Law and Religion Headlines
Monday, 18 October 2021
Jackson County settles COVID-19 rules lawsuit with church
(Associated Press)
Military, federal employees and civilian contractors sue Biden [vaccine exemptions]
(Liberty Counsel)
Friday, 15 October 2021
Law, religion, and the covid crisis
(Mark Movsesian)
NY court grants preliminary injunction for health care workers
(Liberty Counsel)
Wednesday, 13 October 2021
The pandemic has helped religion’s reputation. Do religious vaccine resisters put this progress at risk?
(Kelsey Dallas, Religion News Service)
Religious vaccine exemption stays for NY health care workers
(Michael Hill, Associated Press)
Europe’s Top Court to rule on Covid-19 worship ban challenges
(ADF International)
In Brazil, Catholic pilgrims defy COVID to celebrate saint
(Tatiana Pollastri and Diane Jeantet, Associated Press)
Weekly Highlight #177: COVID-19: Exploring faith dimensions: Renowned religious leaders support covid-19 vaccines but acrimonious debates persist
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
Monday, 11 October 2021
How employers judge religious exemption requests
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)
Friday, 8 October 2021
Legal Spirits Episode 037 (podcast): The NY COVID vaccine mandates and religious exemptions
(Law and Religion Forum, St. John's Law School Center for Law & Religion)
Colorado woman who won’t get vaccinated denied transplant
(Patty Nieberg, Thomas Peipert and Colleen Slevin, Associated Press)
Wednesday, 6 October 2021
The faith-related cases to watch in the Supreme Court’s new term
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)
Weekly Highlight #176: COVID-19: Exploring faith dimensions: Religious exemptions from COVID-19 vaccines
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
Tuesday, 5 October 2021
Kentucky Governor has qualified immunity from church's damage suit over COVID orders
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Religion is deepening the NBA’s vaccine drama
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)
Leap of faith: Japan’s religious institutions get innovative in pandemic
(Alex K.T. Martin, The Japan Times)
Friday, 1 October 2021
As churches reopen, Ugandan faith groups recommit to challenging Summer worship ban
(ADF International)
University of Colorado faces COVID religious exemption suit
(Patty Nieberg, Associated Press)
Court says objections to mask requirement were not sincerely held religious beliefs
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
COVID-19 pandemic exposes great need for delivering care based on conscience and compassion
(Grattan Brown, National Catholic Register)
Wednesday, 29 September 2021
Lawyer: New York governor uses God unfairly in vaccine fight
(Larry Neumeister, Associated Press)
Religions for Peace’s reflections on the G20 Interfaith Forum
(Religions for Peace)
Weekly Highlight #175: COVID-19: Exploring faith dimensions: Vaccination: Impact of religious approaches for global programs
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
The baffling legal standard fueling religious objections to vaccine mandates
(Charles McCrary, The New Republic)
Bishops in Togo denounce church closures, vaccine mandates
(Charles Ayetan, La Croix International)
Monday, 27 September 2021
Workplace vaccination policies in South Africa: Juggling science, legal liabilities, constitutional rights, personal choice and greater good
(Ufrieda Ho, The Daily Maverick: Opinionista)
Makkah’s museums open their doors again to visitors for a cultural journey
(Tareq Al-Thaqafi, Arab News)
Jewish Israelis flock to Temple Mount in greater numbers
(Danny Zaken, Al-Monitor: Israel Pulse)
New York Governor to vaccinated: You’re the smart ones who are listening to God
(Jim Geraghty, National Review)
Friday, 24 September 2021
South Africa increasing the use of places of worship as vaccination centers
(Penwell Dlamini, Sowetan Live)
Getting vaccinated is not against our LDS religion
(Jessica Banks, Scroll - BYU-Idaho)
World news: China shuts down religious services in Harbin as COVID cases emerge
(Daily Maverick)
Suit says Trader Joe's failed to accommodate religious objection to COVID vaccination
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Evangelical pastor who says no credible religious arguments against vaccines uses pro-life argument
(Peter Kenny, Ecumenical News)
Uganda reopens worship places but enforces strict restrictions
(La Croix International)
Hate speech rise follows in wake of pandemic, experts find
(KAICIID Dialogue Centre)
Wednesday, 22 September 2021
How the military will handle religious exemptions to vaccine mandates
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)
Weekly Highlight #174: COVID-19: Exploring faith dimensions: Places of worship as vaccination sites and religious exemptions
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
Monday, 20 September 2021
Study: Religion soothed evangelicals at start of COVID. Politics put them at risk.
(Bob Smietana, The Washington Post)
GL highlights need for WB ‘debt forgiveness’ in current emergency situation
(The Island Online)
Evangelical colleges join effort to promote faith in the vaccine
(Maria Baer, Christianity Today)
Faith and the COVID vaccine: What religions have doctrinal reasons for being unvaccinated?
(Danae King, The Columbus Dispatch)
Festival season returns to Nepal amid declining COVID cases
(Binaj Gurubacharya, Associated Press)
Plug-In: As COVID-19 vaccine wars rage, press focuses on religious-exemption claims
(Bobby Ross Jr., GetReligion)
Friday, 17 September 2021
Access, travel rules influence missionary vaccine policies
(Holly Meyer, Associated Press)
Many faith leaders say no to endorsing vaccine exemptions
(Peter Smith, Associated Press)
In Zimbabwe "no vax" means "no church"
(Guy Aimé Eblotié, La Croix International)
Wednesday, 15 September 2021
This Yom Kippur, many Jews will wash their hands of a certain injunction
(Menachem Wecker, Religion News Service)
What’s the law on vaccine exemptions? A religious liberty expert explains
(Douglas Laycock, The Conversation)
Freedom of religion means freedom to say no to vaccines
(Noah Feldman, The Washington Post)
Post-Trump, Christian nationalists preach a theology of vaccine resistance
(Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)
Weekly Highlight #173: COVID-19: Exploring faith dimensions: Religious gatherings with old and new challenges
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
CEC theological reflections: Holy Communion as a communal feast amid COVID-19
(Jari Jolkkonen, Conference of European Churches)
As COVID-19 vaccine mandates rise, religious exemptions grow
(Colleen Long and Andrew Demillo, Associated Press)
COVID-19 regulations update for Wales
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
Monday, 13 September 2021
The pandemic, UN cyber negotiations and international law and norms
(Harry Aitken, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)
Suit challenges absence of religious exemptions in New York's vaccine mandate for health care workers
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
What you need to know about religious exemptions to vaccine mandates
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)
Friday, 10 September 2021
Amen to religions in South Africa giving vaccines the nod
(The Citizen)
UK: First Christian preacher to be prosecuted under Covid regulations has fine dropped
(Premier Christian News)
Religious exemptions to the vaccine should be rare — but they should exist
(Jared Cook, Deseret News Opinion)
COVID-19 churches’ guidance for “Step 4”
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Wednesday, 8 September 2021
South Africa body says vaccination should be employee’s choice
(Suthentira Govender, Sowetan Live)
Weekly Highlight #172: COVID-19: Exploring faith dimensions: Global vaccination uptake, mandate arguments, and calls for increased mental health
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
WCC Vaccine Champions encourage churches’ leadership in promoting public health
(World Council of Churches)
Let us worship: Faith representatives turn to Uganda’s Constitutional Court to lift worship ban
(ADF International)
Religious exemption to COVID-19 vaccine mandates: Buddhists weigh in
(Alison Spiegel, The Buddhist Review, Tricycle)
LA-based Atheists United fears rise of ‘religious nationalism’ after recent court rulings
(Justin Ray, Los Angeles Times)
India restricts religious festivals over COVID third wave fears
(Al Jazeera)
Monday, 6 September 2021
Greece begins giving COVID-19 vaccines outside churches
(Idyli Tsakiri, Associated Press)
Thinking about fights over religious liberty and 'religious exemptions' from COVID vaccines
(Terry Mattingly, GetReligion)
Law and religion round-up – 5th September
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
Friday, 3 September 2021
COVID-19 legislation and guidance: September update
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Bill tells NC hospitals to let in clergy during emergency
(Associated Press)
Mask mandate did not violate Jewish student's rights
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Vaccine exemption roundup: Cases winding through courts address claims for religious exemption from vaccine mandates
(Don Byrd, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)
Because they are trusted, faith communities are vital in COVID fight, says WHO chief
(Peter Kenny, Ecumenical News)
Wednesday, 1 September 2021
California, LA County both to pay $400,000 settlement to John MacArthur’s church
(Alejandra Molina, Religion News Service)
TRO requires university soccer team to grant religious exemptions from vaccine mandate
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Nearly 60% of white evangelicals have gotten COVID vaccine: poll
(Ryan Foley, The Christian Post)
Op-Ed: The next threat on the horizon: Religious exemptions from vaccine mandates
(Robert Klitzman, Los Angeles Times)
Monday, 30 August 2021
CALL FOR PANELISTS, 30 August-3 September, 2021: 18th Annual Conference of the European Association for the Study of Religions, Panel-Gender Law and Religion During the COVID-19 Health Crisis
(European Association for the Study of Religions (EASR))
Meet the legal advocacy group challenging Uganda’s Covid-19 ban on public worship
(Uganda Christian News)
Mississippi governor: Christians are ‘less scared’ of COVID
(Emily Wagster Pettus, Associated Press)
Mandated vaccines: Denying requests for religious accommodation in the name of safety
(Carrie Hoffman and Mark J. Neuberger, The National Law Review)
Friday, 27 August 2021
South Africa: Legal provision for mandatory vaccination in the workplace
(Amanda Visser, News24)
Can an employer legally require its employees to be vaccinated in South Africa?
(Halton Cheadle and Glenda Gray, Daily Maverick)
Myanmar says Rohingya minority will get COVID-19 vaccine
(Associated Press)
Maine health care heroes file lawsuit against shot mandate
(Liberty Counsel)
Malaysia: Paper vaccine offerings for the Hungry Ghost Festival
(Deutsche Welle)
Wednesday, 25 August 2021
Religion to the rescue: How appeals to faith can inspire people to get COVID vaccination
(Robert P. Jones and Eboo Patel, USA Today)
Religious and traditional leaders of Nigeria lead vaccination campaign
(KAICIID Dialogue Centre)
Instagram is blocking Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeev)’s profile for his statement about “unvaccinated sinners”
(The European Times)
Can you get a religious exemption from the COVID-19 vaccine?
(Jenny Rollins, KSL)
Poverty and COVID-19: Challenges and solutions
(JoAnne Wadsworth, Viewpoints: A blog of the G20 Interfaith Forum)
Weekly Highlight #170: COVID-19: Exploring faith dimensions: Opportunities for faith engagement
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
Catholic school in Lansing loses appeal over mask policy
(Ed White, Associated Press)
Appeals Court rejects religious liberty challenge to mask requirement for grades K-5 in religious schools
(Don Byrd, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)
How a COVID-19 order in Texas launched an unusual religious liberty battle
(Mya Jaradat and Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)
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