Law and Religion Headlines
Monday, 9 December 2019
Sheen beatification delay an act of 'sabotage,' Peoria official writes
(Catholic News Agency)
India parliament passes citizenship amendment bill
(Alistair Walsh, Deutsche Welle)
Protests erupt as India pushes for religion-based citizenship bill
(Zarir Hussain, Abhirup Roy, Reuters)
USCIRF raises serious concerns and eyes sanctions recommendations for citizenship (amendment) bill in India, which passed lower house today
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Church of England under pressure to publicly oppose Labour and Lib Dem plans to liberalise abortion laws
(Tim Wyatt and Phoebe Southworth, The Telegraph)
India: In a remote Indian village, a victory against persecution
(Phil Lawler, Catholic Culture.org)
India continues to struggle with surrogacy
(Pinki Virani, Mercator Net)
Sudan: Concern remains regarding the Criminal Code despite the repeal of the Public Order Laws
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
Physical interventions on the bodies of children to 'affirm' their 'gender identity' violate sound medical ethics and should be prohibited
(Ryan T. Anderson & Robert P. George, Public Discourse: The Journal of the Witherspoon Institute)
Ireland: 10% of GPs have signed up to provide abortion services, HSE confirm
(Sarah Slater, Irish Examiner)
UK: New test brings big fall in birth of Down’s babies
(Nics Hellen, The Sunday Times)
Nigeria: The slumbering and plummenting state of human rights
(Emmanuel Onwubiko, The Nigerian Voice)
Human dignity – a perspective from disability
(Jennie Pollock, CMF blog)
Australia: Assisted dying bill leaves sick and elderly open to coercion
(Xavier Symons, The Sydney Morning Herald Opinion)
Main Lebanon PM candidate withdraws from consideration
(Omar Akour, Associated Press)
The rising trend of Christian persecution
(Ewelina U. Ochab, Religion Unplugged)
Nina Shea: Lebanon’s Christians threatened, need US help
(Nina Shea, Fox News Opinion)
Christmas: a Kenyan story (A tale of family traditions and the inculturation of a Christian feast)
(Mathew Otieno, MercatorNet)
Catholics split, Vatican largely mum on Hong Kong protests
(Elise Harris, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Cardinal Zen targets Vatican silence on China, Hong Kong
(Michael Sainsbury, La Croix International)
China claims everyone in Xinjiang camps has ‘graduated’
(Yanan Wang, Associated Press)
China always protects freedom of religious beliefs
(Bai Tian, New Straits Times)
Pope calls for peace in Ukraine
(La Croix International)
German Church's survival rests on synodal procedure, says woman theologian
(Christa Pongratz-Lippitt, La Croix International)
'Not to clericalize women, but to declericalize Church'
(Mikael Corre and Céline Hoyeau, La Croix International)
Cardinal Tagle, new 'red pope'
(Nicolas Senèze, La Croix International)
Belgian Church on the decline
(Xavier Le Normand, La Croix International)
Wilson & Drakeman’s church-state reader
(Marc O. DeGirolami, Center for Law and Religion Forum at St. John's University School of Law)
New book: Church and State in American History (Key Documents, Decisions, and Commentary from Five Centuries, 4th Edition)
(John Wilson, Donald Drakeman, Routledge)
USCIRF raises alarm about speech laws that restrict religious freedom in more than half of African countries
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Supreme Court denies review of Kentucky ultrasound informed consent law
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Supreme Court rejects challenge to Kentucky abortion ultrasound law
(Ariane de Vogue, CNN)
Palestinians in Bethlehem look beyond religious tourism
(Joseph Krauss and Mohammad Daraghmeh, Associated Press)
Pope Francis prays to mark start of Italy’s holiday season
(Associated Press)
Pope prays for ‘Normandy Summit,’ peace in Ukraine
(Junno Arocho Esteves, Catholic News Service)
The continued threat to religious liberty is undeniable
(Kelly Shackelford, Real Clear Politics)
Religion shouldn't play a role in economic decisions: UAE official
(Sarwat Nasir, Khaleej Times)
Religion costs Flemish taxpayer €79 per year
(Maïthé Chini, The Brussels Times)
Arabs believe religion, politics should be separate
(Theodore Karasik, Al Bawaba)
Sudan prime minister meets with USCIRF, shares plans to improve religious freedom
(Samuel Smith, The Christian Post)
Study sees religion as the moral compass of Arab societies
(Caline Malek, Arab News)
After mistrial, judge says he made mistake in allowing man to argue religious objection to filing tax returns
(Maxine Bernstein, Oregon Live)
Britain’s blasphemy problem
(Charlotte Littlewood, The Article)
Russia: Nationalism and Xenophobia in November 2019
(SOVA Center for Information and Analysis)
Rights in extremis: Russia’s anti-extremism practices from an international perspective. A report by ARTICLE 19 and SOVA Center
(Article 19 and the SOVA Center for Information and Analysis)
SMU sued as it moves to cut ties with United Methodist Church
(Emily McFarlan Miller, Religion News Service)
Muhammad breaks into top 10 US baby names list in 2019
(Aysha Khan, Religion News Service)
Church nativity displays Jesus, Mary and Joseph in cages, separated at the border
(Kimberly Winston, The Washington Post)
Washington Post sends travel pro to Waco, producing feature with big God-shaped hole
(Terry Mattingly, GetReligion)
The future of adoption is in a child's own community
(Kristi Gleason, Religion News Service Opinion)
A new sign that Advent is here: Melania's Christmas decor gets trashed (again)
(Julia Duin, GetReligion)
Weekend thinking with N.T. Wright and Ryan Burge: Let's talk specifics of that 'evangelical' crisis
(Terry Mattingly, GetReligion)
For Rohingya refugees, there's no return in sight
(Meenakshi Ganguly and Brad Adams, Foreign Affairs)
Freedom From Religion Foundation asks Alabama sheriff to stop referencing prayer after tragedies
(Mikaela Mathews, Christian Headlines)
Sunday, 8 December 2019
Law and religion round-up – 8th December
(Frank Cranmer)
FBI is investigating the Pensacola shooting as an act of terrorism
(Devlin Barrett, Carol Morello and Hannah Knowles, The Washington Post)
Pensacola shooting victims: Families mourn 3 Navy students who ‘ran towards’ danger
(Katie Mettler, Marisa Iati, Derek Hawkins and Hannah Knowles, The Washington Post)
Prison's denial of access to religious services as discipline is invalid
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
9 Ways to say Merry Christmas around the world
(Cerith Gardiner, Aleteia)
‘Soldiers of Jesus’: Armed neo-Pentecostals torment Brazil’s religious minorities
(Terrence McCoy, The Washington Post)
Saturday, 7 December 2019
Churches' Commission for Mirgrants in Europe
(CCME Website)
'A very British Muslim activist' tells story of Islamist-turned-peacemaker
(Jenny Taylor, Religion Unplugged)
New podcast: Why reporters (and clergy) should heed religious signals in pop culture
(Terry Mattingly, GetReligion)
“Let reason prevail” banner goes up in San Diego park to counter nativity scene
(Hemant Mehta, Patheos Blog: Friendly Atheist)
Friday, 6 December 2019
Methodist Church Southern Africa enters new era as women take up top positions
(Dion Forster, The Conversation)
US House passes Uyghur Act calling for tough sanctions on Beijing over Xinjiang camps
(Ben Westcott and Haley Byrd, CNN)
Persecution of the Uighurs: The West must respond to Chinese oppression
(A Commentary by Bernhard Zand, Spiegel Online)
Congress passes Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Congress advances bill condemning China ‘re-education’ camps
(Catholic News Agency)
China blasts passage of US bill ordering sanctions over Uighur detention
(Aysha Khan, Religion News Service)
USCIRF welcomes House passage of the Uighur Intervention and Global Humanitarian Unified Response Act of 2019, urges swift passage in the Senate
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
China: The temple demolition campaign devastates devotees
(Yang Xiangwen, Bitter Winter: A Magazine on Religious Liberty and Human Rights in China)
Anti-Semitism is a public health crisis
(Jeffrey Salkin, Religion News Service)
Is 'A Christmas Carol' anti-Semitic?
(Seth Rogovoy, Forward)
Anti-Catholic vandalism in Northern Ireland deters families, prompts investigation
(Catholic News Agency)
In Brazil, historic black lay Catholic 'brotherhoods' fight to survive
(Eduardo Campos Lima, Religion News Service)
Friday Five: Clergy abuse scandal, Buttigieg at church, politics of communion, N.T. Wright
(BobbyRoss Jr., GetReligion)
Serious question: Is Buttigieg being gay a reason for his low support among black voters in the South?
(Bobby Ross Jr., GetReligion)
NBC News toasts Pete Buttigieg in a hit piece aimed (#Surprise) at the Salvation Army
(Terry Mattingly, GetReligion)
Refugees from ultra-Orthodox Judaism get a sympathetic profile in the Washington Post
(Julia Duin, GetReligion)
The crisis of American Christianity, viewed from Great Britain (The theologian N. T. Wright is unfazed by the faith’s politicization in the U.S.)
(Emma Green, The Atlantic)
Pope Francis wants you to set up a Nativity scene to fight banal consumer Christmas
(Claire Giangravé, Religion News Service)
Los Angeles honors the unclaimed with an interfaith burial service
(Alejandra Molina, Religion News Service)
Missouri AG supports high school football coaches' prayer practices
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
MO Attorney General: It’s okay for football coaches to push Christianity on kids
(Hemant Mehta, Patheos Blog: Friendly Atheist)
3rd Circuit affirms dismissal of Title VII religious discrimination suit
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
He claimed Temple University fired him for being a Baptist; U.S. court doesn’t buy it
(Matt Miller, Penn Live)
India’s Muslims split in response to Hindu temple verdict
(Sheikh Saaliq, Associated Press)
Thousands protest Indian citizenship bill excluding Muslims
(Associated Press)
GOP Rep. pitches LGBTQ rights bill with religious exemptions
(Elana Schor, Associated Press)
Missouri attorney general backs high school football prayer
(Associated Press)
Push to ratify ERA launched in Utah, eyed in other states
(Lindsay Whitehurst and Sarah Rankin, Associated Press)
African prelate says development, not denunciation, way to fight witchcraft
(Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Australian government revising religious discrimination legislation
(Michael Sainsbury, Catholic News Service)
What you need to know about a new bill that tries to balance religious freedom and LGBTQ rights
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)
Is it anti-Semitism, or NIMBYism? Lawsuits multiply as towns struggle with growing orthodox population
(Ari Feldman, Forward)
Americans don’t have to ask government for oermission to practice their faith
(David Harsanyi, National Review)
Patriarch Kirill asks Mayor Sobyanin to help restore Orthodox Church in America's representation church in Moscow
(Interfax-Religion)
Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Savior receives 2nd bomb threat this week
(Interfax-Religion)
Inciting religious hatred, press freedom and Article 10 ECHR: Tagiyev
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
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