Law and Religion Headlines
Wednesday, 4 June 2025
Iran urges Kenya to embrace 'religious democracy' at Khomeini anniversary
(James Wanzala, Standard Media)
The Supreme Court just rejected a religion case. At least 2 of the justices aren’t happy about it
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)
‘We don’t get to discriminate’: How a Raleigh ministry decided to help resettle Afrikaners
(Yonat Shimron, Religion News Service)
Deadlocked Supreme Court won’t allow nation’s first public religious charter school
(Josh Gerstein and Juan Perez, Politco)
Canada: Should ayahuasca be made legal? A N.S. religious freedom case tests that argument
(Richard Cuthbertson, CBC News)
Secularism in Quebec schools: Experts calls for dialogue and diversity
(Martin LaSalle, Université de Montréal)
US defense chief Hegseth leads Christian prayer service at Pentagon
(Reuters)
Residents sue city of Quincy to stop plan for religious statues on public building
(ACLU)
Defend our secular Constitution against the introduction of Islamic banking
(Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, Ghana Web)
Churches together for peace: CEC releases 2024 Annual Report
(Conference of European Churches)
CEC Governing Board steers programmatic direction in Cluj meeting
(Conference of European Churches)
'All Jewish Americans are questioning their security' after violent antisemitic attacks
(Kayla Epstein, BBC News)
Australia extends license for nation’s biggest fossil fuel project
(Annabel Hennessy, Human Rights Watch)
Churches Together for Peace: Annual Report 2024
(Conference of European Churches)
Sam Brownback religious freedom under attack
(YouTube Video, Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe)
Triple threat: Mali Christians caught between government repression, censorship and extremist attacks
(Obianuju Mbah, Christian Today)
2 more attacks on Jews heighten concerns about security in and around US synagogues
(Luis Andres Henao and Mariam Fam, Associated Press)
Japan: ‘A huge loss.’ In remote Nagasaki islands, a rare version of Christianity heads toward extinction
(Foster Klug, Mari Yamaguchi and Mayuko Ono, Associated Press)
Tanzanian lawmaker’s church shut down after he accuses government of human rights abuses
(Evelyne Musambi, Associated Press)
State court order to cooperate in religious divorce cannot be challenged in federal trial court proceeding
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Jury must decide reason for evangelists' exclusion from pride event
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
A refugee aid group in Germany welcomes atheists shunned by Muslim governments
(Grace Galante, Religion News Service)
Kashmir: Fears dampen celebrations at Hindu festival (video)
(Khalid Khan, Deutsche Welle)
Israel may head to elections as haredi Orthodox parties rebel over army conscription
(Ben Sales, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
During the war, Ukrainians express the highest levels of trust in the Armed Forces and the Church
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Occupied Ukraine: "missionary" fines, "so-called religious services"
(Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service)
Law Commission consultation on new funerary methods
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
More Than Mindfulness: How Buddhism Became Involved In Warfare
(Thien Bui, Religion Unplugged)
Pakistani Ahmadis pressured to renounce Eid animal sacrifice
(Kamran Chaudhry, Union of Catholic Asian News)
Baroness Warsi compares British Islamophobia to antisemitism in 1930s Europe
(Helen Coffey, Independent)
Israeli public is increasingly skeptical about lasting peace
(Maria Smerkovich, Kelsey Jo Starr, Andrew Prozorovsky, Pew Research Center)
A seat at the table: What California’s special education settlement means for my son — and for our community
(Miriam Mark, Jewish Journal)
Armenian prime minister picks fight with church
(Eurasianet)
Hajj begins with world’s largest air conditioner, surveillance drones, and a ban on children
(Juwayriah Wright, Time)
How the Supreme Court could still reshape religious liberty with decisions in two cases
(BrieAnna J. Frank, USA Today)
Southern Baptists’ religious freedom puzzle
(Eric Black, Baptist Standard)
The dynamics of exemption and establishment
(Marc O. DeGirolami, Public Discourse: The Journal of the Witherspoon Institute)
Brazil: When faith is a nuisance: the new veto on public religion (Portuguese)
(Direito Religioso)
Brazil: Religious Freedom 2025 Exhibition: Islamic history and culture receives 600 visitors (Portuguese)
(Prefeitura de Guaruja)
CEC expresses concern for Armenia’s cultural and religious heritage
(Conference of European Churches)
Defending parental rights in the modern age: Pierce v. Society of Sisters at 100
(Robert P. George, Public Discourse: The Journal of the Witherspoon Institute)
Monday, 2 June 2025
Courts ‘reviving blasphemy laws’ after convicting man who burned Koran
(Will Bolton, The Telegraph)
Three observations on the Catholic charter school case
(Frederick Mark Gedicks, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)
Qatar: Authorities’ religious discrimination against Baha’is
(Human Rights Watch)
The uphill battle to safeguard rights
(Yana Gorokhovskaia and Cathryn Grothe, Freedom House)
Covenantal pluralism in Zambia: Problems and prospects
(Jeffrey Haynes, Institute for Global Engagement)
Women in G20 interfaith initiatives: Challenges for Africa
(Francisca Ngozi Uti and Katherine Marshall, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Saudi Arabia stops 269,678 Muslims without Hajj permits from entering Mecca
(Baraa Anwer, Associated Press)
Articles of interest - 1 June 2025
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
A religious school is facing pushback for its partnership with U.S. Customs and Border Protection
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)
Boulder attack suspect charged with federal hate crime, said he 'wanted to kill all Zionist people': Court documents
(Luke Barr, Emily Shapiro, and Alex Stone, ABC News)
In the nation's capital, a growing Jain community now has its own 'White House'
(Richa Karmarkar, Religion News Service)
Faith leaders, health care advocates arrested while protesting GOP budget bill in Capitol
(Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)
Ecclesiastical court judgments – May
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Faith, freedom, and child formation
(Jason Bedrick and Thomas Jipping, Public Discourse: The Journal of the Witherspoon Institute)
Community-building in Spain enhances resilience to floods
(Bahá’í World News Service)
French bishops condemn passage of euthanasia bill, call for compassionate alternatives
(Solène Tadié, Catholic News Agency)
Young voices of hope: MJLC ambassadors build bridges in times of division
(KAICIID Dialogue Centre)
Karol Nawrocki wins Polish presidential election with Catholic values platform
(Amira Abuzeid, Catholic World Report)
Indian court upholds Christian army officer's termination over prayers
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Canada: Muslim groups calls for 'action' after London woman spit on in alleged hate crime
(Kendra Seguin, CBC News)
No First Amendment right to wear graduation stole displaying Star of David, Israeli flag, U.S. Army insignia
(Eugene Volokh, The Volokh Conspiracy)
EU: No political will for years to appoint EU Special Envoys for freedom of religion or belief
(Willy Fautré, Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Russia: Religious issues and persecution: Bimonthly Digest May 16-31
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Prayer, outreach, free expression – the Cuban government won’t tolerate the truth
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)
Partnerships strengthen Zimbabwe health facilities
(Eveline Chikwanah, United Methodist News)
Türkiye grants religious authority power to censor, confiscate Quran translations
(Enes Berna Kilic, Türkiye Today)
Thomas Rachel new Commissioner for Global Religious Freedom (German)
(Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland)
Sunday, 1 June 2025
CALL FOR ENTRIES, deadline 1 June 2025: Law and Religion Essay Competition (LLB or JD students in Australia)
(University of Southern Queensland)
Friday, 30 May 2025
Without intesa: A quest for recognition in Italy’s religious pluralism
(Juan Sanchez Gil, The European Times)
Opinion: Olympus Spa v. Armstrong
(Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals)
Ninth Circuit bars Christian-owned Korean spa from excluding trans women
(Hillel Aron, Courthouse News Service)
Educational pluralism delayed
(Richard W. Garnett, Law & Liberty)
A call to President Macron to ask for the release of eight conscientious objectors while in Singapore
(The European Times)
Tens of thousands demonstrate in Nepal seeking restoration of ousted monarchy
(Binaj Gurubacharya, Associated Press)
Washington bishops sue over law forcing priests to violate seal of confession
(Amira Abuzeid, Catholic News Agency)
Monks behaving badly: Explaining Buddhist violence in Asia
(Nilay Saiya & Stuti Manchanda, The MIT Press)
Pakistan must be made to end its decades-long tolerance and encouragement of the violent persecution of the Ahmadiyya community
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)
Pakistan Council of Islamic Ideology declares bill to criminalize child marriages ‘un-Islamic’
(Arab News)
Kenya: Religious leaders root for rule of law and transparency
(Rayvon Kipng’eno, Mulki Ali and Akida Kassim, Standard Media)
Why the Justice Department just sued a small Idaho town
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)
A Christian baker was sued for not serving a lesbian couple. The Supreme Court may hear her case
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)
Islamic State group claims first attack on Syrian government forces since Assad’s fall
(Bassem Mroue, Associated Press)
Suit challenges refusal to recognize ministers ordained online
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Kyrgyzstan: Court bans True and Free Adventist Church as "extremist"
(Mushfig Bayram, Forum 18 News Service)
UCCRO delegation holds prayer event in Danish Parliament
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Civil liberties groups set to sue Texas over bill requiring Ten Commandments display in public schools
(Andrew Schneider, Houston Public Media)
‘We will file suit’: Groups threaten to sue if Gov. Abbott signs Ten Commandments bill
(Nolan D. McCaskill, Dallas News)
Texas Ten Commandments bill is the latest example of forcing religious texts in public schools
(Emma Camp, Reason)
Iran: Religious persecution and issues – Monthly Digest May 2025
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
The Russian ‘Anti-Gay Propaganda Law’ going online: Klimova and Others v. Russia as a mixed picture
(Betül Durmuş, Strasbourg Observers)
California Supreme Court refuses cake artist’s plea to protect her business
(Becket)
Canada: ‘Trusted bridges’: Canadian church leaders urge government to partner with faith communities on immigrant integration
(Chris Eyte, Christian Daily)
New report finds no respite from government crackdown
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
Threat “looming” for NSW religious freedoms
(Catholic Weekly)
Federal court upholds first responder’s right to wear beard on duty as expression of faith
(First Liberty)
Ascension Day is not a holiday throughout Europe
(Wim Hulsman & Bastiaan van Soest, Christian Network Europe)
WCC interreligious dialogue journal focusses on reconfiguring interfaith work
(World Council of Churches)
Thursday, 29 May 2025
HYBRID EVENT, 29 May 2025: 11th Annual Law & Religious Freedom Conference (Kansas City, MO, USA)
(University of Missouri-Kansas City Law School)
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