Law and Religion Headlines
Wednesday, 9 December 2020
US Supreme Court urged to protect KY religious schools from shutdown
(Catholic News Agency)
Michigan Catholic schools sue over COVID order
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Michigan Catholic schools say forced closure is unconstitutional, file lawsuit
(Gus Burns, M Live)
5 interfaith leaders answer: Does faith conflict with science during COVID-19?
(Jillian Cheney, Religion Unplugged)
COVID-19: 14 NGOs urge China, Iran and Russia to release all religious prisoners
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Weekly Highlight #135: Fierce and Important Debates about Ethics of Vaccines; Working to Organize Religious Actors
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
Monday, 7 December 2020
Belgian Catholics organize legal challenge to public Mass ban
(Hannah Brockhaus, Catholic News Agency)
English bishops say AstraZeneca’s vaccine may be received without sin
(Catholic News Agency)
Swiss court suspends public worship ban in Geneva
(Catholic News Agency)
With pews emptied by COVID-19, a Catholic researcher asks, ‘What if they never come back?’
(Claire Giangravé, Religion News Service)
California Sikhs to hold caravan and rally in support of farmer protests in India
(Alejandra Molina, Religion News Service)
Sunday, 6 December 2020
NSW Covid-19 rules for churches from 7 Dec 2020
(Neil Foster, Law and Religion Australia)
Friday, 4 December 2020
COVID vaccines are moral to use, say ethicists, Catholic bishops
(Bob Smietana, Religion News Service)
Did the Supreme Court’s ruling on restrictions at houses of worship herald a big shift? Maybe not
(Tony Mauro, Freedom Forum)
U.S. Supreme Court sides with challenge to California's COVID-19 religious service curbs
(Lawrence Hurley, Reuters)
Justices order review of California virus rules for churches
(Associated Press)
California church sees victory in order from high court
(Brian Melley, Associated Press)
Justices flip the script on COVID-19 worship bans, but top health official urges closures
(Bobby Ross Jr., Religion Unplugged)
Justices tell lower court to take another look at California COVID-19 restrictions on indoor worship
(Amy Howe, SCOTUSblog)
‘Biblical mandate.’ California churches ready to defy Newsom after Supreme Court ruling
(Dale Kasler, Sacramento Bee)
Religious freedom in the age of a global pandemic
(Trey Daniel, Freedom Forum)
Oklahoma governor declares day of prayer as virus surges
(Ken Miller, Associated Press)
ECtHR Decides the First Case Regarding Covid-19 Measures
(Kushtrim Istrefi, ECHR Blog)
Inadmissibility of application lodged by individual complaining about handling of Covid-19 health crisis
(Press Release by the Registrar of the Court, European Court of Human Rights)
Season 2, Ep. 05: This Emotional Court (podcast)
(Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)
6th Circuit finds no “hint of hostility toward religion” in Kentucky governor’s COVID-19 order halting in-person schools
(Don Byrd, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)
What to make of the Court's church attendance ruling
(Sean Trende, Real Clear Politics)
COVID-19: revised Regulations for Wales
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
Churches won’t be restricted amid pandemic, ‘God is bigger than gov't’: Mississippi gov.
(Leonardo Blair, The Christian Post)
End COVID lockdowns, say over 49,000 doctors and scientists
(Jackson Elliott, The Christian Post)
Oklahoma governor proclaims day of fasting, prayer as coronavirus cases spike
(Leonardo Blair, The Christian Post)
No Christmas cheer in Bethlehem this year amid coronavirus pandemic
(Aziza Nofal, Al-Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East)
Faith leaders pair with health officials to save India’s largest slum from COVID-19
(Priyadarshini Sen, Religion News Service)
Court suspends Geneva worship ban, religious gatherings resume
(ADF International)
Why these religious schools believe they deserve to be open
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News Faith)
COVID-19: New Church of England guidance
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
When believers become invisible
(Jonathon Van Maren, Convivium)
Wednesday, 2 December 2020
The pandemic is making visible how important religious liberty is to Orthodox Jews in America
(Shira Hanau, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
March for Life gears up for pandemic conditions
(Catholic News Agency)
U.S. bishops’ internal memo: Catholics can take Covid-19 vaccines
(Michael J. O'Loughlin, America: The Jesuit Review)
Italian bishops confident Christmas liturgies will proceed as normal
(Elise Ann Allen, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
The nonsense of the pandemic’s unreasonable religious restrictions
(Deseret News Faith)
Justice Neil Gorsuch suggested New York’s COVID restrictions hold back Orthodox Jewish women. The truth is far more complicated.
(Lorelei Laird, Jewish Telegraphic Agency: Opinion)
The Supreme Court was right to block Cuomo’s religious restrictions
(Michael W. McConnell and Max Raskin, The New York Times Opinion)
To this Supreme Court, religious freedom trumps public health — even amid COVID-19 plague
(Laurence H. Tribe and Michael C. Dorf, USA Today)
First Liberty Institute, Kentucky AG ask U.S. Supreme Court to allow in-person classes at faith-based K-12 schools
(First Liberty)
Christian school asks Supreme Court to reinstate District Court's injunction against Kentucky's COVID order
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
COVID-19: Communal worship from 2 December
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Geneva COVID-19 worship ban challenged
(ADF International)
Weekly highlight #134: Court battles and clergy roles in stopping the spread of COVID-19
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
Monday, 30 November 2020
Vatican dicastery urges youngsters to share wisdom of elderly people facing Christmas alone
(Catholic News Agency)
Immaculate Conception: Pope Francis cancels traditional act of veneration due to pandemic
(Hannah Brockhaus, Catholic News Agency)
Archbishop Cordileone: New COVID church closures violate right to worship
(Catholic News Agency)
French Catholic bishops win appeal against 30-person Mass limit
(Courtney Mares, Catholic News Agency)
Supreme Court Sides with Churches: 'Even in a Pandemic, the Constitution Cannot Be Put Away'
(Michael Foust, Christian Headlines)
Supreme Court Turns Down Petition From Pastor Facing Criminal Charges Over In-Person Gatherings
(Andrea Morris, CBN News)
Justice Alito refuses to enjoin Louisiana's COVID restrictions on churches
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Alito slaps down megachurch pastor’s lawsuit that claimed obeying God meant ignoring COVID-19 orders
(Aaron Keller, Law & Crime)
French Council of State says capacity limits on worship services are too strict
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
France must review COVID-19 crowd limits on church attendance
(Gilles Guillaume, Antony Paone, Reuters)
Federal judges uphold Kentucky governor’s virus school order
(Associated Press)
6th Circuit rejects preliminary injunction against Kentucky's closure of religious schools
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Court orders France to rethink 30-person limit on worship
(Associated Press)
Cuomo’s discriminatory lockdown orders stopped by midnight order from Supreme Court
(Becket: Press Release)
The Supreme Court emerges as a microcosm of America
(Liel Leibovitz, Tablet Magazine)
Fireworks over religious liberty: The Supreme Court says Cuomo’s restrictions on worship violate the First Amendment.
(The Wall Street Journal - Opinion)
New Supreme Court majority halts enforcement of New York COVID-19 targeted restrictions on houses of worship pending appeal
(Don Byrd, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)
Getting beyond politics on Brooklyn’s religious freedom fight
(John L. Allen Jr., Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Archbishop calls latest California church closures ‘blatant discrimination’
(Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
New COVID-19 legislation and guidance to 5 December
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Police block Canadian churchgoers from drive-in worship service: 'heartbreaking'
(Anugrah Kumar, The Christian Post)
US Court ruling on religious services irrelevant, says NY governor, but decision shows future inclination
(Peter Kenny, Ecumenical News)
F grades spike by 83% due to school closures in response to COVID-19
(Anugrah Kumar, The Christian Post)
Does the UK's lockdown breach the right to freedom of religion?
(Dominic Ruck Keene, UK Human Rights Blog)
Tequila bar in Nottingham attempts to reclassify business as a religion in hopes of remaining open during the pandemic
(Michael Bartiromo, Fox News)
COVID-19 lockdowns, changes to Algeria's Constitution threaten churches, communal worship
(Kyle Huckins, The Christian Post)
Friday, 27 November 2020
Justices lift New York’s COVID-related attendance limits on worship services
(Amy Howe, SCOTUSblog)
High court blocks NY coronavirus limits on houses of worship
(Jessica Gresko, Religion News Service)
High court blocks NY virus limits on houses of worship
(Jessica Gresko, Associated Press)
Supreme Court overturns NY church restrictions, Brooklyn bishop says religion 'essential' during pandemic
(Catholic News Agency)
Supreme Court enjoins, pending appeal, New York's COVID-19 capacity limits on houses of worship
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Splitting 5 to 4, Supreme Court backs religious challenge to Cuomo’s virus shutdown order
(Adam Liptak, The New York Times)
Why the striking down of Cuomo’s rules on synagogue services signals a new era on the Supreme Court
(Marc Karlinsky, Forward)
Faith leaders react to Supreme Court ruling upholding religious freedom
(David Rosenfeld, The Press-Enterprise)
French bishops launch second legal appeal to reinstate public Masses for all
(Courtney Mares, Catholic News Agency)
Vatican diplomat: Lockdowns revealed ‘glaring contradiction’ in attitudes towards migrants
(Catholic News Agency)
Pandemic conditions have increased Christian persecution
(Matt Hadro, Catholic News Agency)
Kentucky governor enjoined from enforcing closure of religious schools
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Judge rules Kentucky’s religious schools can have in-person classes
(WKYT News)
England’s bishops ‘delighted’ over resumption of public worship on Dec. 2
(Charles Collins, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Wednesday, 25 November 2020
Church seeks Supreme Court relief against California COVID-19 restrictions
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Kentucky AG sues its governor over religious school closures
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Cabinet Office statement on “Christmas bubbles”
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
Quebec to allow gatherings during Christmas, but not Hanukkah, frustrating province’s Jews
(Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Weekly highlight #133: Religious coping, Holidays hampered, and rituals shifting in the continued fight against COVID-19
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
Together in tribulation: British Muslims and the COVID-19 pandemic
(The Muslim Council of Britain)
Keeping the Faith: Partnerships between faith groups and local authorities during and beyond the pandemic (PDF)
(The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Faith and Society)
Monday, 23 November 2020
New York says render unto Cuomo: Opinion
(The Wall Street Journal: Opinion)
As hurricanes belt Honduras, Christian aid group fights not just water but corruption
(Alejandra Molina, Religion News Service)
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