Law and Religion Headlines
Monday, 14 July 2025
2024 Annual Report
(Parliament of the World’s Religions)
Italy: New podcast fosters dialogue and cohesion
(Bahá’í World News Service)
BIC Brussels on education and societal attitudes that empower youth
(Bahá’í World News Service)
Cultivating harmony in Azerbaijan for over a century
(Bahá’í World News Service)
A collective call for peace and ceasefire from Tokyo
(Religions for Peace)
Thailand: The WFB President participated in a televised recording to cordially extend wishes to Queen Mother
(World Fellowship of Buddhists)
Remembering Scopes: How 100-year-old ‘Monkey Trial’ helped shape evangelical Christianity
(Sophie Hills, Christian Science Monitor)
Updated facial hair grooming policy in the U.S. Army
(Sikh Coalition)
Texas city stops enforcing policy that banished church members to “free speech zone”
(Jayla Ward, First Liberty)
Ukraine sentences three more brothers for conscientious objection
(Jehovah's Witnesses)
Thousands gather in Srebrenica on 30th anniversary of Europe’s only acknowledged genocide since WWII
(Eldar Emric, Associated Press)
Anglican Church of Kenya statement on the “State of the Nation”
(Jackson Ole Sapit, Anglican Ink)
Knesset's new law on religious courts and what it means for democracy - opinion
(Anat Thon Ashkenazy, The Jerusalem Post)
Iran detains 21 Christian converts amid postwar crackdown, rights group says
(Iran International)
Britain does not need an Islamophobia law, existing rules work
(Fiyaz Mughal, The Telegraph)
Maharashtra to enact law against religious conversions, demolish illegal churches in tribal districts
(Surendra P Gangan, Hindustan Times)
In deeply Christian Georgia, a Muslim minority upholds its patriotism
(Felix Light, Reuters)
Air strike on Buddhist monastery in Myanmar kills more than 20 people
(Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Jewish Romanian lawmaker slams president for opposing antisemitism bill
(Luiza Ilie, Times of Israel)
DOJ pressures DC's Bowser over antisemitism 'crisis' in Washington
(Giselle Ruhiyyih Ewing, Politico)
HK police force debuts first turban-wearing Sikh officer in years
(The Standard)
Churches criticize suspension of family reunification (German)
(Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland)
Title VII, No. 14: Religion under the scrutiny of the Constitutional Council (French)
(Steve Eisenberg, RELIGACTU)
Court rules grant to out-of-state Catholic Institution violates West Virginia Constitution
(American Humanist Association)
Friday, 11 July 2025
Advocating for religious freedom—an inextinguishable, God-given human right
(Archbishop Anba Angaelos, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)
USCIRF delegation visits Kazakhstan to discuss religious freedom
(U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Kazakhstan)
Canada considers tougher laws to address extremism
(Anirudh Bhattacharyya, Hindustan Times)
Report: Strengthening Families Webinar Series
(European Union & International Affairs Office of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
Praying in private and Article 9 ECHR: Rafiyev
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
Inaugural “Faith in the Media” event convenes in London
(World Council of Churches)
Religious items defaced at Sikh community centre
(Andy Giddings, BBC)
Rayner backs down in Islamophobia free speech row
(Charles Hymas, The Telegraph)
Cross in Bavarian school violates religious freedom laws, court rules
(DPA International, Yahoo News)
Newly elected Seventh-day Adventist Church leader reflects on challenges and faith’s healthy living
(Luis Andres Henao, Associated Press)
A Hanseatic League for FoRB
(Knox Thames)
#EUARE2025: Annual Conference
(European Academy of Religion)
A century after a man was convicted of teaching evolution, the debate on religion in schools rages
(Holly Meyer, Associated Press)
Report on curbing antisemitism in Australia recommends threatening university funding
(Rod McGuirk, Associated Press)
California bishop suspends Mass obligation due to immigration fears
(Deepa Bharath, Associated Press)
How endorsements from pulpits could play out in New York
(Liam Stack, The New York Times)
In a 2022 survey, most Americans opposed churches endorsing political candidates
(Gregory A. Smith, Pew Research Center)
A surprise IRS move on political endorsements leaves faith leaders and legal experts divided
(Deepa Bharath and Fatima Hussein, Associated Press)
New Missouri laws require recognition of religious student groups by colleges; allow public schools to employ chaplains
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
6th Circuit: Ministerial exception requires dismissal of employment discrimination suit by Christian school's principal
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
The double helix of dignity: Liberty, equality and the future of religious freedom
(Asma Uddin, Deseret News)
How the Catholic Church helped change the conversation about capital punishment in the United States
(Austin Sarat, The Conversation)
Filipino bishops reject ‘moral indifference’ over Duterte impeachment
(Joseph San Mateo, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Religious dimensions of peacemaking for a war-torn world
(Linda Bordoni, Vatican News)
Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations call upon people of faith in democratic nations to raise a united voice for truth and justice
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Ukrainian believers fight for faith amid repression
(Igor Bandura, Christian Network Europe)
Pope meets with Ukrainian President
(Francesca Merlo, Vatican News)
Belarus: "God may be calling you to church, but prison officials decide"
(Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service)
A victory for religious liberty
(Joseph Griffith, Law & Liberty)
Religious diplomacy and the Golden Rule: Insights from the 2025 Africa Week
(JoAnne Wadsworth, G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)
Parliamentary conference on interfaith dialogue in Rome: “Strengthening trust and embracing hope for our common future”
(Katherine Marshall, G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)
Knesset rejects bill to let all terror victims be buried in Jewish cemeteries
(Rossella Tercatin, Times of Israel)
Priests slam Israeli settler attacks on Palestinian Christians
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Indonesia builds Islamic center in Croatia
(Hawzah News Agency)
United Arab Emirates sharia-based judgments in American court
(Eugene Volokh, The Volokh Conspiracy)
Kenya: Religious leaders demand end to chaos, offer to mediate for national peace
(Paschal Norbert, Catholic Information Service for Africa)
‘Do but don’t speak’: The impact of China’s 709 Crackdown ten years on
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)
Sudan: Extremists demolish Pentecostal Church buildings in Khartoum
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
Iran: Over 20 Christians arrested as UN experts decry targeting of minorities
(Article 18)
European Parliament calls for urgent protection of Christians and other religious minorities in Syria following targeted attacks
(ADF International)
Archons in Canada call for action on religious freedom and persecuted Christians
(Orthodox Times)
UAE concludes national training to build cadre of human rights experts
(Emirates News Agency WAM)
Turkiye detains four over cartoon allegedly depicting Abrahamic prophets
(Al Jazeera)
Barnard College pledges ‘zero tolerance’ for antisemitism in settlement
(Sharon Otterman, The New York Times)
Thursday, 10 July 2025
VIRTUAL EVENT, 10 July 2025: Freedom of Religion or Belief in Russia
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Wednesday, 9 July 2025
UK approach to freedom of religion or belief: Lord Collins' speech, July 2025
(Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and Lord Collins of Highbury, GOV.UK)
Churches can endorse political candidates to congregations, IRS says
(Nate Raymond, Reuters)
IRS: Churches should be allowed to make political endorsements
(Michelle Boorstein and Sabrina Rodriguez, The Washington Post)
BJC Executive Director Amanda Tyler on the IRS’s decision to allow churches to endorse candidates from the pulpit
(Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)
Legal Spirits 068: Religion at the Court: October Term 2024 Recap (podcast)
(Law and Religion Forum, St. John's Law School Center for Law & Religion)
Brompton Oratory Provost tells pro-assisted suicide MPs not to receive Communion
(Catholic Herald)
Feds investigate hospitals over religious exemptions from gender-affirming care
(Kate Wells, NPR)
Polish Church urges government to accept ruling against religious education cuts
(Jonathan Luxmoore, The Tablet)
China scolds Marco Rubio for Dalai Lama comments
(Shane Croucher, Newsweek)
The Venetian Resort Las Vegas settles religious discrimination and retaliation lawsuit
(U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission)
EEOC sues Rock Snowpark for religious discrimination
(U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission)
Statement by the World Council of Churches on recent developments concerning the Armenian Apostolic Church
(World Council of Churches)
World Relief responds to allegations of inhumane conditions and religious freedom violations in “Alligator Alcatraz”
(World Relief)
Virginia enters consent decree permitting religiously motivated talk therapy to change minors' sexual orientation or gender identity
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Ecclesiastical abstention doctrine requires dismissal of suit between Unification Church factions
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Thai minister proposes creation of “Buddhist Bank” to reform temple asset management
(Buddhistdoor Global)
Under heavy guard, Hindu pilgrimage resumes at site of Kashmir attack
(Shams Irfan and Joshua Yang, The Washington Post)
European Aviation Authority lifts all flight restrictions on Israel
(Etgar Lefkovits, Jewish News Syndicate)
Muslim mob disrupts Christian youth retreat in Indonesia
(Evangelical Focus)
Silencing RFA Uyghur echoes past mistakes
(Omer Kanat, The Diplomat)
Calls to designate the Bishnoi gang a terrorist group shine a spotlight on Canada’s security laws
(Basema Al-Alami, The Conversation)
USCIRF sent a delegation to Kyrgyzstan to assess religious freedom
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Missing priest, murdered missionaries put spotlight on rising anti-Christian violence in Colombia
(Eduardo Campos Lima, OSV News)
Seven independent religious media outlets call for an end to trade between the EU and Israel
(Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
California Bishop allows those in fear of immigration raids to avoid Mass
(Mariya Manzhos, Deseret News)
Monday, 7 July 2025
Nigeria: Anglican bishop urges judiciary to uphold role as final interpreter of law
(The Guardian)
KAICIID and IPCR strengthen partnership to advance peace and interreligious dialogue in Nigeria
(KAICIID Dialogue Centre)
Religious test for public contracts: Germany’s use of “faith-breaker” declarations draws scrutiny
(The European Times)
China: Religious issues and persecution – Bimonthly Digest June 16-30
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Russia: Religious issues and persecution: Bimonthly Digest June 16-30
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
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