Law and Religion Headlines

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Tuesday, 8 October 2019

Transgender man shunned by Baptist college to get new name
(Associated Press)

Certiorari denied in challenge to "Bible in the Schools" program
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

U.S. Supreme Court declines to hear Bible in Schools case
(Charles Boothe, Bluefield Daily Telegraph)

Warren now tied with Biden for lead in Democrat presidential race
(Michael Gryboski, The Christian Post)

Pope Francis appoints North Dakota priest to lead Diocese of Helena
(Courtney Mares, Catholic News Agency)

Tennessee Gov. declares day of prayer and fasting: ‘Give thanks to God almighty’
(Michael Foust, Christian Headlines)

Malka Leifer's case is shaking the Australian Jewish community's faith in Israel
(Michael Visontay, The Guardian)

Australia: Catholic Church calls for overhaul of 'problematic' religious freedom bill
(Michael Koziol, The Sydney Morning Herald)

Photo of Australian Jewish boy being forced to kiss classmate’s shoes sparks outrage
(Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Patriarch Kirill congratulates Western Europe's 'Russian exarchate' on rejoining Russian Orthodox Church
(Interfax Religion)

Pentagon pushes back on Turkish incursion in Syria
(Jack Detsch, Al-Monitor)

Turkish press reacts to pending Syria operation
(Diego Cupolo, Al-Monitor: Turkey Pulse)

Two Jehovah's Witnesses released from custody, placed under house arrest in Russia's Primorye
(Interfax-Religion)

Confusion reigns as Trump authorizes troop withdrawal from Turkish-Syrian border towns
(Amberin Zaman, Al-Monitor: Turkey Pulse)

Parliament updates religious harmony law; stiffer penalties to deal with religious hate crimes
(Grace Ho, Straits Times)

U.S. Department of Commerce adds 28 Chinese organizations to its Entity List
(U.S. Department of Commerce)

US sanctions Chinese entities for human rights abuses of Uighurs
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Macau diocese angered by government light show on church ruins
(Catholic News Agency)

U.S. sanctions Chinese tech companies, citing treatment of Muslim Uighurs
(Thomson Reuters, CBC News)

USCIRF webinar series: Webinar #4: China
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

Monday, 7 October 2019

Reporters delve into Dallas judge giving Amber Guyger a Bible and urging her to read John 3:16
(Bobby Ross Jr., GetReligion)

Amber Guyger judge's proselytization an abuse of power, FFRF charges
(Freedom From Religion Foundation)

Law and religion round-up – 6th October
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)

State schools and religion: ‘We’re changing in the same way as society is’
(Carl O'Brien, The Irish Times)

Of course rabbis should preach politics. Divorcing religion from politics is a Christian ideal.
(Joel Swanson, Forward)

Batei Din and arbitration awards: Sterling
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)

Pulpits vs. pews: Thinking about choices that mainline Protestants make on Election Day
(Terry Mattingly, GetReligion)

In livestream debate, Canadian candidates discuss faith-related issues
(Michael Swan, Catholic News Service)

Bishops call on European citizens to wake up, rejoice
(Jonathan Luxmoore, Catholic News Service)

Church, government partner to help more inmates get college education
(Kurt Jensen, Catholic News Service)

French conservatives protest bill allowing IVF for lesbians
(Chris Den Hond and Angela Charlton, Associated Press)

UN investigator: Myanmar is not safe for Rohingyas to return
(Edith M. Lederer, Associated Press)

Islamists, jailed tycoon claim Tunisian parliament victory
(Bouazza Ben Bouazza, Associated Press)

UN racism rapporteur criticizes Dutch burqa ban
(Mike Corder, Associated Press)

Supreme Court denies review of discovery directed to church
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Healthcare-workers and transgender clients: Mackereth
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)

British Employment Tribunal rules against doctor who objects to policy on pronouns for transgender patients
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

European Court says conviction for holocaust denial does not violate free speech rights
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Judicial ethics complaint filed over judge's gift of Bible to convicted murder defendant
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Texas stays execution based on judge’s use of anti-Semitic slurs
(Cameron Langford, Courthouse News Service)

Trial judge's alleged anti-Jewish bias leads to stay of execution
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Conversion therapy ban overturned in Tampa could impact Palm Beach County
(Luli Ortiz, CBS 12 News)

Tampa conversion therapy ban invalidated on preemption grounds
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Court refuses to enforce Jewish marriage contract provision
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Pakistan's religious diversity is alive in a Karachi neighborhood
(Hamza Dhoon, Deutsche Welle)

Australia religious freedom laws panned by all sides
(Katina Curtis, 7 News)

Fired for using the wrong pronouns (UK and USA)
(Neil Foster, Law and Religion Australia)

Pope names new apostolic nuncio to Chile
(Junno Arocho Esteves, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

Amendments to Singapore's religious harmony law approved by Parliament
(Yahoo News)

Saturday, 5 October 2019

Religion is needed in the pursuit of peace
(Blerim Mustafa / Inter Press Service, Business Mirror)

Hindu nationalists open self-styled religious courts as a rebuke to Sharia law
(Priyadarshini Sen, Religion News Service)

Protesters accuse interfaith event at São Paulo cathedral of left-wing activism
(Eduardo Campos Lima, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

Family, faith, flag: the religious right and the battle for Poland’s soul
(Julian Coman, The Guardian)

Ukrainian Catholics seek communication with U.S.A.
(RISU, Russia Religion News (Stetson University))

A Swedish political party says it will fight to ban circumcision
(Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Paris prosecutors: Police attack suspect adhered to 'radical vision of Islam'
(Deutsche Welle)

Catholics can offer calming voice in a time of fiery political debates
(Dennis Sadowski, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

Indiana bishops want decision to resume federal death penalty rescinded
(Carol Zimmermann, Catholic News Service)

Muslims need critical self-reflection: Beyond essentialism and postcolonialism
(Ahmet Kuru, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)

Violence escalates in Iraq even after top cleric urges calm
(Qassim Abdul-Zahra, Associated Press)

Lawsuit challenging Bible display has additional plaintiff
(Associated Press)

Tory leader grilled on abortion in Canadian election debate
(Rob Gillies, Associated Press)

Northern Ireland abortion law ruled to breach human rights
(Rory Carroll, The Guardian)

Northern Ireland's abortion restrictions violate European Human Rights Convention
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

For a lot of American teens, religion is a regular part of the public school day
(Pew Research Center Religion & Public Life)

New survey on religious activity in public schools
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Federal judge denies county’s motion to dismiss Nativity case
(Jordan Richart, The Tribune (Seymour, Indiana))

Court refuses to dismiss challenge to Nativity scene
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Hamilton County sheriff's deputies face $11 million lawsuit for allegedly forcing woman into late-night baptism
(Rosana Hughes, Chattanooga Times Free Press)

Lawsuit claims deputy coerced driver to be baptized
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Chabad house's suit against zoning officials is dismissed
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Stanley Fish on the First Amendment (new book)
(Marc O. DeGirolami, Law and Religion Forum, St. John's Law School Center for Law & Religion)

The First: How to Think About Hate Speech, Campus Speech, Religious Speech, Fake News, Post-Truth, and Donald Trump
(Stanley Fish, Atria/One Signal Publishers)

EVENT, 6-8 October 2019: Human Dignity and Freedom of Religion or Belief: Preventing and Addressing Persecution
(26th Annual International Law and Religion Symposium, International Center for Law and Religion Studies)

He applied for a green card. Then the FBI came calling: A shadowy federal program is ensnaring thousands of Muslim immigrants
(Daniel Burke, CNN)

The future of the Catholic church: A high-noon moment for Pope Francis over the Amazon
(The Economist [Erasmus: Religion and public policy])

Russia: Jailings "equate peaceful believers with dangerous criminals"
(Victoria Arnold, Forum 18 News Service)

Russian Consitutional Court to rule on troublesome issue for small religious groups
(Mikhail Telekhov, RAPSI, Russia Religion News (Stetson University))

Pompeo speaks at Vatican symposium on faith-based organizations
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

China calls it re-education, but Uighur Muslims say it’s ‘unbearable brutality’
(Nick Schifrin and Dan Sagalyn, PBS News Hour)

Friday, 4 October 2019

Dr. Azza Karam to be keynote speaker at Religion Communication Congress 2020 (Dr. Karam will address the topic of interfaith cooperation with civil society)
(Religion News Service)

Bennett: The truth no state can abolish
(Religious Freedom Institute)

The truth no state can abolish (Religious freedom is about living a public faith.)
(Fr. Deacon Andrew Bennett, Convivium)

Friday Five: Forgiveness and justice, Scouting and faith, Tree of Life anniversary, Eric Metaxas
(Bobby Ross Jr., GetReligion)

Two stunning hugs end Amber Guyger's murder trial on a merciful note
(Jennifer Emily, Dallas News)

Amber Guyger was hugged by her victim’s brother and a judge, igniting a debate about forgiveness and race
(Hannah Knowles, The Washington Post)

Hug seen around the world: Botham Jean's brother forgives ex-officer who killed his brother
(Bobby Ross Jr., GetReligion)

A big news story: Scouting was a mainstream thing, embracing a vague faith. What now?
(Terry Mattingly, GetReligion)

Eric Metaxas on Trump, Bonhoeffer, and the future of America
(Bob Smietana, Religion News Service)

RNA conference marks 70 years amidst the shifting sands (Knives out!) of journalism
(Julia Duin, GetReligion)

Supreme Court grants certiorari on Louisiana abortion law restriction (Gee v. June Medical Services)
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Gee v. June Medical Services LLC (Louisiana abortion providers case)
(Case Page, SCOTUSblog)

EEOC sues over firing of Jehovah's Witness employee
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Pediatrics 2000 sued by EEOC for firing employee who requested religious accommodation
(Press Release, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission)

Afghan election a cautious success story
(Binaiger Nowrojee, Asia Times)

UN has handed Assad a way to win the ‘peace’
(Faisal Al Yafai, Asia Times)

USCIRF statement on Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

A hero to the world, Gandhi is increasingly controversial in India
(Joanna Slater, The Washington Post)

Restrictions on cremation ashes for jewellery – I
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)

Religion in schools in Wales
(Guest Post by Russell Sandberg, Law & Religion UK)

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