Law and Religion Headlines
Monday, 27 January 2025
Voluntary assisted dying is legal in Australia – but many of us don’t know
(Ben White, Lindy Wilmott, Rachel Feeney, The Conversation)
The remarkable message a Brookings senior fellow gave to BYU students about the civic theology America needs
(Tad Walch, Deseret News)
Around the web - 27 January 2025
(Law and Religion Forum, St. John's Law School Center for Law & Religion)
Pope Francis warns of ‘scourge of antisemitism’ ahead of Holocaust Remembrance Day
(Associated Press)
80 years after Liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau
(Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes)
At Auschwitz memorial, survivors see echoes of the past in rising antisemitism
(Vanessa Gera, Associated Press)
Auschwitz survivors warn of rising antisemitism at 80th anniversary of camp's liberation
(Barbara Erling and Kuba Stezycki, Reuters)
Holocaust remembrance for dignity and human rights: 80 years since the liberation of Auschwitz
(European External Action Service)
Australia: Statement on recent hate crimes
(Human Rights Watch)
Elon Musk faces criticism for encouraging Germans to move beyond 'past guilt'
(Rachel Treisman, NPR)
Evangelical Church calls on Germans living abroad to vote (Germany)
(Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland)
Ecumenical Church Atlas shows church life in Germany (German)
(Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland)
Articles of interest - 27 January 2025
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Supreme Court will weigh approval for US’ 1st publicly funded religious charter school, in Oklahoma
(Mark Sherman, Associated Press)
Zimbabwe: Christian leaders in Zimbabwe oppose plans to drop term limits for president
(Ngala Killian Chimtom, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation recognizes the Vatican's role in prisoner exchange with Ukraine
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Moscow continues targeting Christians in Russian-occupied territories
(Jill Nelson, Christianity Today)
Supreme Court will weigh in on effort to found nation’s first religious charter school
(Amy Howe, SCOTUSblog)
Law and religion roundup – 26th January
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
India’s BJP-ruled Uttarakhand implements ‘totally biased’ common civil code
(Al Jazeera)
India's top court refuses Christian man burial in his village
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Pakistani court sentences 4 people to death for blasphemy
(Asim Tanveer, Associated Press)
Wyoming bill creating religious exemption to state law passes House committee
(Hannah Shields, Wyoming Tribune Eagle)
Algeria: Five Jehovah’s Witnesses sentenced to two years in jail in Algeria for sharing their faith
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter)
Legal Journal Number 4 (20): January(Spanish)
(Observatorio de Libertad Religiosa de América Latina y El Caribe)
Hostages recovered, terrorists released: Religious and political considerations (Spanish)
(Fishel Szlajen, Infobae)
Truth and consequences: Bishop Marianne Budde
(Katherine Marshall, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Are Americans especially distrustful of religion?
(Ryan Burge, Religion Unplugged)
Friday, 24 January 2025
Nigeria: Empowerment over palliatives, Archbishop Martins urges government to rethink poverty alleviation strategies
(Paschal Norbert, Catholic Information Service for Africa)
Nigeria: An obnoxious legislation
(Ebenezer Obadare, Council on Foreign Relations)
Polish bishops threaten court action over ‘illegal curbs’ on religion classes
(Joonathan Luxmoore, The Tablet)
Pakistan: MEPs appeal to EU Human Rights Envoy on behalf of persecuted Christians
(EU Today)
Toleration: A Very Short Introduction
(Andrew R. Murphy, Oxford University Press)
After 80 years, not many Auschwitz survivors are left. One man makes telling the stories his mission
(Melanie Lidman, Associated Press)
Kansas court says statute sets low threshold for religious exemption from covid vaccine mandate
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Negligence claim against Army chaplain barred by ecclesiastical abstention doctrine
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Voice for the Voiceless: Over Seven Decades of Struggle with China for My Land and My People
(The Dalai Lama, HarperCollins)
Holocaust Memorial Day 2025
(The Royal Household)
Regulator sets out safeguarding expectations ahead of key Synod votes
(The Charity Commission, GOV.UK)
Bill to ban Moscow Patriarchate sent to Estonian Parliament
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
French media and Miviludes are contributing to the creation of a fearful environment for religious minorities
(Robert Johnson, The European Times)
Liberia news: Muslims still pushing for holiday
(New Republic Liberia)
Why African governments are seeking to repeal tax exemptions for churches
(Cyril Zenda, Religion Unplugged)
DRC: Protestants and Catholics in Congo launch roadmap to peace
(World Council of Churches)
Christian converts in Sweden: protests, migration policies and UN condemnation
(Article 18)
Iran’s Christians experienced sixfold increase in prison sentences in 2024, report finds
(Article 18)
Afghanistan: Taliban reject ICC arrest warrant as ‘politically motivated’
(AFP, Courthouse News Service)
Christian support group asks 10th Circuit to revive discrimination lawsuit against New Mexico lab
(Amanda Pampuro, Courthouse News Service)
Philippines: Mark Villar pushes for mandatory Muslim prayer rooms in public offices
(Senate of the Philippines)
Supreme Court to weigh bid to create first US religious charter school
(John Kruzel, Reuters)
Canada: Supreme Court of Canada will hear legal challenge on Quebec secularism law
(Matthew Lapierre, CBC News)
Supreme Court to weigh whether states can allow religious public schools
(Laura Meckler and Justin Jouvenal, The Washington Post)
India: Religious persecution in the world’s largest democracy
(Jetti A. Oliver, Plough)
India: Marrying person of another faith doesn’t mean automatic conversion: HC
(Times of India)
India: Use of loudspeakers not essential to any religion: Bombay HC
(Urvi Mahajani, Free Press Journal)
Syria's new leaders turn to Islamic law in effort to rebuild Assad's police
(Amina Ismail and Khalil Ashawi, Reuters)
Pres. Trump signs several Executive Orders that will benefit religious freedom
(First Liberty)
Brazil: The challenges of exercising freedom of belief (Portuguese)
(Eduardo Cassar, UFRJ)
Brazil: The return of the political value of religion (Portuguese)
(Sebastiano Maffettone, Instituto Humanitas Unisinos)
Russia: Getting alternative civilian service "a hellishly difficult task"
(Victoria Arnold, Forum 18 News Service)
Wednesday, 22 January 2025
USCIRF welcomes Secretary Rubio’s confirmation, calls for religious freedom designations
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Judge finds Ohio pastor guilty of violating fire code while church operated as a temporary shelter
(Patrick Aftoora-Orsagos, Associated Press)
Iraqi lawmakers pass a bill that critics say legalizes child marriage
(Qassim Abdul-Zahra and Stella Martany, Associated Press)
Iranian court sentences pop star Tataloo to death for blasphemy
(AFP, The Guardian)
Australian state commits more police to investigate antisemitic crime
(Rod McGuirk, Associated Press)
Australia: Childcare centre torched in latest antisemitic attack
(Christine Chen and Renju Jose, Reuters)
Canadian government considers changing churches’ tax status
(Adam MacInnis, Christianity Today)
Trump Administration will allow migrant arrests at churches, schools
(Gabe Whisnant, Newsweek)
In sermon to Trump, Bishop Budde pleads for immigrants, transgender rights
(Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)
Emerging tech and religious freedom
(Ian Speir, Public Discourse: The Journal of the Witherspoon Institute)
Holocaust remembrance for dignity and human rights
(United Nations)
Harvard settles lawsuits over antisemitism on campus
(Jonathan Stempel, Reuters)
Ahead of the Trend Newsletter - 22 January 2025
(The Association of Religion Data Archives)
1st Circuit accepts employer's undue hardship defense for denying religious exemption from covid vaccination
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Joe Biden entered the White House pledging to fight antisemitism. He leaves with it at historic levels.
(Ron Kampeas, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Belgium’s railway should apologize but not pay for sending Jews to Nazi death camps, government panel concludes
(Shira Li Bartov, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Tajikistan: Persecution of Christians
(Antonio Graceffo, Providence)
Future of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
Why every town needs a freedom of religion and belief declaration
(Alex Goldberg, Jewish News)
In Zaporizhzhia, Ukrainian Orthodox Church cathedral destroyed by missile strike
(The Odessa Journal)
Colombia: Interreligious education within the framework of Colombia’s public policy on religious freedom and worship
(Camila A. Sánchez Sandoval, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
Venezuela: Bishops’ commitment for the Jubilee: “Country, person, truth, justice, rule of law, freedom and peace”
(Agenzia Fides)
Council of Parties appoints Ambassador Almeida-Ribeiro as KAICIID Acting Secretary General
(KAICIID Dialogue Centre)
Philippines: Religious groups stage opposing rallies ahead of 2025 midterm polls
(Camille Elemia, Benar News)
Looking towards the future while reviewing the past
(Marianna Richardson, G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)
Ethiopia: Thousands protest in Mekelle against hijab ban in Axum schools, demand enforcement of court ruling
(Addis Standard)
Kyrgyzstan bans face coverings in public places
(Azerbaycan24)
China: When the facts and the law don’t matter, a guilty verdict is only a matter of time
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)
Brazil: STF decisions reinforce combat against religious intolerance (Portuguese)
(Adriana Romeo, Supremo Tribunal Federal)
Brazil: National Day to Combat Religious Intolerance: MPGO highlights religious freedom promotion actions carried out in 2024 (Portuguese)
(Cristina Rosa, MP GO)
Brazil: On the Day of Combating Intolerance, followers of different religions fail to believe in their beliefs. (Portuguese)
(Agência Gov)
Brazil: January 21: Day of mourning against Religious Intolerance in Brazil (Portuguese)
(Débora Costa, Diario do Para)
Attitudes toward Christian nationalism don’t just boil down to views on race, religion and history − research suggests ‘moral foundations’ play a critical role
(Kerby Goff, Eric Silver, and John Iceland, The Conversation)
Montana bill could require priests to break seal of confession
(Kate Quiñones, Catholic News Agency)
Monday, 20 January 2025
India: Muslim homes burned down after Hindu-Muslim elopement
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
Pope welcomes Cuba’s prisoner release following talks with Vatican as part of long-standing dialogue
(Nicole Winfield, Associated Press)
Pope praises Buddhist revival in post-Soviet Mongolia
(Joseph Tulloch, Vatican News)
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