Law and Religion Headlines
Monday, 20 January 2025
Around the web - 20 January 2025
(Law and Religion Forum, St. John's Law School Center for Law & Religion)
Psychedelics and religion: A complex relationship
(Alberto Cavallarin and Hans Van Eyghen, London School of Economics Religion and Global Society Blog)
Human Freedom Index 2024
(Cato Institute and the Fraser Institute)
Parliamentary committee supports legislative initiative to establish National Day of Prayer
(Institute for Religious Freedom, Ukraine)
U.S. bishops’ latest religious liberty concern: the government threatening their work with migrants
(Connor Hartigan, America: The Jesuit Review)
In Conversation: Podcast explores BIC’s contributions to the discourse on societal harmony
(Bahá’í World News Service)
Articles of interest - 20 January 2025
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Idaho Army National Guard sued for “No Christians in Command” policy
(Liberty Counsel)
These religious leaders played starring roles in Trump’s second inauguration
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)
At inauguration, Trump says he was 'saved by God to make America great again'
(Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)
Religious persecution in Burma is becoming a regional crisis
(Dr. Sasa and Sam Brownback, Newsweek)
Texas could join Louisiana with a law to require the Ten Commandments in classrooms
(Andrew Schneider, NPR)
Texas has a perverse idea of religious freedom
(The New York Times)
Uzbekistan: Eight Muslim prisoners of conscience tortured, handed long jail sentences
(Mushfig Bayram, Forum 18 News Service)
Justices take up Maryland parents’ challenge to LGBTQ books in schools
(Amy Howe, SCOTUSblog)
Law and religion roundup – 19th January
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
Mandatory Reporting Bill [HL], Second Reading
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Secularity, dignity, and human rights: A review of Human Rights in a Divided World by David Hollenbach, S.J.
(David Little, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
Building values-based communities: A shared responsibility
(KAICIID Dialogue Centre)
Indonesia: Church leaders slam Indonesian forces' denial of Papua refugees
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
2025/4 “The Impact and Complexity of Saudi Funding on the Dissemination of Wahhabism and Salafism in Indonesia”
(A’an Suryana, Yusof Ishak Institute)
Iranians punished with longer prison sentences for practicing Christianity
(Clemente Lisi, Religion Unplugged)
Newly released WCC video addresses freedom of worship in Jerusalem
(World Council of Churches)
Russia: Religious issues and persecution: Bimonthly Digest January 01-15
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
X and Facebook toughen EU pledge to combat hate speech
(AFP, Barron's)
Poland halves number of weekly religion classes in schools
(Notes from Poland)
Egypt: MRG urges action on minority and indigenous rights
(Minority Rights Group)
Atheist legal group sues city over church rental property tax exemption
(Michael Gryboski, The Christian Post)
Brazil: Religious intolerance in Brazil (Portuguese)
(Ivanir dos Santos, ICL Noticias)
Brazil: Law that authorizes the emission of noise levels above the limit in religious temples is unconstitutional, decides OE (Portuguese)
(Comunicação Social, TJSP)
Brazil: Combating religious intolerance and midwives are highlighted (Portuguese)
(Rilton Pimentel, Agencia Brasil)
Saturday, 18 January 2025
A Proclamation on Religious Freedom Day, 2025
(The White House)
Will the world protect Syria’s religious minorities?
(Knox Thames, The Dispatch)
National Religious Freedom Day
(Antony J. Blinken, U.S. Department of State)
Syrian Christians want their identity and freedoms protected in any new constitution, envoy says
(Menelaos Hadjicostis, Associated Press)
One-pager: 2024 Religious Freedom Index summary
(Becket)
The State of Religious Liberty in the United States
(United States Conference of Catholic Bishops)
Supreme Court to decide if parents can opt kids out of Pride Storybooks
(Becket)
Louisiana heads to federal appeals court to defend Ten Commandments
(Becket)
Belarus: "Low status" prisoners denied prison church visits
(Felix Corley and Olga Glace, Forum 18 News Service)
New laws on religion in schools face First Amendment tests
(Freedom Forum)
Pope: ‘Religions must work together to seek bridges of peace’
(Lisa Zengarini, Vatican News)
Pope: ‘Investing in weapons to kill is madness’
(Lisa Zengarini, Vatican News)
Religious freedom envoy aims to combat persecution of Christians worldwide
(Leendert de Bruin, Christian Network Europe)
DC court protects freedom of religious groups on campus
(Alliance Defending Freedom)
Christian employers challenge unlawful EEOC gender and abortion mandates
(Alliance Defending Freedom)
Three keys to loving your neighbor in a multibelief world
(Chris Seiple, Religion News Service)
British PM Starmer visits Auschwitz, vows to fight antisemitism ahead of security talks in Poland
(Vanessa Gera and Monika Scislowska, Associated Press)
High Representative’s remarks on the launch of the United Nations Action Plan to Enhance Monitoring and Response to Antisemitism
(United Nations Alliance of Civilizations)
Joe Biden’s religious freedom legacy — and what it means for the future
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)
Rome's chief rabbi criticises Pope Francis over Israel remarks
(Joshua McElwee, Reuters)
Brazil says Meta hate speech policy changes do not fit with local law
(Reuters)
At Trump’s inauguration, religious allies and new faces to offer prayers
(Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)
RFI participates in summit on post-election trends, hopes, and challenges for faith-based service organizations
(Religious Freedom Institute)
My beautiful ‘practicing’ Christians: As churchgoers’ numbers shrink, their social views grow more similar
(Michael Emerson, The Conversation)
Assessing religious freedom in Asia: Perspectives from China, India, and Myanmar
(Knox Thames)
Tanzania: Empowering communities: A 15-year journey of interfaith approach to development
(IPP Media)
Cuba: USCIRF welcomes release of wrongfully imprisoned religious leaders and adherents in Cuba
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Wednesday, 15 January 2025
Why Syria’s reconstruction may depend on the fate of its minorities
(Ramazan Kılınç, The Conversation)
Transformative change: A Bahá’í perspective on the IPBES Assessment
(Arthur Lyon Dahl, G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)
EVENT, 15 January 2025 (9AM - 5PM EST): South Carolina Religious Liberty Conference (Columbia, SC, USA)
(South Carolina Religious Liberty Conference)
Millions start bathing in holy rivers at India's biggest Hindu festival
(Geeta Pandey, BBC News)
'A shining example': Religious leaders praise the late former President Jimmy Carter
(Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)
What will it mean for Parliament to prorogue?
(Evangelical Fellowship of Canada)
The forcible removal of religious headwear in Texas jails is invasive and unconstitutional
(Savannah Kumar, ACLU of Texas)
President Biden celebrates faith as he awards his first Presidential Medal of Freedom with distinction
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)
Why some doctors have started asking patients about their spiritual lives
(Ben Thorp, NPR)
Muslim convert planned mosque attack, trial hears
(BBC News)
Europe must combat antisemitism as thousands of Jews abandon the continent, top Jewish leader says
(Menelaos Hadjicostis, Associated Press)
Brooklyn yeshivahs file Title VI complaint with U.S. Department of Education
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
9th Circuit: Police department's LGBTQ outreach was government speech that did not violate 1st Amendment
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
In Newark, Catholic bishops host interfaith leaders to oppose mass deportation
(Aleja Hertzler-McCain, Religion News Service)
Speaker Johnson cites Genesis after House passes bill banning trans people from women's sports
(Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)
Nearly half the globe has ‘elevated levels’ of antisemitic beliefs, ADL survey finds
(Asaf Elia-Shalev, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
OCU Primate tells Japanese Ambassador about Moscow manipulating religious issues
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Southern Methodist University wants to sever ties to its church. Can the church stop it?
(The New York Times)
Syria and the future of global jihad
(Max Prowant, Law & Liberty)
Syrian gov't proposes 'Islamic path' changes to education system
(The Jerusalem Post)
Syria: Between religious diversity and national unity: The role of family law in Syria’s transitional justice journey
(Lena-Maria Möller, London School of Economics Religion and Global Society Blog)
Syria: Christians in Syria are worried but cautiously optimistic
(Open Doors)
Hamas lists 34 hostages it may free under ceasefire
(Naomi Scherbel-Ball and Rushdi Abualouf, BBC)
Supreme Court justices appear open to upholding Texas' porn site age-verification law
(Taylor Goldenstein, Houston Chronicle)
Hong Kong sees success in getting friendly for Muslim travellers
(Caroline Boey, TTG Asia)
New Hampshire Supreme Court upholds judge’s ruling on ‘Keep New England White’ banners
(Kathy McCormack, Associated Press)
China: Religious issues and persecution – Bimonthly Digest January 01-15
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Colombia: Another Protestant church leader assassinated
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
Cuban government announces release of 553 prisoners through mediation of Pope Francis
(Walter Sánchez Silva, Catholic News Agency)
Catholic cardinals play a key role in secular politics as well as the Catholic Church–and the importance of Pope Francis’ choice to head the church in DC
(Joanne M. Pierce, The Conversation)
Nicaraguan dictatorship shuts down more organizations, including Dominican nuns
(Walter Sánchez Silva, Catholic News Agency)
Two Molokai churches lauded for highway cleanups
(Maui News)
Nigeria atheist defiant after leaving jail in high-profile blasphemy case
(Aminu Abubakar, Barron's)
‘God led us here’: Religious, emotional first day of Wyoming legislative session
(Hannah Shields and Carrie Haderlie, WyoFile)
Evangelical leaders urge Trump to preserve refugee resettlement program
(Jeff Brumley, Baptist News Global)
West Virginia governor axes DEI and enacts vaccine exemptions on first full day in office
(Leah Willingham, Associated Press)
Cameroon: The lawyer risking everything to defend LGBT rights
(Armand Mouko, BBC News)
Uganda: Land grabs spark razing of churches and mosques
(John Semakula, Religion Unplugged)
India: Baptist groups urge Indian officials to stop mob violence
(Baptist Press)
Report details bleak human rights situation in Ukraine nearly three years into Russian invasion
(UN News)
Discrimination after death: The afterlives of Muslims in Spain
(Paula M. Arana Barbier, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
Monday, 13 January 2025
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS, due 13 January 2025: Moratoriums on Islamic Criminal Punishments: Legal Debates and Current Practices
(Journal of Islamic Law)
Email Subscription
The International Center for Law and Religion Studies maintains a Law and Religion Headlines service covering news about freedom of religion or belief internationally. All interested may subscribe to this service, free of charge, using the link below.
Subscribe