Law and Religion Headlines

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Wednesday, 8 May 2019

We are taking religious freedom too far
(Margaret Renkl, The New York Times)

Can a monk be a lawyer? Monachos Eirinaios
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)

CofE report on confession
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)

A “body farm” in the UK – organ donation in extremis
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)

2020 and the religious right: 'If Trump loses evangelical support, you can stick a fork in him'
(Bobby Ross Jr., Get Religion)

St. Petersburg courts reduces sentence for blogger Sokolovsky earlier convicted for playing Pokemon Go in church
(Interfax-Religion)

Trial of Danish Jehovah's Witness recessed until next week
(Russia Religion News)

Data on Russia's prosecution of missionary activity
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Anti-Semitism is thriving in America
(Deborah Lipstadt, The Atlantic)

Mexican bishops call for migrant assistance at their southern border
(David Agren, Catholic News Service)

Pompeo says religious freedom a ‘pillar’ of security during UK visit
(Charles Collins, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

Pennsylvania school drops ‘God bless America’ after pledge
(Associated Press)

Another New York court rules in favor of moving Fulton Sheen’s remains to Peoria
(Phil Luciano, Journal Star)

New York's high court OK's removal of Bishop Sheen's remains to Illinois
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Suit challenges Bible display at VA hospital
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Connecticut: State Supreme Court Decision said Parish had the right to remove priest at St. Paul's, Darien
(David W. Virtue, Virtue Online)

Episcopal parish's suit against its rector is dismissed
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Harsh punishments under Sharia are modern interpretations of an ancient tradition
(Jessica Marglin, The Conversation)

Rohingya women, girls being trafficked to Malaysia for marriage
(Kaamil Ahmed, Al Jazeera)

Russia: 158 known "anti-missionary" prosecutions in 2018
(Victoria Arnold, Forum 18 News Service)

Lawsuit challenges Bible display at veterans medical center in NH
(Don Byrd, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)

Japan’s emperor reports to Shinto gods week after succession
(Mari Yamaguchi, Associated Press)

Congress’s Anti-Semitism Act won’t stop hate crimes against Jews
(Suzanne Nossel, Foreign Policy)

Running religious freedom out of Quebec
(Peter Stockland, Convivium)

USCIRF statement on Asia Bibi's arrival in Canada and bombing in Lahore
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

Pakistani woman acquitted of blasphemy headed to Canada
(Kathy Gannon, Associated Press)

Asia Bibi, a Christian woman acquitted of blasphemy, leaves Pakistan
(Kathy Gannon, Religion News Service)

Suicide bombing outside Pakistan shrine kills 10
(Zaheer Babar, Associated Press)

While Enes Kanter is observing Ramadan, the world will be watching him
(Spenser Mestel, The New York Times)

Tuesday, 7 May 2019

Almost four million rubles collected in 2018 for illegal evangelism
(SOVA Center for News and Analysis, Russia Religion News)

Jehovah's Witness' appeal may last several days
(Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, Russia Religion News)

How Trump’s ‘religious freedom’ changes are heartening some Jews and rattling others
(Ron Kampeas, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Chile prosecutor scraps controversial deal with Church on abuse cases
(Inés San Martín, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

Pro-LGBT poster with revered icon stirs Poland
(Monika Scislowska, Associated Press)

Federal court allows continuation of lawsuit to require city of Boston to fly Christian flag
(Don Byrd, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)

Faith leaders call on New York to end solitary confinement
(Associated Press)

Pope makes historic first visit to North Macedonia
(Konstantin Testorides and Nicole Winfield, Associated Press)

Human rights activist arrested in Poland for posters featuring Virgin Mary with LGBTQ halo
(Zachary Small, Hyperallergic)

Bahrain premier calls Qatar ruler, rare contact amid dispute
(Associated Press)

Brunei suspends death penalty for gay sex after global backlash
(Andreo Calonzo, Bloomberg)

Brunei death penalty moratorium applied to new Shariah laws
(Associated Press)

Brunei places moratorium on death penalty under sharia code; will ratify torture convention
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Ramadan begins; President sends greetings
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Lawsuit filed over display of Bible at veterans hospital
(Kathy McCormack, Associated Press)

Pakistan Senate passes bill to fix marriage age as 18 for girls
(APP, Pakistan Today)

Pakistani Christian girls trafficked to China as brides
(Associated Press)

Monday, 6 May 2019

Business leaders oppose 'license to discriminate' against LGBT Texans
(Wade Goodwyn, National Public Radio)

Bulgarian Orthodox prelate gives icy response to Pope Francis' quest for church unity
(Peter Kenny, Ecumenical News)

Bulgarian imam sentenced to one year in prison for inciting religious hatred
(novinite.com)

Bulgarian President Radev welcomed the Pope
(novinite.com)

Extending pro-migrant theme, Pope calls Bulgarians to ‘open doors’
(Elise Harris, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

Pope Francis in Sofia: ‘Reject every attempt to use religion for purposes other than religious’
(Sofia Globe)

Law and religion round-up – 5th May
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)

The Russian Orthodox Church is concerned with blurring of Europe’s cultural code
(Interfax-Religion)

Russia's chief rabbi calls on Israelis to make no compromises with Hamas
(Interfax-Religion)

Christian persecution 'at near genocide levels'
(BBC News)

Pope outlines ‘code of conduct’ for interfaith dialogue, friendship
(Elise Harris, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

Religion and violent extremism: Contending perspectives
(Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)

Religion and violent extremism and CVE: Politics prevails (Responding to: Religion and violent extremism: Contending perspectives)
(Eric Rosand, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)

Prosecuting violent extremism while not persecuting extremism (Responding to: Religion and violent extremism: Contending perspectives)
(James Patton, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)

Political violence in the name of God: Is it really about religion? (Responding to: Religion and violent extremism: Contending perspectives)
(Jocelyne Cesari, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)

The unintended effects of government outreach to religious communities after 9/11 (Responding to: Religion and violent extremism: Contending perspectives)
(Annelle R. Sheline, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)

Trump Administration announces new religious objection rule for health care providers
(Don Byrd, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)

Modi flexes muscles in Kashmir to woo India’s Hindu voters
(Aijaz Hussain, Associated Press)

Orthodox reps not at pope’s multi-faith event
(Associated Press)

Philadelphia commission probing ‘disturbing’ video
(Michael Rubinkam and Jennifer McDermott, Associated Press)

States seek to cut off religious exemptions for vaccination
(Susan Haigh, Associated Press)

Popular sovereignty in Islam
(Mark Movsesian, Law and Religion Forum)

British Parliament debates sharia councils
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

New report on payment of church taxes in Europe
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

District Court says challenge to Trump's alleged Muslim travel ban may proceed
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Court refuses to dismiss suit to allow Christian flag outside Boston City Hall
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Israel and Gaza reach ceasefire agreement amid tense calm
(Al Jazeera)

EVENT, 6 May 2019: Religious Diversity & Inclusion in the Workplace, Dallas, TX
(Religious Freedom & Business Foundation)

China bans Muslims from fasting during Ramadan
(Alison Lesley, World Religion News)

Sunday, 5 May 2019

'Execution' of Iranian teenage boys condemned
(BBC News)

Ramadan 2019: When is Ramadan and why Muslims fast during this festival
(TNN, Times of India)

Official announcement: Ramadan 2019 will begin on May 6 in the UAE
(Gulf News)

Ramadan 2019: The health benefits of fasting
(Sami Rahman, Al Jazeera)

Presidential Message on Ramadan, 2019
(The White House)

USCIRF releases 2019 annual report and recommendations for world’s most egregious violators of religious freedom
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

USCIRF issues 2019 International Religious Freedom Report
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Turkey lashes out U.S. over religious freedom report
(Ahval News)

May 2: National Day of Prayer
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Trump marks National Day of Prayer with synagogue victims
(Associated Press)

Do we need the government to designate a National Day of Prayer?
(Don Byrd, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)

National Day of Prayer: Sister Jones asks God to 'inspire' and 'strengthen' U.S.
(Sarah Jane Weaver, The Church News)

Chief Ashkenazi rabbi urges world to pray for Gaza border communities
(Jerusalem Post)

US commission issues annual report, highlights religious freedom abuses in China
(Don Byrd, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)

Saturday, 4 May 2019

Baha'is in Iran plagued by worsening 'sytemic persecution'
(Maya Margit / The Media Line, Jerusalem Post)

House of Commons debate on sharia courts: summary
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)

Friday Five: Arizona kerfuffle, synagogue shooting, religious persecution, plugs for Dawn and Mollie
(Bobby Ross Jr., GetReligion)

Pope tends to Orthodox ties, Catholic minorities in Balkans
(Veselin Toshkov, Konstantin Testorides and Nicole Winfield, Associated Press)

Italy emerges as ground zero for European extremist populism
(Colleen Barry, Associated Press)

Australian prime minister rejects candidate’s Islam posts
(Rod McGuirk, Associated Press)

Landlord settles discrimination case with Muslim father, son
(Kathleen Foody, Associated Press)

California to review sex-abuse responses of all 12 dioceses
(Associated Press)

Sudanese take aim at Islamist ‘deep state’ left by al-Bashir
(Joseph Krauss, Associated Press)

Trump administration strengthens ‘conscience rule’ for health care workers
(Margot Sanger-Katz, The New York Times)

HHS adopts final rules on conscience protection in health care; suit filed challenging new rules
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

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