Law and Religion Headlines

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Friday, 9 May 2025

Federal court halts destruction of Oak Flat
(Becket)

Australia: A new source of light for the ADF
(Australian Defence Force)

Catholic bishops defy new US state law to report child abuse
(Sophie Clark, Newsweek)

Rabbi Dr. Mark Goldfeder joins Touro Law as director of the newly established Antisemitism Law Clinic
(Touro University)

Papal vote echoes through Poland’s faith-focused presidential race
(Aleksandra Krzysztoszek, Euractiv)

Governor Patrick Morrisey provides guidance on religious exemptions from school vaccine mandates
(West Virginia Office of the Governor)

Using public accommodations laws to protect religious groups from private cancellation
(Mathew Walter Hoffmann, The Federalist Society)

Guyana: Culture Minister says offensive song seen as an attack on nation’s values
(Charles Ramson Jr, News Room)

Brazil’s evangelical wave expands political clout and tests secular limits
(Marília Marasciulo, Courthouse News Service)

Gen Z is finding religion. Why?
(Christian Paz, Vox)

Wednesday, 7 May 2025

Southeast Asian faith leaders convene at BYU–Hawaii for conference on religious freedom and human dignity
(Church Newsroom)

The Justice Department announces First Amendment investigation into Washington State’s new anti-Catholic law, Senate Bill 5375
(U.S. Department of Justice)

Justice Department addresses religious discrimination in lawsuit for former teacher denied exemption from vaccine mandate
(U.S. Department of Justice)

3rd Circuit: Class videos on Islam did not violate Establishment Clause
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

How these Supreme Court cases could reshape the law regarding religion
(Richard Ostling, Religion Unplugged)

Believing in spirits and life after death is common around the world
(Jonathan Evan, Kirsten Lesage, William Miner, Kelsey Jo Starr and Manolo Corichi, Pew Research Center)

Texas Republicans want a month dedicated to God
(Nick Mordowanec, Newsweek)

Russia and Turkey are wielding religion as soft power – but one patriarch is standing in their way
(Katie Kelaidis, The Conversation)

Australia: Inquiry into the recruitment methods and impacts of cults and organised fringe groups
(Parliament of Victoria)

Akali Dal condemns Pakistan's "attack" on Poonch Gurudwara, says three killed in incident
(The Economic Times)

Residents of Pakistani Kashmir say they fled into hills during Indian strikes
(Tariq Maqbool, Reuters)

Inter-religion hate speech in India: Regulation of publications in Indian law and the role of judiciary
(Anshika Jain, Legal Service India)

Sotheby’s postpones auction of jewels associated with Buddha after backlash from India’s government
(Kanis Leung, Associated Press)

A New Jersey church wanted to build a homeless shelter. Now the town might take its property
(Bob Smietana, Associated Press)

Those devoted to bullfighting in Mexico feel recent bans harm a sacred tradition
(María Teresa Hernández, Associated Press)

Church's removal of congregant from services did not violate 1st Amendment
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

3rd Circuit: Consular decisions cannot be challenged under RFRA
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Scam pastors in Nigeria (video)
(Cai Nebe and Sella Oneko, Deutsche Welle)

Belarus: Police take relatives' DNA after KGB declares religious freedom group "extremist"
(Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service)

Cape Town mayor condemns bomb threat against district six mosque as investigation intensifies
(Wendy Dondolo, IOL)

Third Circuit: No Establishment Clause violation in school lessons on Islam
(Eugene Volokh, The Volokh Conspiracy)

COMECE invites the EU to join in prayer for the Conclave and honors Pope Francis with a new publication
(The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE))

Truth matters: How misinformation and sensationalism undermines support for victims of human rights violations
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)

Apache Stronghold urges federal court to save Oak Flat
(Becket)

Hui Christian pastor released from prison as others continue to face harassment
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)

Patriarch Kirill to Putin: Church-State relations under your rule are unprecedented
(Orthodox Times)

Wang Huning on religion: Enforce “rule of law on religious work”
(Hu Zimo, Bitter Winter)

Man serving life at ACI can wear Apache headband after court settlement
(Christopher Shea, Rhode Island Current)

New report calls for Inter Faith Week to be strengthened
(Quakers in Britain)

Christian Alliance denounces total crisis in Cuba and religious repression
(Ciber Cuba)

Children (Withdrawal from Religious Education and Amendment of UNCRC Compatibility Duty) (Scotland) Bill
(Scottish Parliament)

Sen. Cruz, colleagues introduce bill defending troops’ Constitutional right to freedom of religion
(Ted Cruz, U.S. Senate)

Attorney General Sunday works with Allegheny County to strengthen religious freedom protections for arrestees
(Dave Sunday, Pennsylvania Attorney General)

Việt Nam strengthen cooperation with Azerbaijan, affirms respect for religious freedom

Tuesday, 6 May 2025

EVENT, 6 May 2025: The Russo-Ukrainian War, Religious Freedom, and U.S. Foreign Policy Under the Trump Administration (Washington, DC, USA)
(Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University)

Monday, 5 May 2025

2025 Religion, Culture and Diversity Symposium: Appeals to Heaven: Religion & Political Power (recordings)
(Center for the Study of Ethics, Utah Valley University)

EVENT, 5 May 2025: Governance in Nigeria: Foundation for Securing Freedom of Religion or Belief (Washington, DC, USA)
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS, deadline 5 May 2025: Join ODIHR’s Panel of Experts on Freedom of Religion or Belief
(Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe)

EVENT, 5 May 2025: Approaches to Faith in Public Life in the 2020s (Washington, DC, USA)
(International Center for Religion & Diplomacy)

India: Hindu body moves Supreme Court against Waqf Amendment Act; says law threatens existence of Muslims
(Sofi Ahsan, Bar and Bench)

India: All India Muslim Personal Law Board calls 'essential religious practice test obsolete', questions JPC legitimacy before Supreme Court
(Sukriti Mishra, Law Beat)

Trump creates a religious liberty commission on National Day of Prayer
(Gitanjalu Poonia, Deseret News)

2025 human dignity & ASEAN conference inspires a new generation of peacemakers at BYU–Hawaii
(Juan Carlos De los Reyes, https://news.byuh.edu/academics/2025-human-dignity-asean-conference-inspires-a-new-generation-of-peacemakers-at-byu-hawaii)

Army chaplains leading strategic religious engagement
(Knox Thames)

May/June 2025 issue
(Liberty)

In a Time of Crisis: Reflections on the Fortieth Anniversary of the Journal of Law and Religion
(Cambridge University Press)

Religious freedom in Malawi and prospects for covenantal pluralism
(Dorothy Tembo, Institute for Global Engagement)

Guatemala’s cardinal trusts migration will be a priority for next pope as he readies for conclave
(Giovanna Dell'Orto, Associated Press)

Thousands of Islamists rally in Bangladesh against proposed changes to women’s rights
(Associated Press)

Washington state makes clergy mandatory reporters of child abuse with no exceptions for privileged information
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Articles of interest - 5 May 2025
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

How anti-caste reformer BR Ambedkar left his legacy on modern Buddhism
(Richa Karmarkar, Presbyterian News Service)

Belarus: "They decided to fabricate a case and accuse him of espionage"
(Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service)

Metropolitan of the Russian Orthodox Church: Religious reasons underlie the war between Russia and Ukraine
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))

Violations of religious freedom and repressions against religious leaders in the Ukrainian territories temporarily occupied by Russia
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))

China bans missionary work without state approval in new restrictions
(Diana Chandler, Religion Unplugged)

The next Pope needs a better China policy
(Nina Shea, First Things)

France's Interior Minister urges stricter rules on Hijab in universities
(Abna)

‘Chilling reading’ – Bishop Sarah responds to assisted suicide impact assessments
(The Church of England)

Will UK outshine US in faith-friendly workplaces?
(Brian Grim, Religious Freedom & Business Foundation)

Law and religion roundup – 4th May
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)

Legal pluralism in Malaysia: Navigating the civil and shariah systems
(Shad Saleem Faruqi, Yusof Ishak Institute)

Beyond the Law: Living Blasphemy in Pakistan (Ethnography of Mundane Violence, Faith, and Lifeworlds)
(Muhammad Bilal, Springer Nature)

Can Muslims become part of “the West”?
(Cambridge Interfaith Programme)

Germany formally classifies far-right AfD party as extremist, drawing Jewish group’s praise
(Andrew Lapin, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Fehrs: “Christianity is a public matter” (German)
(Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland)

Legal Journal Number 6 (20): April (Spanish)
(Observatorio de Libertad Religiosa de América Latina y El Caribe)

Nicaragua: Regime threatens evangelical churches: only those loyal to FIENIC have access to benefits (Spanish)
(100% Noticias)

Friday, 2 May 2025

Fact sheet: President Donald J. Trump establishes the Religious Liberty Commission
(The White House)

Statement on appointment as Chair of the Presidential Religious Liberty Commission by President Trump
(Dan Patrick, Lieutenant Governor of Texas)

Justice Department files statement of interest in New Hampshire religious land use case brought by small church
(U.S. Department of Justice)

Can public schools have religious clubs? A First Amendment analysis
(Asma Uddin, Freedom Forum)

Seeking Truth and Speaking Truth: Law and Morality in Our Cultural Moment
(Robert P. George, Encounter Books)

Syrian Druze spiritual leader slams government over deadly sectarian clashes
(Ghaith Alsayed and Kareem Chehayeb, Associated Press)

Court upholds school's policy on use of students' preferred names and pronouns
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

John Roberts wrote three cases dissolving the separation of church and state. Will he take another leap of faith?
(Joan Biskupic, CNN)

Ukraine's Supreme Court rules religious belief does not exempt citizens from military service during wartime
(Anna Fratsyvir, Kyiv Independent)

India: Bulldozer justice: demolitions, disputes over Muslim religious sites on the rise
(Mohammad bin Ismail, Clarion India)

India’s Waqf Amendment Act: Who needs bulldozers when you have bureaucrats?
(Insiyah Vahanvaty, Al Jazeera)

Is a faith-based charter school a threat to religious freedom, or a necessity to uphold it? The weighty decision lies with the Supreme Court
(Charles J. Russo, The Conversation)

Tax exemptions for religious organizations: What does the Supreme Court say?
(Kevin Goldberg, Freedom Forum)

New York may weaken its oversight over religious schools
(Eliza Shapiro and Benjamin Oreskes, The New York Times)

Macron defends religious freedom amid rising normalization of Islamophobia
(Safaa Kasraoui, Morocco World News)

From Spain to Sweden: European countries diverge on religious symbols in public office
(Marina Stoimenova, Euro News)

How European Christians can approach the 'culture wars'
(Bruce Barron, Christian Network Europe)

Afghanistan: Taliban restrictions on women’s rights intensify
(UN News)

Largest longitudinal study of human flourishing ever shows religion’s importance
(Paul Marshall, Hudson Institute)

Too religious to be queer? Faith and LGBTIQ+ asylum in the UK
(University of Nottingham)

Editorial: Ten Commandments bills’ unintended consequences
(Eric Black, Baptist Standard)

SBC membership drops to its lowest number in 50 years. But baptisms are on the rise.
(Bob Smietana, Religion News Service)

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