Law and Religion Headlines
Monday, 15 October 2018
Why a large church group had little impact when it opposed Kavanaugh’s nomination
(David Mislin, The Conversation)
How African American folklore saved the cultural memory and history of slaves
(Jennifer Dos Reis Dos Santos, The Conversation)
How the loss of Native American languages affects our understanding of the natural world
(Rosalyn R. LaPier, The Conversation)
VIDEO: Michelle Grattan on the contest in Wentworth, the Religious Freedom report leak and fast-tracking tax cuts
(Michelle Grattan, The Conversation)
Orthodox Church to move forward with Ukrainian independence
(Yuras Karmanu, Associated Press)
Kremlin vows to defend Orthodox Christians' interests in Ukraine using political, diplomatic methods
(Interfax-Religion)
Catholic priest killed in northern Mexico
(Christopher Sherman, Associated Press)
Saturday, 13 October 2018
Kremlin shares Russian Church's concern over Ecumenical Patriarchate's decisions – Peskov
(Interfax-Religion)
Chief mufti in Bulgaria demands changes to draft laws on religious denominations
(novinite.com)
Chinese official says 'sinicization' of religion in Xinjiang must go on
(Reuters)
Jehovah's Witnesses released from pretrial custody
(Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, Russia Religion News)
Australia to stop religious schools expelling gay students
(Nik Martin, Deutsche Welle)
Washington state’s Supreme Court unanimously strikes down death penalty
(Catholic News Service)
To advance religious liberty in Washington, D.C., diverse coalitions are essential
(Don Byrd, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)
Religious leaders in Tennessee bracing for likely school voucher showdown in 2019
(Don Byrd, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)
Poland vetoes EU rights report not citing Christians, Jews
(Associated Press)
IS reverting to insurgency tactics after losing caliphate
(Bassem Mroue, Associated Press)
Prosecutor pushes for legal change after clergy abuse report
(Associated Press)
Pastor Brunson is released
(United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF))
Brunson freed, permitted to leave country
(World Watch Monitor)
Pastor Andrew Brunson and wife depart Turkey
(United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF))
Andrew Brunson freed after telling court, ‘I love Jesus, I love Turkey’
(Ulmer Farooq, Religion News Service)
US pastor freed from Turkey prays with Trump in Oval Office
(Darlene Superville and Zeke Miller, Associated Press)
FFRF files IRS challenge in D.C. court on behalf of Nonbelief Relief
(Freedom From Religion Foundation)
Suit challenges IRS church exemption from filing Form 990
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Atheist group asks to disclose to IRS what churches disclose - nothing
(Peter J Reilly, Forbes)
7th Circuit upholds Wisconsin's limit on busing benefit to one school of each denomination in district
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
U.S. Senate confirms Dreiband to lead Justice Dept's civil rights division
(Sarah N. Lynch, Reuters)
Dreiband confirmed as Assistant AG for Civil Rights Division
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Rabbi files suit against active adult community
(Jennifer Peacock, Jersey Shore Online)
Rabbi sues condo association for religious and disability accommodations
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Tax court: "Pastoral gifts" were taxable income
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
'We're not bigots', says vicar splitting from Anglicans over same-sex blessings
(Charlie Gates, Stuff)
Open letter from USCIRF Commissioner Nadine Maenza to Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani (October 10, 2018)
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Church attacked for silence
(Chris Morris, Otago Daily TImes)
In Kazakhstan, global religious leaders agree faiths should be used for peace and resolving conflicts
(Peter Kenny, Ecumenical News)
ACLU lawsuit vs. Catholic bishops over immigrants' reproductive rights dismissed
(Katheryn Tucker, Law.com)
Friday, 12 October 2018
Persistent antisemitism hangs over EU
(European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights)
Charges against Baha’i in Yemen must be dropped: UN experts urge release of detainees
(United Nations)
Donbas: Donetsk: Places of worship seized, sealed
(Forum 18 News Service)
Australian law allows religious schools to reject gay students, PM says
(Joshua Berlinger, CNN)
Moon, “Putting Faith in Hate”
(Mark Movsesian, Law and Religion Forum)
EVENT, 11-12 October 2018: Exiting Violence: The Role of Religion(s)
(Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Andrew Brunson: Turkey releases US pastor after two years
(BBC News)
Pastor Andrew Brunson released to U.S. diplomatic personnel after being detained by Turkish authorities for two years
(Erin Cunningham, The Washington Post)
Andrew Brunson, U.S. pastor held in Turkey, is ordered released
(Carlotta Gall, The New York Times)
U.S. pastor Brunson leaves his home in Turkey after release
(Reporting by Mehmet Emin Caliskan; Writing by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Andrew Heavens, Reuters)
Intel: How the release of a US pastor improves Turkey’s standing with Trump
(Al-Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East)
Thursday, 11 October 2018
Witches outnumber Presbyterians in the US; Wicca, Paganism growing 'astronomically'
(Brandon Showalter, The Christian Post)
Cakes and Christianity: Britain’s Supreme Court rules in favour of two Christian bakers
(The Economist [Erasmus: Religion and public policy])
UK court rules bakery didn’t discriminate in ‘gay cake’ case
(Danica Kirka, Associated Press)
‘Gay cakes’: UK Supreme Court finds in favour of Ashers Baking
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
No sexual orientation discrimination in declining to make a “gay cake”
(Neil Foster, Law and Religion Australia)
Supreme Court rules in favour of Ashers in cake-slogan case
(Shiranikha Herbert, Church Times)
UK Supreme Court rules in favor of baker who refused to supply cake supporting gay marriage
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
The Supreme Court rule that Christian bakers did not discriminate on the grounds of sexual orientation in refusal to bake cake supporting same-sex marriage
(Tejmin Kishun and Lidia Poczok, Lexology)
UK Supreme Court rules in favor of Christian bakery
(Catholic News Agency)
UK Supreme Court backs bakery that refused to make gay marriage cake
(Owen Bowcott, The Guardian)
Lee (Respondent) v Ashers Baking Company Ltd and others (Appellants) (Northern Ireland)
(Press Summary (PDF), The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom)
Ashers cake case: ‘We’re especially grateful to God’
(Adam Becket, Church Times)
Supreme Court rules that hospital receptionist owes a duty of care to a patient
(Owain Thomas QC, UK Human Rights Blog)
Ukrainian Сhurch leader meets with Poroshenko
(Interfax-Religion)
Ukrainian president rejoices over Constantinople's decision
(RISU, Russia Religion News)
Kremlin opposed to steps that could lead to schism in Orthodox world
(Interfax-Religion)
Serbian president urges leaders of world religions to protect Orthodox churches in Kosovo
(Interfax-Religion)
Five Jehovah's Witnesses detained in Kirov Region
(Interfax-Religion)
Various ways for disposition of Jehovah's Witnesses' property
(Delovaya Gazeta.Yug, Russia Religion News)
Women Jehovah's Witnesses detained for days
(Russia Religion News)
Five Jehovah's Witnesses arrested in Kirov
(Website of Investigation Department of SKRF for Kirov oblast)
An Orthodox rabbi’s daughter wants to make political history in Belgium
(Cnaan Liphshiz, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Catholic voters urged to do their homework in midterm-election voting
(Debbie Shelley, Catholic News Service)
'Pray for me', Asia Bibi's direct appeal to UK Christians from death row
(Alex Willaims, Premier)
Building inclusive faith communities
(Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Vulnerability and inclusion (Responding to: Building inclusive faith communities)
(Lynn Underwood, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Moving toward true community (Responding to: Building inclusive faith communities)
(Mark Stephenson, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Beyond architecture: Building authentic and inclusive communities (Responding to: Building inclusive faith communities)
(Darla Schumm, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
EEOC sues Tennessee hospital over employee’s religious objection to flu shot requirement
(Don Byrd, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)
EEOC sued over enforcement of LGBT protections without religious exemption
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Muslim woman in Hawaii claims license renewal discrimination
(Jennifer Sinco Kelleher, Associated Press)
US lawmakers call on Trump to help detained Chinese Muslims
(Yanan Wang amd Dake Kang, Associated Press)
Missouri man charged with illegal circumcision of 2 teens
(Associated Press)
Egypt court sentences 17 to death for attacking Christians
(Samy Magdy, Associated Press)
Quebec Court of Appeal rules woman wearing hijab was entitled to be heard in court
(Luis Millan, The Lawyer's Daily)
Quebec Appellate Court allows litigant to wear hijab in courtroom
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Yemen: UN experts calls for immediate release of Bahá’ís
(Press Release, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights)
U.N. experts decry prosecution of Baha'is in Yemen
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Pastor council sues Austin for the right to not hire LGBTQ people
(Alyssa Goard, KXAN)
2nd lawsuit broadens attack on Austin LGBT protections
(Chuck Lindell, Statesman)
LGBT law regulating church hiring decisions 'reflects our values and culture,' Austin city council says
(Samuel Smith, The Christian Post)
Second broad challenge to Austin's anti-discrimination ordinances filed
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Superior court judge rules against Kenai Peninsula Borough in invocation case
(Aaron Bolton and Shaylon Chochran, KBBI)
Alaska borough's invocation policy held unconstitutional
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Churches sue for exemptions from city's employment non-discrimination ordinance
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Saint Thomas Health sued by EEOC for religious bias
(U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission)
EEOC sues over religious objections to flu shot
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
US congressional report documents 'dire human rights situation' in China
(Catholic News Agency)
China legalizes Xinjiang 're-education camps' after denying they exist
(Ben Westcott and Yong Xiong, CNN)
Chinese authorities launch 'anti-halal' crackdown in Xinjiang
(Lily Kuo, The Guardian)
China’s persecution of Christians beyond it’s borders: Anti-refugees “demonstrations” in South Korea: the real story
(Forum for Religious Freedom Europe)
Is historic Palestinian strike a milestone for the one-state solution?
(Daoub Kuttab, Al-Monitor: Palestine Pulse)
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