law and Religion Headlines
Tuesday, 14 April 2020
Hamas jails Gaza Activist for video chat with Israelis
(Omar Shakir, Human Rights Watch)
Egypt intervenes as Gaza warns Israel over medical aid
(Rasha Abou Jalal, Al-Monitor: Palestine Pulse)
No sanitizers, fresh food or distance in some of Gaza's quarantine centers
(Entsar Abu Jahal, Al-Monitor: Palestine Pulse)
With Nepal in lockdown, volunteers feed hungry animals at Hindu shrine
(Binaj Gurubacharya, Religion News Service)
COVID-19 in Yemen – A perfect storm
(Afrah Nasser, Human Rights Watch)
Greece: Free unaccompanied migrant children
(Human Rights Watch)
A new Catholic legal doctrine
(Mark Silk, RNS Column: Spiritual Politics)
Sikhs turn to online Vaisakhi
(Simrin Singh, Religion News Service)
Learning from the Jewish Easter
(R.R. Reno, First Things)
Italy in crisis: The pandemic will exacerbate political tensions
(Christopher Caldwell, First Things)
Church challenges to COVID-19 orders proliferate
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
A time for cornerstones
(Duncan Stroik, First Things)
USCIRF welcomes Indian Supreme Court decision on Assam detention centers as a first step
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Viral misinformation and the freedom of expression: Part I
(Marko Milanovic, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)
Viral misinformation and the freedom of expression: Part II
(Marko Milanovic, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)
Viral misinformation and the freedom of expression: Part III
(Marko Milanovic, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)
Coronavirus is deepening the divide between Orthodox and liberal Jews
(Jodi Rudoren, Forward Opinion)
Netanyahu accused of breaking his own quarantine rules by having son at Passover Seder
(Aiden Pink, Fast Forward: Quick reads through a Jewish lens)
Alabama synagogue vandalized with swastikas, slurs as Passover began
(Aiden Pink, Fast Forward: Quick reads through a Jewish lens)
Passover is the Jewish people’s real independence day
(Aryeh Green, Fast Forward: Quick reads through a Jewish lens)
The importance of character during war
(Michael D. Matthews, OUPblog)
COVID-19: Protecting worker health
(John Cherrie and Sean Semple, Annals of Work Exposures and Health)
Hospital chaplains try to keep the faith during the coronavirus pandemic
(Emma Goldberg, The New York Times)
John Scalzi on messiahs, the apocalypse, coronavirus and religion in science fiction
(Bob Smietana, Religion News Service)
Quand la propagande djihadiste s’empare de la crise sanitaire
(Myriam Benraad, The Conversation)
Top evangelicals urge release of some detainees during virus
(Elana Schor, Associated Press)
Child sex abuse in Pakistan’s religious schools is endemic
(Kathy Gannon, Associated Press)
Italian bishop breaks ranks to publicly challenge coronavirus restrictions
(John L. Allen Jr., Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Justice Department speaks out on church closures, condemns religious freedom violations in new statement
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News Faith)
Attorney General William P. Barr issues statement on religious practice and social distancing; Department of Justice files statement of interest in Mississippi church case
(U.S. Department of Justice)
Coronavirus is changing the rituals of death for many religions
(Lauren Frayer, Daniel Estrin, Jane Arraf, National Public Radio)
Jehovah's Witnesses are searched despite pandemic lock-down
(Daniil Kuznetsov, 7 x 7 Ivanovskaia Oblast)
Enforcement overkill? Louisville newspaper tries to document the 'war on Easter'
(Julia Duin, GetReligion)
Scotland Yard breaks up group prayer in private garden amid lockdown
(Mathilde Frot, Jewish News)
Pastors sue California governor for coronavirus restrictions 'criminalizing the free exercise of religion'
(Jason Lemon, Newsweek)
Little Sisters of the Poor and religious accommodations
(Ronald J. Colombo, Law.com)
Principal Nigerian religious leaders largely in lockstep with government on lockdowns
(John Campbell, Council on Foreign Relations)
Islamic Leader: The Greek government proves its respect for the religious beliefs of all citizens
(Paul Antonopoulos, Greek City Times)
Crosses removed from churches across China for being 'higher than the national flag'
(Milton Quintanilla, Christian Headlines)
'Prayer was the difference': COVID-19 survivor praises God, thanks healthcare professionals for saving his life
(Lori Arnold, Christian Headlines)
One year after the fire, a French priest's tribute to Notre-Dame
(Courtney Mares, Catholic News Agency)
Judge rules abortion access outweighs efforts to fight coronavirus
(Catholic News Agency)
US bishops join Pope Francis' call for global ceasefire to counter coronavirus
(Catholic News Agency)
In New York, former Catholic nursing home opens as COVID rehab center
(Catholic News Agency)
Pro-life counselors 'singled out' for coronavirus enforcement, lawsuit alleges
(Matt Hadro, Catholic News Agency)
'The culture wars are real,' Cardinal Pell says in new interview
(Catholic News Agency)
Roman priest offers Easter Mass on church roof amid coronavirus
(Hannah Brockhaus, Catholic News Agency)
Justice Department to act on unfair religious restrictions during coronavirus
(Catholic News Agency)
Bishops pray for victims of Easter storms
(Christine Rousselle, Catholic News Agency)
Pastor-sharing: For clergy, a holy hustle and labor of love
(G. Jeffrey MacDonald, The Christian Science Monitor)
Monday, 13 April 2020
UK bishop calls for government to release detainees at immigration centers
(Charles Collins, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
The Apocalypse as an 'unveiling': What religion teaches us about end times
(Elizabeth Dias, The News York Times)
Hope in the midst of apocalypse
(Martin E. Marty, Sightings: The Martin Marty Center, University of Chicago Divinity School)
USCIRF troubled by denial of food aid to Pakistani Hindus and Christians
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Court allows drive-in church services for Easter in Kentucky; in-person attendees face quarantine
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Kentucky governor: Anyone at mass gatherings this weekend must quarantine
(Taylor Weiter, Jessie Cohen, WHAS 11 News)
5th Circuit upholds part of TRO issued against Texas COVID-19 abortion ban
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Court lifts part of order blocking Texas abortion ban
(Associated Press)
President Trump sends Easter greetings
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Presidential message on Easter, 2020
(The White House)
Kansas Supreme Court says legislative attempt to revoke governor's COVID-19 order was invalid
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Kansas Supreme Court upholds governor's order limiting the size of Easter services
(Jason Breslow, National Public Radio)
Suit challenges city's ban on drive-in church services
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
ADF files suit on behalf of Mississippi church subjected to city’s ban on ‘drive in’ church services
(Alliance Defending Freedom)
Sri Lanka wakes from the ashes as the first anniversary of the Easter attacks approaches
(Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes)
With a bike and loudspeakers, London vicar spreads the word
(Pan Pylas, Associated Press)
Court to hear Little Sisters, Catholic school cases by teleconference
(Carol Zimmermann, Catholic News Service)
In Brazil, Church at loggerheads with president over coronavirus stance
(Eduardo Campos Lima, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Antisemitic incident in north of Russia
(Interfax-Religiia, Russia Religion News (Stetson University))
President of Belarus defies precautions
(Interfax-Religiia, Russia Religion News (Stetson University))
Three priests are fined in Ukraine for large gathering of people on the Palm Sunday
(Interfax-Religion)
Here we go again: Protestant pastor locked out of his church when he arrived for 'mass'
(Terry Mattingly, GetReligion)
'God is with us': Many Muslims in Pakistan flout the coronavirus ban in mosques
(Asif Shahzad, Reuters)
Megachurches may be particularly threatened by COVID-19 closures
(Mark Mulder and Gerardo Martí, Religion News Service)
Pastor who vowed to preach ‘unless I’m in jail or the hospital’ dies of COVID-19 in VA
(Brooke Wolford, Lexington Herald-Leader)
Coalition seeks leave to intervene in the Aga (religious autonomy) case
(Barry W. Bussey, Canadian Council of Christian Charities: Intersection)
Saturday, 11 April 2020
The world's most prominent religious leaders call on everyone to make friends across religions
(The Elijah Faith Institute)
Religions confront the coronavirus
(Susan Hayward, United States Institute of Peace blog)
This year Easter will feel more like Passover
(Stephen B. Chapman, Religion News Service)
Why fasting and prayer are especially meaningful at Easter and during a pandemic
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News | InDepth)
After a Holy Week disrupted by death, an honest Easter
(Laura Everett, Religion News Service Opinion)
Good Friday in pandemic: deadly serious reflections
(Nuala Kenny OC, MD, La Croix International)
Archdiocese announces online exposition of Shroud of Turin on Holy Saturday
(Vatican Radio)
The meaning of COVID-19: We can’t all be right
(Arthur E. Farnsley II, Religion News Service)
In a virtual Easter season, matter still matters for Catholics
(Timothy O'Malley, Religion News Service)
Why Holy Week is made for this pandemic
(Thomas Reese SJ, RNS Column: Signs of the Times)
Jews around the world prepare for a Passover different from any other
(Menachem Wecker, Jonathan Harounoff, Religion News Service)
Religious communities' role in countering epidemics
(Katherine Marshall, Council on Foreign Relations)
The Current Global Crisis: A Statement from the Parliament of the World’s Religions
(Official Statement, Parliament of the World's Religions)
World Healh Organzation releases recommendations for religious leaders and faith-based communities in regards to COVID-19
(Parliament of the World's Religions)
Practical considerations and recommendations for religious leaders and faith-based communities in the context of COVID-19
(World Health Organization)
Benedictine nuns release Gregorian chants to help ease coronavirus isolation
(Kate Connolly, The Guardian)
Praying together in a pandemic, even when divided
(Paul Marshall, Religion Unplugged)
One year later, Sri Lankan Easter bombing survivors rely on their faith to recover
(Avinash Giri, Religion Unplugged)
5 virtual tours of religious site you can take while you stay home
(Clemente Lisi, Religion Unplugged)
Quarantines resurrect church attendance just in time for Easter
(Meagan Clark, Religion Unplugged and Newsweek)
Judge: Kentucky church can conduct Easter drive-in service
(Associated Press)
Kansas’ high court weighs virus limits on religious services
(Associated Press)
UN urges religious leaders to work for peace, fight virus
(Associated Press)
Church in South Africa supports government’s COVID-19 efforts, archbishop says
(Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
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