Law and Religion Headlines
Friday, 28 February 2025
8th Circuit: Damages available under RLUIPA when defendant received federal funds
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
What is a charter school, really? Supreme Court ruling on whether Catholic charter is constitutional will hinge on whether they’re public or private
(Preston Green III and Suzanne Eckes, The Conversation)
Thailand: ‘Deportation’ of Uyghurs to China ‘unimaginably cruel’
(Amnesty International)
Should a judge be censured for asking WWJD?
(Mark Silk, RNS Column: Spiritual Politics)
Jewish graves in Humenné defaced with Nazi swastikas
(Slovak Spectator)
Moroccan king urges citizens to refrain from sacrificing animals during Eid
(France 24)
Mexican bishops call for national unity in the face of Trump’s policies toward the country
(Catholic News Agency)
Jury finds Illinois landlord guilty of murder, hate crime in 2023 attack on Palestinian American boy
(Sophia Tareen and Melissa Perez Winder, Associated Press)
Cambodia hosts its first Islam-Buddhism summit
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Tanzanian Vice President engages with central African Bishops to address eastern DRC conflict
(Catholic Information Service for Africa)
The intersection of religious freedom and immigration enforcement
(David K. Trimble, Real Clear Politics)
UCLA students & professor demand permanent end to Jew exclusion
(Becket)
WA Bill to make clergy members mandatory reporters passed Senate
(Alexandria Osborne, NonStop Local Tri-Cities/Yakima)
Kyrgyzstan: UN rights experts dismayed by new restrictions on freedom of religion or belief
(Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations)
Nigeria: ‘Muslims in south-west Nigeria require Shariah law in family, commercial matters’
(Suliyat Tella, The Guardian)
Canada: Quebec education minister suggests expanding religious symbol ban to some school support staff
(Matthew Lapierre, CBC News)
Brazil: Feted at Carnival, Afro-Brazilian faiths face hate in daily life
(France 24)
The financing of religious entities from tradition to innovation (Italian)
(Franceschi Fabio, Giappichelli)
Reflecting on the life and work of Martin E. Marty: pastor, historian, and public scholar, who shaped the study of American religion.
(Brett Colasacco, University of Chicago Divinity School: Sightings)
Thursday, 27 February 2025
VIRTUAL EVENT, 27 February 2025 (10:30AM ET): Burma in Transition: Next Steps to Advance Religious Freedom and Improve Conditions for Religious Victims
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Wednesday, 26 February 2025
How the Papacy of the first Jesuit Pope will be remembered in the distant future
(Thomas Massaro, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)
Religious freedom priorities: A summary of the International Religious Freedom Summit 2025
(Marianna Richardson, G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)
Decline of Christianity in the U.S. has slowed, may have leveled off
(Gregory A. Smith, Alan Cooperman, Becka A. Alper, Besheer Mohamed, Michael Rotolo, Patricia Tevington, Justin Nortey, Asta Kallo, Jeff Diamant and Dalia Fahmy, Pew Research Center)
WEBINAR, 26 February 2025 (9AM PT): Why Religious Literacy Matters
(United Religions Initiative)
Ahead of the Trend — February 2025
(The Association of Religion Data Archives)
Civil courts can decide dispute over Catholic organization's bylaws
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
7th Circuit: Visa regulations for temporary religious workers do not violate RFRA or 1st Amendment
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Faith groups claim legal victories on refugees, ICE raids at houses of worship
(Aleja Hertzler-McCain and Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)
Sudanese bishops urge tax exemptions amid conflict and economic turmoil
(Ngala Killian Chimtom, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Occupied Ukraine: Orthodox priest illegally transferred to Russian labour camp
(Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service)
Dutch schools ban Muslim students from praying: Reports
(Shia Waves)
Students not allowed to pray at school; Mainly Muslims affected
(NL Times)
Kenya: Archbishop Muheria urges government to settle billions owed to faith-based hospitals under NHIF and SHA
(Catholic Information Service for Africa)
Iran: Religious issues and persecution – Monthly digest February
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
China’s Ministry of Public Security reports increased anti-religious repression in 2024
(Hu Zimo, Bitter Winter)
Second-guessing church charity
(Lael Weinberger, World)
Religious rights bill advances; sponsor says measure ‘collects and codifies’ rights at public schools
(Michael R. Wickline, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)
Japan: Then they came for Perfect Liberty Kyodan
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter)
The free exercise of our faith
(Michael Danner, Mennonite Church USA)
Briefing: British Muslim Network launched to strengthen relations and build links with government
(Religion Media Centre)
Greek government initiates steps to enhance legal standing of the Holy Monastery of Sinai
(Greek City Times)
India: Assam: Bodoland govt approves Bathouism as official religion option in forms
(Kanak Chandra Boro, India Today)
G20: More than 100 faith leaders around globe urge finance ministers to end debt crisis in Jubilee year
(Catholic Agency for Overseas Development)
Canada: Jewish organizations’ pre-budget meeting with government ‘important milestone,’ participant says
(Carol Sanders and John Longhurst, Winnipeg Free Press)
US Supreme Court seems poised to lower bar for 'reverse discrimination' suits
(John Kruzel, Andrew Chung and Daniel Wiessner, Reuters)
Syrians back freedoms, constitutional process at landmark dialogue
(Timour Azhari, Reuters)
Monday, 24 February 2025
Dilexit Nos: Getting to the heart of the matter with Pope Francis
(Greg Marcar, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)
Canada: Federal guide advises prayer spaces, limits handshakes for Muslim employees
(Amira Elghawaby, Western Standard)
In Canada, 'reasonable accommodations' ensure equity and religious freedom
(Alexis Gacon, La Croix International)
What "Anti-Christian Bias" does for Trump
(Robert P. Jones, The Contrarian)
Christian Nationalism Across All 50 States: Insights from PRRI’s 2024 American Values Atlas
(PRRI)
Ten years after Daesh killed 21 men on the Beach in Libya
(Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes)
What the fall of DEI means for religion
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)
French Lawmakers debate full ban of religious clothing in sport
(Frey Lindsay, Forbes)
Israel to bar freed Palestinian prisoners from Al-Aqsa during Ramadan
(Middle East Eye)
Armenian church wants Israel to stop foreclosure of 1,700-year-old property in Jerusalem
(The Christian Post)
Around the web - 24 February 2025
(Law and Religion Forum, St. John's Law School Center for Law & Religion)
Australia: “Hate speech” and religious freedom- recent developments
(Neil Foster, Law and Religion Australia)
Success in India: Human rights & business skills pilot
(Brian Grim, Religious Freedom & Business Foundation)
Indian Christians stopped an anticonversion law. Until now.
(Christianity Today)
Is a religious charter school earthquake coming to public education?
(YouTube Video, Religious Freedom Institute)
DRC: 70 Christians found beheaded in church
(Open Doors)
Five ways to advance religious engagement in 2025
(International Center for Religion & Diplomacy)
Religious leaders must work together to promote shared principles of human dignity and compassion – High Commissioner
(Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations)
Interfaith engagement with Brazil's 2024 presidency of the G20: Looking back and looking ahead
(Katherine Marshall and Rodrigo Vitorino Souza Alves, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Ten brothers in Russia sentenced
(Jehovah's Witnesses)
Judge blocks Trump immigration policy allowing arrests in churches for some religious groups
(Michael Kunzelman and Lindsay Whitehurst, Associated Press)
Zambia: A witchcraft case involving Zambia’s president brings scrutiny of a colonial-era law and traditions
(Jacob Zimba, Associated Press)
Indonesia: Shariah court sentences 2 men to up to 85 lashes for having gay sex
(Yayan Zamzami, Associated Press)
Articles of interest - 24 February 2025
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Foster parent requirements for affirming transgender children are upheld
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Kremlin promotes ‘traditional values’ – but leaves some battles to the governors
(Guzel Garifullina, The Conversation)
California schools to revise ethnic studies curriculum over alleged antisemitic content
(Rachel Fink, Haaretz)
April session to feature religious charter school case and challenge to LGBTQ+ books in schools
(Amy Howe, SCOTUSblog)
Law and religion roundup – 23rd February
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
The tort of nuisance and the consistory courts: Re St James, Southlake
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
Deeply divided Germany elects conservative Christian Democrats, far right surges to second place
(Dave Braneck, Courthouse News Service)
German Jewish leaders express ‘shock’ at far-right election swing
(Lee Harpin, Jewish News)
Hind Kabawat appointed to Syria's National Dialogue Preparatory Committee
(KAICIID Dialogue Centre)
Interreligious dialogue meeting in Rome explores future joint projects
(World Council of Churches)
Musk accuses 18 US Islamic, Arab and Palestinian charities of being 'terrorist organisations'
(The New Arab)
Ukraine: Italy to restore the cultural heritage of Odesa damaged by Russian shelling
(Willy Fautré, Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Churches and rightward movement in Germany
(Wyatt Flicker, Juicy Ecumenism, Institute on Religion and Democracy)
Military deferrals for clergy in Ukraine: reality or illusion?
(Oleksii Blyzniuk, Christian Network Europe)
One more First Amendment case to watch
(Eugene Volokh, The Volokh Conspiracy)
Clergy of the Orthodox Church in Greece and the right to free expression
(Archimandrite Athinagoras Soupourtzis, Orthodox Times)
‘Going with God,’ conservative Amish have sued Ohio over its buggy lights law
(Erin Gottsacker, WOUB)
Chinese liaison officer Sangay Kyab participates in protest against religious persecution inside China
(Central Tibetan Administration)
Zimbabwean Church calls for state partnership to uphold human sanctity
(Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, Vatican News)
Afghanistan: Taliban continues corporal punishment, flogging 20 Afghans over alleged adultery
(Voice of America)
Iranian FM stresses need to respect human rights and avoid double standards
(Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
Brazil: Autonomy and religious freedom in medical decisions (Portuguese)
(Mychelli de Oliveira Pereira Fernandez and Ricardo Brito Costa, Migalhas)
Sunday, 23 February 2025
EVENT, 21-23 February 2025: Freedom to Do, to Be, and to Become: Enhancing Individuals' Opportunities to Believe and Live as They Choose Within the Framework of the Law (Auckland, New Zealand)
(ICLRS, University of Waikato Te Piringa – Faculty of Law, Religious Freedom and Human Dignity Initiative at BYU-H, J. Reuben Clark Law Society)
Friday, 21 February 2025
Canada: In appeal to Muslims, Freeland pledges to scrap controversial CRA division
(Raffy Boudjikanian, CBC News)
Malaysia: JK Harmoni only discusses ways to strengthen unity in multi-religious Society - Mohd Na'im
(Bernama)
Uzbekistan: Prisoner of conscience facing extra third jail term?
(Mushfig Bayram, Forum 18 News Service)
VIRTUAL EVENT, 21 February 2025: In Search of Common Ground: Religion and Secularism in a Liberal Democratic Society
(Chicago-Kent College of Law)
SEMINAR, 28-30 March 2025: Statesmanship and Religious Freedom (Malibu, CA, USA)
(Religious Freedom Institute and Pepperdine University)
Saudi Arabia: USCIRF welcomes the release of two religious prisoners in Saudi Arabia
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
USCIRF urges resumption of Lautenberg-Specter Program
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
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