Law and Religion Headlines
Friday, 13 March 2020
Italian police close St. Peter's Square to public
(Courtney Mares and Hannah Brockhaus, Catholic News Agency)
Did I shake hands with the rector? COVID-19 hits a highly symbolic altar inside DC Beltway
(Terry Mattingly, GetReligion)
LDS Church suspends all worship services worldwide due to coronavirus
(Peggy Fletcher Stack, The Salt Lake Tribune)
Ryan Burge on unique coronavirus fears in pews of America's aging 'mainline' churches
(Terry Mattingly, GetReligion)
Coronavirus (COVID-19): more guidance from Church of England and government
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Opinion: Why mainline Protestants might fear COVID-19 the most
(Ryan Burge, Religion News Service)
A French bishop calls on Catholics not to pit civil law against divine law, says being careless in dealing with COVID-19 is tantamount to 'tempting God'
(Héloise de Neuville, La Croix International)
Two elderly Jesuits in Lebanon ill with COVID-19, others remain in isolation
(La Croix International)
Autism and Communion: Textbook social-media clash between parents, press and church
(Terry Mattingly, GetReligion)
New podcast: Autism and Holy Communion – Like it or not, doctrine is part of this story
(Terry Mattingly, GetReligion)
Appointment of new bishop in New Zealand diocese may take 'some time'
(La Croix International)
Religions for Peace Urges for Multi-religious Solidarity to Uphold Human Dignity for All in India
(Official Statement, Religions for Peace)
How targeted sanctions can provide a response to the most egregious human rights violations
(Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes)
Thursday, 12 March 2020
FoRB on the Frontlines: "We were ready for one of the family to be killed"
(CSWPress, FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)
European Court refuses to take up Swedish conscientious objection cases
(ADF International)
Christian Evangelists may move ahead with part of their challenges to restrictions on them at city festival
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
To stop the coronavirus, New Jersey rabbis decide to shut down their Jewish community
(Josefin Dolsten, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Some Louisville religious leaders question governor's call for halt to services to combat coronavirus
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Churches aren't 'viral threats': Ministers confused by Beshear's call to suspend services
(Bailey Loosemore and Emma Austin, Louisville Courier Journal)
USCIRF releases new factsheet on international crimes against the Rohingya of Burma
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Federal court in Washington state again rejects football coach’s prayer argument
(Don Byrd, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)
British Supreme Court declines to hear appeal on clinic buffer zone
(Simon Caldwell, Catholic News Service)
In South Sudan, installation of new Juba archbishop faces resistance
(Fredrick Nzwili, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Five years ago, Utah passed landmark legislation on LGBTQ and religious rights. Why didn’t other states follow its lead?
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)
Argentina’s abortion fight exposes Pope Francis’ foreign policy weaknesses
(Clemente Lisi, Religion Unplugged)
RFI’s Kent Hill joins strategy coalition to protect Christians and religious pluralism in sub-Sahara
(Religious Freedom Institute)
IICSA public hearing – Child protection in religious prganisations
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Faces from Montenegro’s church protests
(Samir Kajosevic, Balkan Insight)
UK statement on the situation of Jehovah's Witnesses in the Russian Federation
(Foreign & Commonwealth Office and Neil Bush, Gov.UK)
White Evangelicals see Trump as fighting for their beliefs, though many have mixed feelings about his personal conduct
(pew, Pew Research Center: Religion & Public Life)
Farewell to a familiar news story angle? Argentina shows that pope's policy clout is fading
(Clemente Lisi, GetReligion)
Argentina is about to debate legalizing abortion — despite being a very Catholic country
(Mariela Daby and Mason Moseley, The Washington Post)
Wednesday, 11 March 2020
Articles of interest - 9 March 2020
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
The theme of International Women’s Day 2020, explained
(Darren Thackeray, World Economic Forum)
Jailed Iranian lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh marks International Women's Day with a call for peace
(Morning Star)
Women across the world urged to rally in solidarity with Figen Yuksekdag
(Morning Star)
Katherine Stewart on Christian nationalism’s push to undermine democratic norms
(Yonat Shimron, Religion News Service)
Godtalk is on the rise, as the 2020 White House race sends Democrats to the South
(Bobby Ross Jr., GetReligion)
Do it yourself tradition: Many Millennials are creating individualistic versions of Lent
(Terry Mattingly, GetReligion)
Lent: Here’s what a ‘modern’ observance looks like for millennials
(Soo Youn, The Lily)
Under the Vatican dome, shops risk closure due to coronavirus fears
(Claire Giangravé, Religion News Service Opinion)
Meditation and surround sound meet prayer in Brooklyn church
(Liz Kineke, Associated Press)
'Soothing sounds meet church liturgy' – AP needed more facts about 'sound bath' prayers
(Terry Mattingly, GetReligion)
Secular monks
(Andrew Taggart, First Things)
The Charter of the New Alliance of Virtue: Can it help advance religious freedom on the ground?
(Religious Freedom Institute)
The Charter of the New Alliance of Virtue
(Kent R. Hill, The Catholic Thing)
Christian leader in India decries decision to remove statue of Jesus Christ
(Olivia Miller, International Christian Concern)
MBB pressure on rise in Egypt
(Olivia Miller, International Christian Concern)
Some Syrian regime fighters defecting when forced to front lines
(Nawwar Horani, Al-Monitor: Syria Pulse)
Women in Senate walk out in protest of passage of Utah mandatory ultrasound bill
(Sahalie Donaldson, KSL)
How the South Salt Lake Interfaith Council is helping residents feel a ‘sense of belonging’
(Trent Toone, Deseret News)
Washington DC homeless shelter serves the poor despite coronavirus fears
(Matt Hadro, Catholic News Agency)
Cyberviolence, domestic abuse and lack of a gender-sensitive approach – Reflections on Buturuga versus Romania
(Fleur van Leeuwen (Boğaziçi University), Strasbourg Observers)
Addressing campus anti-Semitism through interfaith experiences
(Rebecca Russo, Inside Higher Ed)
Iraqi religious authorities adopt interfaith statement on victims of ISIL [EN/AR]
(UNAMI, ReliefWeb)
Racism challenges Pakistan media's reporting of minorities
(UCA News)
Mennonites helped turn Paraguay into a mega beef producer – indigenous people may pay the price
(Joel E. Correia, The Conversation)
Does Jewish-Arab partnership to form government stand a chance in Israel?
(Ksenia Svetlova, Al-Monitor: Israel Pulse)
During times of plague and panic, priests do what priests need to do
(Terry Mattingly, OnReligion)
During times of panic and plague, priests take risks to do the work they are called to do
(Terry Mattingly, GetReligion)
Africa’s policies hold key to LGBT rights on the continent: here’s how
(Boniface Ushie, Chimaroake Izugbara, and Frederick Wekesah, The Conversation)
My abortion before Roe v. Wade
(Elizabeth Stone, The Atlantic)
LGBTQ voters turn out for Democratic primaries
(James Russell, Dallas Voice)
Fordham University suspends campus classes over coronavirus
(Catholic News Agency)
The Promise of Communal Peace: Church hosts interfaith evening in the Tabernacle
(The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
UN report on religious freedom is absurd – OpEd
(William Donohue, Eurasia Review)
USCIRF releases new report on religious freedom conditions in Nicaragua
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
USCIRF releases new report on religious freedom conditions in Cuba
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Court upholds $1.8M award for religiously hostile work environment
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Tibetan President-in-exile urges UN official to visit Tibet
(Associated Press)
Mexican churches attacked during Women’s Day marches
(Inés San Martín, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Priest cites religious freedom violations in northern Nigeria
(Mark Pattison, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Governor urges churches to cancel services due to virus
(Associated Press)
Why should Democrats talk about faith if half of the country isn’t listening?
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News Faith)
Hot tip: Here's almost everything you ever wanted to know about every religion everywhere
(Richard Ostling, GetReligion)
Montenegro suspends army officer for joining church protests
(Samir Kajosevic, Balkan Insight)
Native faith believers in North Sulawesi Indonesia celebrate freedom of religion
(Agustinus Hari, The Jakarta Post)
WEA calls for recognition of the right to conscientious objection to abortion
(Evangelical Focus)
Saudi ambassador to U.S. talks business, government, religion on Utah trip
(Dennis Romboy, Deseret News)
Tuesday, 10 March 2020
Convert gets two more years in Iran prison for ‘Evangelical Zionist Christianity’
(Article 18)
Israel’s Arab party facing a dilemma
(Israel Pulse, Al-Monitor: Israel Pulse)
Does Israel's Gantz stand a chance at establishing a government?
(Mazal Mualem, Al-Monitor: Israel Pulse)
Why wasn't Hamas part of the recent confrontation round?
(Adnan Abu Amer, Al-Monitor: Palestine Pulse)
Will Israeli Arabs facilitate the ‘Netanyahu-removal government’?
(Afif Abu Much, Al-Monitor: Israel Pulse)
Christian converts lose appeals against five-year sentences in Iran
(Article 18)
UN rapporteur calls for release of all prisoners of conscience in Iran
(Article 18)
Six Christians among 54,000 released from prison in Iran
(Article 18)
Learn from Afghanistan's lessons of religious liberty
(Tina Ramirez, Real Clear Religion)
Church of England coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance for churches: updated
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
“They don’t exhume fonts, do they?”
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Thank God, churches are dying... and living: Exploring the space between decline and renewal in American Christianity
(Martin E. Marty, Sightings: The Martin Marty Center, University of Chicago Divinity School)
Missouri's vaccination exemption form not motivated by religious hostility
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Court interprets defenses under Illinois RFRA and Right of Conscience Act
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Catholic order may build school, gift shop and barn
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Court rules that nuns, priests can build school, brewery and winery in McHenry County
(Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune)
Bernie: Real socialism has never been tried
(David Harsanyi, National Review)
Kirk Franklin: ‘Kumbaya moments’ are not enough for better race relations
(Adelle M. Banks, Religion News Service)
Pell’s lawyers make final case in Australia High Court appeal
(Catholic News Agency)
Pell hearing to begin in Australia’s high court
(Catholic News Agency)
Can the postmodern natual law remedy our failing humanism?
(Graham McAleer, Law & Liberty)
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