Law and Religion Headlines
Tuesday, 11 June 2019
A win for gay rights in Botswana is a ‘step against the current’ in Africa
(Alan Yuhas, The New York Times)
The populist right is forging an unholy alliance with religion
(Daniel Steinmetz-Jenkins and Anton Jäger, The Guardian)
Jewxit: Could 300,000 Jews flee the UK?
(Hannah Gal, The Jerusalem Post)
Europe and humanism: Europe’s secularists worry about the rise of Christian-nativist populism
(The Economist [Erasmus: Religion and public policy])
Why the nation's two largest religious groups are talking about sex abuse this week
(Daniel Burke, CNN)
Masterpiece Cakeshop owner sued again after refusing to bake ‘gender transition’ cake
(Jack Crowe, National Review)
Nigerian Church leaders urge country to do more to fight corruption
(Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Italy’s populist government still in uneasy relationship with Church
(Claire Giangravé, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
U.S. Supreme Court declines “In God We Trust” challenge
(Don Byrd, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)
Tennessee DA faces investigation after Islam, gay comments
(Associated Press)
DOJ supports lawsuit demanding religious tuition payments
(Associated Press)
French probes ultra-right plot to attack religious venue
(Elaine Ganley, Associated Press)
During LGBTQ Pride Month, Vatican issues document rejecting gender change
(CBS News)
During LGBTQ Pride Month, Vatican issues document on gender theory in education
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Another suit filed against Masterpiece Cakeshop for refusal to create cakes for LGBT events
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Arkansas Supreme Court OKs limits on leaders of prison religious services
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Harpreet Bajwa becomes the first active Airman permitted to wear a turban, beard, and unshorn hair in accordance with his Sikh faith
(American Civil Liberties Union)
Air Force grants religious accommodation to Sikh airman
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Justices reject challenge to 'In God We Trust' on U.S. money
(Alex Swoyer, The Washington Times)
Cert. denied in challenge to "In God We Trust" on currency
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Gary L. Bauer reappointed as USCIRF Commissioner
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Botswana legalizes gay sex, striking down colonial-era laws
(Max Bearak, The Washington Post)
How the battle of bra-baring waitresses and ultrareligious protesters explains Israel’s political crisis
(Loveday Morris and Miriam Berger, The Washington Post)
America's ISIS members are coming home
(Robin Wright, The New Yorker)
How LGBT couples in Russia decide whether to leave the country
(Masha Gessen, The New Yorker)
Monday, 10 June 2019
Jack Phillips faces third lawsuit over refusal to make gender transition cake
(Michael Gryboski, Christian Post)
Young religious Turks growing skeptical of Islam – report
(The Jerusalem Post)
ASEAN MPs tackle religious bias
(Simon Rughneen, La Croix)
Bills supporting religion-based rejection turning parents away from adoption agencies
(Kristian Hernandez, Pratheek Rebala, Nathaniel Carey, and Mike Reicher, USA Today)
Supreme Court rejects atheists' attempt to scrub 'In God We Trust' off US currency
(Caleb Parke, Fox News)
Indian court convicts 6 Hindus in rape and murder of Muslim girl, 8
(Kai Schultz, The New York Times)
Russian church leader says schism with Ukraine church is a global Orthodox issue
(Peter Kenny, Ecumenical News)
Law and religion round-up – 9th June
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
May a parish or town council grant-aid a place of worship? – further thoughts
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
Sasse questions judicial nominee over Knights of Columbus
(Alexandra DeSanctis, National Review)
Liberals won a battle today on religious liberty, but it might cost them the war
(Ryan Everson, Washington Examiner)
Why should Christians support international religious freedom?
(Thomas Farr, Providence Mag)
Sikh airman makes history as he’s given permission to wear turban and beard
(Amy Russo, Huffington Post)
Rabbi attacked in central Argentina
(Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
In closely watched case, Washington Supreme Court again rules against florist
(Don Byrd, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)
Rights group cheers Bhutan’s move toward legalizing gay sex
(Associated Press)
Vatican rejects gender change to alarm of LGBT Catholics
(Nicole Winfield, Associated Press)
Islamic State expands reach in Afghanistan, threatening West
(Kathy Gannon, Associated Press)
Saturday, 8 June 2019
India: Mixing politics and religion is dangerous
(P H Hema Sagar, The Hans India)
Foisting foreign religion is not development: Chairman Thapa
(Nepal 24 Hours)
After promoting Easter on Facebook, AZ governor has nothing to say about Eid
(Hemant Mehta, Friendly Atheist, Patheos blog)
India: Non-believers fighting for the right to not believe
(Shobita Dhar, Times of India)
What's God got to do with it? The religious upsurge in commercial hip hop
(Hong Jiang, abc.net.au)
Report: Men, women separated in two state-sponsored Jerusalem Day events
(Times of Israel)
Populist surge continues in Europe: Was Pope Francis a big loser in these complex results?
(Clemente Lisi, Get Religion)
The Lord’s Prayer: A new rendering of Christianity’s best-known supplication
(The Economist [Erasmus: Religion and public policy])
The curious case of Kerpen v. MWAA (buried in that morass of separation-of-powers violations is an affront to religious liberty)
(James C. Phillips, The Federalist Society)
German authorities rejected almost all 2019 church asylum cases
(Deutsche Welle)
The relationship between faith groups and government leaders is broken. Here's why
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News Faith)
Mayor joins pride parade amid Poland’s anti-LGBT campaign
(Vanessa Gera, Associated Press)
Spain: Unfinished Gaudí church gets permit after 137 years
(Associated Press)
Yemeni officials say UAE-backed force storms mosque, kills 5
(Ahmed Al-Haj, Associated Press)
Foreign Secretary 'deeply disturbed' by number of Christians being persecuted for their faith
(Christian Today)
Friday, 7 June 2019
Challenging religious liberty in the public square could open the door to Satan. Good.
(Jay Wexler, USA Today)
Religion in the classroom: Where the faithful and the ACLU can agree
(Stephen Mansfield, Religion News Service)
Blasphemy laws in Middle East leave minorities holding their tongues
(Julia Altmann, The Jerusalem Post)
Rugby, religion and a $10 million dollar lawsuit
(Patheos Blog: The Free Thinker)
Serbian Bishop accuses Montenegro of eying church’s property
(Samir Kajosevic, Balkan Insight)
Delegation from Vietnam tours Utah sites and talks religious freedom and families with LDS First Presidency
(Kathy Stephenson, Salt Lake Tribune)
New Zealand's model for public religion
(Andrew Hamilton, La Croix International)
More answers to readers’ queries and comments – End May/June
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Friday Five: Abortion, Catholic and Baptist scandals, Emanuel AME, disaster deacon, The Bachelorette
(Bobby Ross Jr., GetReligion)
Podcast puzzle: Why do editors send political reporters to cover complex religion stories?
(Terry Mattingly, Get Religion)
Russian Catholics don’t believe in islamization of Europe
(Interfax-Religion)
Leaders, members of 15 Jehovah's Witnesses cells held in Dagestan
(Interfax-Religion)
The Supreme Court must help this Christian florist
(David French, National Review)
Catholics alone?
(Rich Lowry, National Review)
Archbishop: Survival of Church in Cuba depends on contact from abroad
(Rhina Guidos, Catholic News Service)
Irish Catholic aid agency says Trump ‘endangers people and planet’
(Charles Collins, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Funding from Gulf Arab states helping jihadists in Burkina Faso, charity says
(Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Brazil indigenous communities seek to protect lands from populist government
(Eduardo Campos Lima, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
BJC’s Hollman talks common ground in discussion on religious liberty and LGBT rights seeks areas of common ground
(Don Byrd, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)
Greece: Athens mosque likely to open in September
(Raphael Kominis, Associated Press)
Lawyers for church leader decry Becerra’s comments on client
(Stefanie Dazio, Associated Press)
Washington Supreme Court rules once more against Richland florist who refused flowers for same-sex wedding
(David Gutman, Seattle Times)
Washington Supreme Court OK's anti-discrimination law enforcement against florist opposed to gay marriage
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
EVENT, 7-8 June 2019: The Common Good - First Things intellectual retreat in Washington, D.C.
(First Things and Christendom College, Catholic University of America)
EVENT, 7 June 2019: Disrupt the narrative: Centering African American perspectives on religious freedom
(Religious Freedom Center, Freedom Forum Institute)
The most important conference you've never heard of is happening in Japan this weekend
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News Faith)
Religious freedom watchdogs spotlight Chinese mistreatment of Muslim Uyghur minority
(Christopher Vondracek, The Washington Times)
Thursday, 6 June 2019
Putin touts Christianity. So why is Russia persecuting Christians?
(The Washington Post)
Religious affairs: How close are we to a ‘Jewish republic’ of Israel?
(The Jerusalem Post)
FL Christian group requests taxpayer-funded grant for outdoor worship service
(Hemant Mehta, Patheos Blog: Friendly Atheist)
Air Force approves historic religious accommodation for active Sikh Airman
(Aleksandr Sverdlik, American Civil Liberties Union)
ACLU of Alaska settles Native religious rights suit against Dept. of Corrections
(Gilbert Cordova, KTUU News)
Religious leaders can kickstart a global anti-plastic movement
(Chandran Nair, Quartz)
Clash of interests concerning religion versus gay rights
(Cliff Rieders, Legal Intelligencer)
Democrat takes political stand against abortion: Wait a minute, isn't this governor a Catholic?
(Terry Mattingly, Get Religion)
The Russian Orthodox Church is not ready to welcome the Pope of Rome in Moscow
(Interfax-Religion)
Putin to meet with Pope Francis
(Interfax-Religion)
World will be better if people follow Bible, Torah, Koran - Putin
(Interfax-Religion)
Hijab bans undermine women's rights, not just religious freedom
(Engy Abdelkader, Sojourners)
How this author hopes new book will offer additional insights on religious freedom and create more dialogue
(Trent Toone, Deseret News Faith)
India government minister: Religious conversion like taking advantage of a girl
(Nirmala Carvalho, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Modi’s ‘Mother India’: What the recent elections mean
(Nicole-Ann Lobo, Commonweal)
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