Law and Religion Headlines
Wednesday, 27 April 2022
UK: COVID-19 information for churches in Wales
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Friday, 22 April 2022
Company is not "state actor" when it complies with federal vaccine mandate
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Wednesday, 20 April 2022
Weekly Highlight #202: COVID-19: Exploring faith dimensions: Major holidays; translating localization into practice
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
Supreme Court refuses interim relief in airman's religious challenge to covid vaccine mandate
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Supreme Court rules against Air Force officer who refused vaccine
(Adam Liptak, The New York Times)
With the pandemic coming to an end, we should reflect on our religious liberty
(Katie Geary, Daily Caller)
Spain: Masks no longer necessary inside churches in Spain
(Catholic News Agency)
Saudi Arabia: As COVID-19 shutdown lifts, Mecca’s pilgrims bring Islam’s holiest city back to life
(Rabiya Jaffery, Religion News Service)
Mental health of Muslim healthcare workers during COVID-19
(Dr. Rania Awaad, Kamal Suleiman, Dalia Mogahed, Dr. Lana Abdole, Alizah Ali, and Nour Hammami, nstitute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) and Stanford Muslim Mental Health & Islamic Psychology Lab)
Monday, 18 April 2022
The COVID-19 pandemic and freedom of religion or belief
(Merilin Kiviorg, The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe)
No pseudonymity in challenge to denial of religious exemption from military vaccine mandate
(Eugene Volokh, The Volokh Conspiracy)
Friday, 15 April 2022
With high hopes for holidays, three faiths take stock of COVID-19 losses and gains
(Adelle M. Banks, Emily McFarlan Miller, Alejandra Molina, Kathryn Post, and Yonat Shimron, Religion News Service)
American religious support for COVID protocols, and public values
(R. Drew Smith, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
UK: COVID-19: Church in Wales updated guidance
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Wednesday, 13 April 2022
Weekly Highlight #201: COVID-19: Exploring faith dimensions: Caution ahead of converging religious celebrations
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
Wednesday, 6 April 2022
UK: COVID-19 legislation and guidance update, April
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Ireland: 'Taking Stock; how Covid-19 affected the Church'
(YouTube Video, The Iona Institute)
Kentucky to treat churches as 'essential services' during pandemics, emergencies
(Michael Gryboski, The Christian Post)
44% of kids were ‘sad, hopeless’ during COVID-19 lockdowns; 19% contemplated suicide: CDC study
(Anugrah Kumar, The Christian Post)
Faith based dialogue can tackle vaccine hesitancy and build trust
(Andrew Hatala, Maryan Chloe Pervaiz, Richard Handley, Tara Vijayan, BMJ)
Weekly Highlight #200: COVID-19: Exploring faith dimensions: Vaccine initiatives; sacramental wine producers struggling
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
KY Gov. Beshear signs bill protecting churches from discrimination
(Alliance Defending Freedom)
OH court grants Air Force members protection from shot mandate
(Liberty Counsel)
Monday, 4 April 2022
Canada: Ontario needs to reconsider pandemic school closure policy
(Cardus)
Judge blocks Air Force discipline over vaccine objections
(John Seewer, Associated Press)
Friday, 1 April 2022
A Jan. 6 pastor divides his Tennessee community with increasingly extremist views
(Annie Gowen, The Washington Post)
Weekly Highlight #199: COVID-19: Exploring faith dimensions: Assessing longer-term COVID-19 emergency impact
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
DOD loses bid to set aside injunction
(Liberty Counsel)
11th Circuit grants limited stay of injunction against Navy's vaccine mandate
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Americans skeptical about religious objections to COVID-19 vaccines, but oppose employer mandates
(Justin Nortey, Pew Research Center)
Americans distrust religious objectors. But they don’t want them fired
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)
Wednesday, 30 March 2022
Navy barred from acting against religious vaccine refusers
(Jessica Gresko, Associated Press)
TX Court grants Navy class certification protection from shot mandate
(Liberty Counsel)
Two stories of emergent agency from faith groups in COVID-19
(Olivia Wilkinson, Katherine Marshall, James Huff, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Wales: updated COVID-19 guidance on places of worship and funerals
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
Monday, 28 March 2022
What the history of science and religion reveals about today’s divisive covid debates
(Peter Manseau, Smithsonian Magazine)
Friday, 25 March 2022
Supreme Court issues stay, favoring Navy, in Navy Seals COVID vaccination religious exemption case
(Eugene Volokh, Reason)
High court gives Biden win for now in Navy vaccine case
(Jessica Gresko, Associated Press)
Wednesday, 23 March 2022
Americans' post-COVID return to church flatlines: Survey
(Ecumenical News)
Study: More congregations are reopening but attendance remains flat
(Yonat Shimron, Religion News Service)
Jehovah’s Witnesses to resume in-person gatherings, door knocking still on hold
(Alejandra Molina, Religion News Service)
Weekly Highlight #198: COVID-19: Exploring faith dimensions: Resilience and reopening
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
Monday, 21 March 2022
Churches can move ahead on damage claims against county for its COVID orders
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
UK: Law and religion round-up – 20th March
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
UK: COVID-19: Church of England guidance update
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Friday, 18 March 2022
Virus pushes 4.7 million Southeast Asians into extreme poverty
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Conscience, virtue, and moral concerns about COVID vaccines
(Columba Thomas, Public Discourse: The Journal of the Witherspoon Institute)
Wednesday, 16 March 2022
Catholic Bishops fail in defending conscience
(Bernadette Ward, Public Discourse: The Journal of the Witherspoon Institute)
Kenya: Churches to resume full capacity as interfaith council lifts restrictions
(Catholic Information Service for Africa)
Weekly Highlight #197: COVID-19: Exploring faith dimensions: Faith and COVID-19: Resource repository
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
Friday, 11 March 2022
Army grants first religious waiver for soldier seeking coronavirus vaccine exemption
(Corey Dickstein, Stars and Stripes)
Pentagon asks Supreme Court to lift injunction barring vaccine mandate for military personnel, plus developments in other vaccine mandate cases
(Don Byrd, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)
Religion, politics, and public health: A toxic combination
(Barbara Pfeffer Billauer, The American Council on Science and Health)
Indonesia: Ministry to issue circular on worship in places of worship
(Antara News)
Some churches take virtual worship all the way, ditching buildings entirely
(Diana Kruzman, Religion Unplugged)
Sister Dierdre “Dede” Byrne sues Washington, DC, over health worker COVID-19 vaccine mandate
(Thomas More Society)
Wednesday, 9 March 2022
Can churches be protectors of public health?
(Andrew Gardner, The Conversation)
Weekly Highlight #196: COVID-19: Exploring faith dimensions: Alliances, Novavax, freedom of religion or belief and burials
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
UK: COVID-19: Guidance from the Church in Wales
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
EEOC issues updated guidance regarding religious objections to COVID-19 vaccine requirements
(Aimee Bierman and Tracy Thomas Boland, JD Supra)
Canada: "And yet..." Regarding Canada Bill C-229, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (banning symbols of hate)
(James Christie, Viewpoints: A blog of the G20 Interfaith Forum)
Monday, 7 March 2022
‘Arbitrary, unscientific, and irrational’: D.C. families seek exception to mask mandate in Catholic schools
(Jack Butler, National Review)
UK: COVID-19: transitioning from emergency measures in Wales
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
UK: Law and religion round-up – 6th March
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
Friday, 4 March 2022
Court rips DoD in military case
(Liberty Counsel)
Wednesday, 2 March 2022
Indiana Senate backs narrower bill on vaccine limitations
(Tom Davies, Associated Press)
Canada: Ontario judge dismisses churches' challenge against COVID-19 rules
(Noushin Ziafati, CBC News)
Canada: Southwestern Ont. churches lose court challenge over COVID-19 restrictions
(CTV News)
Lent 3.0: Third Lent in pandemic offers chance for spiritual reset, healing
(Carol Zimmermann, Catholic News Service)
Weekly Highlight #195: COVID-19: Exploring faith dimensions: Focus on COVID-19 shifts with geopolitical developments
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
Nepal: Devotees crowd Nepal temple as COVID-19 cases decline
(Associated Press)
Air Force reservist with religious objection to covid vaccine wins injunction
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
5th Circuit upholds injunction against vaccine mandate for Navy Seals with religious objections
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Church openings approach pre-pandemic levels, but attendance levels stall, survey says
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)
UK: COVID-19 legislation and guidance update, March
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
UK: COVID-19 and Lent: into a third year
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Monday, 28 February 2022
Researchers estimate 5.2 million children orphaned during pandemic
(Dennis Sadowski, Catholic News Service)
Ash Wednesday returns to Philippine churches
(Joseph Peter Calleja, Union of Catholic Asian News)
Catholic school parents ask D.C. mayor to drop mask mandate for religious schools
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)
Saudi Arabia allows vaccinated children under age 7 to enter Two Holy Mosques
(Tala Michel Issa, Al Arabiya)
Conscientious objection to vaccinations against covid?
(Grégor Puppinck, The European Centre for Law and Justice)
Friday, 25 February 2022
New lawsuit challenges CT repeal of religious exemption for school vaccines
(Julia Bergman, CT Insider)
Faith communities see urgent challenges and opportunities as children lose parents and caregivers to COVID-19
(Gerard J. McGlone and Katherine Marshall, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Wednesday, 23 February 2022
Could Novavax win over some religious vaccine skeptics?
(Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)
For clergy, COVID-19 has brought both burnout and breakthrough
(Elizabeth E. Evans, Religion News Service)
Weekly Highlight #194: COVID-19: Exploring faith dimensions: Misinformation in Africa; declining church attendance
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
UK: Lifting COVID-19 restrictions in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland: update
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
Air Force officers sue over religious exemption denials
(John Seewer, Associated Press)
Perspective: The sustaining power of faith in times of crisis
(Gérald Caussé, Deseret News)
Monday, 21 February 2022
Bill to consider churches essential in emergencies advances
(Associated Press)
5th Circuit: United Airlines employees irreparably injured by religious coercion over COVID vaccine
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Court grants preliminary relief to service members in Navy SEAL 1 case
(Liberty Counsel)
Supreme Court denies injunction as school system postpones vaccine mandate
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Canada: They’re targeted by Canada’s far-right. So why did they join the ‘freedom convoy’?
(Pallavi Pundir, VICE)
Canadian trucker protests echo U.S. Christian nationalism? Press says 'yes'
(Bobby Ross Jr., GetReligion)
UK: Law and religion round-up – 20th February
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
Friday, 18 February 2022
Canada: COVID restriction protests affecting Church in Canada
(John Lavenburg, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
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