Law and Religion Headlines
Wednesday, 18 December 2019
What do we miss when we call them “culture wars”? (Responding to: The culture wars today)
(Bethany Moreton, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Ukrainian court reinstates diplomat who blamed Jews for World War II and posed with ‘Mein Kampf’ cake
(Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Aleppo priest says dire Christmas awaits Christians trapped by Syria’s civil war
(Inés San Martín, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Evangelization happens in Philippine shopping malls, Cardinal Tagle says
(Catholic News Service)
Russian security penalizes Baptist preacher for opposing Orthodox church
(Alexander Pugachev, Nastoiashchee Vremia, Russia Religion News (Stetson University))
Jehovah's Witnesses harassed for using their songbook
(Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, Russia Religion News (Stetson University))
Kazakhstan: 24 prisoners of conscience, 6 restricted freedom sentences
(Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service)
Attention reporters: New poll examines trends among 'Catholic voters' heading into '20 elections
(Clemente Lisi, GetReligion)
Emergency contraception clashes with generic 'beliefs'? Readers needed more facts
(Terry Mattingly, GetReligion)
RFI Middle East Director speaks on humanitarian assistance and religious inequalities
(Religious Freedom Institute)
CofE riposte on accusations against the Rt Rev Stephen Cottrell
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Montenegro’s unjust religion law has united everyone against it
(Konstantin Dojic, Balkan Insight)
Israelis from Russia: A voyage from atheism to religion
(Ksenia Svetlova, Al-Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East)
France’s complicated relationship with Christmas
(The Economist)
Behind bars with the Black Israelites
(Daniel Genis, Tablet)
Tuesday, 17 December 2019
Houses of worship attacked with deadly frequency in 2019
(David Crary, Associated Press)
Legal Spirits Episode 017: Tanzin v. Tanvir and individual liability under RFRA
(Marc O. DeGirolami, Law and Religion Forum, St. John's Law School Center for Law & Religion)
Judge who refused to perform same-sex ceremonies sues over reprimand
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
McLennan County Judge files lawsuit over same-sex marriage reprimand
(Fox 44 News)
Cert. denied In Boise ban on sleeping outdoors
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Opinion: The Supreme Court just denied cities the right to combat homeless encampments
(Stephen Eide, Los Angeles Times)
Death penalty continues to decline in the U.S. according to new report
(Christopher White, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Nativity scene won’t be moving back to courthouse lawn
(Associated Press)
Northern Ireland bishops say ‘unjust’ abortion law requires ‘conscientious objection’
(Charles Collins, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
House bill improves existing system for farmworkers, farmers, say bishops
(Catholic News Service)
Faith, facts, and freedom
(Edwin E. Gantt, Public Square Magazine)
Russia: Can homes now be freely used for worship meetings?
(Victoria Arnold, Forum 18 News Service)
The Washington Post's long quest to explain Buttigieg's race problem while ignoring religion
(Bobby Ross Jr., GetReligion)
Indonesia: Freedom of religion suffers in persistently divided nation
(Ivany Atina Arbi, The Jakarta Post)
Indonesian Muslim groups urge China to stop violating Uyghur rights
(Radio Free Asia)
Chinese TV pulls Arsenal game coverage after Ozil criticism
(Rob Ha, Associated Press)
Adoption and religious upbringing: Abdi Ibrahim
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
WAPO: IRS whistleblower says Mormon church misled regarding charitable accounts
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Mormon Church has misled members on $100 billion tax-exempt investment fund, whistleblower alleges
(Jon Swaine, Douglas MacMillan and Michelle Boorstein, The Washington Post)
Church responds to allegations made by former employee in IRS complaint
(Tad Walch, Deseret News)
First Presidency statement on Church finances
(The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
Church finances and a growing global faith
(The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
The spiritual foundations of Church financial self-reliance
(Bishop Gérald Caussé, Presiding Bishop, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
The Washington Post says the Church of Jesus Christ has billions. Thank goodness
(Hal Boyd, Deseret News)
How persuasive is whistleblower's claim the LDS church is hiding wealth from the IRS?
(Jana Riess, RNS Column: Flunking Sainthood)
$100B in Mormon till does not merit IRS attention
(Peter J Reilly, Forbes)
Some thoughts about Ensign Peak Advisers and the Church
(Sam Brunson, By Common Consent)
Europe needs a "climate change on religious freedom," says EU Special Envoy
(Andrea Gagliarducci, Catholic News Agency)
US State Department offers $1 million grant for project to combat antisemitism
(The Algemeiner)
‘Santhara’ – Conflicts between Religious choice of a Jain and Prescription of law through judgments in the absence of Statutes.
(M.L.Joseph, Chennai Law Associates)
Congress must reauthorize religious freedom agency for prisoners of faith
(Andrew Brunson, Religion News Service)
Malaysia doesn’t belong to 1 race or religion, says DAP
(Free Malaysia Today)
Denial is the final state of genocide. The Armenians know it best
(Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes)
Islam made me Christian
(Alessandra Bocchi, First Things)
"Fairness for all" is unfair
(Emily Zinos, First Things)
The Church of Jesus Christ supports the federal Fairness for All Act
(The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
Toulouse tragedy: Live Christmas crib interrupted (Politicians say it is yet another incident against the public manifestation of religious symbols)
(Arnaud Bevilacqua, La Croix International)
French dioceses, migrants at loggerheads over accommodation
(Clémence Houdaille, Florence Pagneux and Malo Tresca, La Croix International)
Middle Eastern Christians lose support in France
(Mélinée Le Priol, La Croix International)
The Lady takes a gamble (Suu Kyi's strange decision to defend Myanmar against genocide charges aims to woo voters before a challenging election)
(Michael Sainsbury, La Croix International)
Over 1,000 Christians in Nigeria killed by Fulani, Boko Haram in 2019: NGO report
(Samuel Smith, The Christian Post)
Pope Francis issues sweeping sexual abuse reforms
(Philip Pullela, Reuters via Huffpot)
School changes 'Lord Jesus' to 'Baby Jesus' in rendition of 'Away in a Manger'
(Michael Foust, Christian Headlines)
Afghanistan at a crossroads
(James B. Cunningham, Atlantic Council)
UN body lambasts Pakistan over 'discrimination' of religious minorities
(Asian News International, Hindustan Times)
Spain: Does the Supreme Court judgment against Catalan leaders comply with human rights law?
(Massimo Frigo, Strasbourg Observers)
Across India, opposition building against citizenship law
(Sheikh Saaliq and Emily Schmall, Associated Press)
Protests of India’s citizenship law grow, along with clashes
(Sheikh Saaliq and Emily Schmall, Associated Press)
Archbishop of York: Stephen Geoffrey Cottrell
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Videos show homophobic attack on three LGBTQ Palestinians in the West Bank
(Liselotte Mas, The Observers)
Monday, 16 December 2019
India: Supreme Court orders seven Kandhamal Christians freed on bail after 9 years in prison
(World Watch Monitor)
The original ‘Blue Christmas’: New Advent resources focus on grief, justice before celebration
(Emily McFarlan Miller, Religion News Service)
Suit filed against pharmacies that refused to fill emergency contraceptive prescription
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
USCIRF lauds bipartisan Congressional support for religious freedom in Ukraine
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
USCIRF disappointed UN Security Council did not discuss religious freedom in North Korea
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
A woman's doctor prescribed a morning-after pill. Pharmacists refused to fill it, suit says.
(Minyvonne Burke, NBC News)
5th Circuit strikes down Mississippi's anti-abortion law
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Appeals court blocks Mississippi's 15-week abortion ban
(Danielle Haynes, UPI)
Lighting regulations limiting use of Catholic school's baseball field do not violate RLUIPA
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Cert. denied in suit against priest over baptism ritual
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
City of Kirkwood, MO hits homerun in religious baseball field dispute in Eighth Circuit
(Evan Seeman, RLUIPA-Defense)
NJ Assembly passes bill to bar religious exemption for shots
(Mike Catalini, Associated Press)
Peruvian journo’s legal woes expand for reporting on controversial lay movement
(Elise Harris, Catholic News Service)
Vatican official brings Christmas cheer to Gaza Catholics
(a, Associated Press)
‘Building bridges’: How a New Zealand meeting exemplifies past, present and future collaborations between the Church and its friends
(Scott Taylor, The Church News)
Michael Bloomberg’s surveillance of Muslims sets dangerous precedent for his presidential run
(Rowaida Abdelaziz, Huffington Post)
Over a dozen cases against Jehovah's Witnesses have been rejected by judges
(Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, Russia Religion News (Stetson University))
Ukrainian press notes American sympathy in Congress for Ukrainian Christians
(RISU, Russia Religion News (Stetson University))
CNN's religion editor delves into Salvation Army's effort to change its 'anti-LGBTQ' reputation
(Bobby Ross Jr., GetReligion)
Law and religion round-up – 15th December
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
Ian Thorpe slams Scott Morrison's religious discrimination bill in Equality Australia campaign
(Elizabeth Daoud, 7 News)
The risky business of letting the government define a religion
(Esther L. Lederman, Sojourners)
‘The Two Popes’ promotes dialogue in a polarized Catholic Church and society
(Claire Giangravé, Religion News Service)
Former Harvest Bible Chapel pastor James MacDonald sues radio host 'Mancow'
(Emily McFarlan Miller, https://religionnews.com/2019/12/16/former-harvest-bible-chapel-pastor-james-macdonald-sues-chicago-radio-host-mancow-muller/)
Al-Shabaab singles out 11 to kill in bus attack in northern Kenya; raises fear for Christians
(Fredrick Nzwili, World Watch Monitor)
Medics will quit if abortion reform does not protect their right to opt-out, warns GP
(Laur Harte, Belfast Telegraph)
Costa Rican president signs decree to allow some abortions
(Catholic News Agency)
Catholicism, modernity, and ground-up politics
(Francesca Aran Murphy, Public Discourse: The Journal of the Witherspoon Institute)
Free speech cannot save us
(R.J. Snell, Public Discourse: The Journal of the Witherspoon Institute)
Free speech in poetry and in prose: What the President's executive order to combat anti-Semitism teaches us about the abuse and misunderstanding of free speech
(Richard Rosengarten, Sightings: The Martin Marty Center, University of Chicago Divinity School)
Sunday, 15 December 2019
Should religion and politics mix?
(Jennifer Rubin, The Washington Post)
Saturday, 14 December 2019
Women in British Buddhism: Commitment, Connection, Community
(Caroline Starkey, Routledge)
Religion Photos of the Week
(Kit Doyle, Religion News Service)
Luke Putney testifies to the healing power of music, helping others
(Bob Smietana, Religion News Service)
The new science of spiritual fortitude: The key to enduring faith
(Jamie Aten, Religion News Service)
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