Law and Religion Headlines
Monday, 27 December 2021
English cardinal: Don’t close churches again over COVID
(Charles Collins, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
‘Realistic hope’ needed as Canadian church weighs pandemic’s toll, primate says
(Matt Gardner, Anglican Journal)
Friday, 24 December 2021
Infection spike puts churches in a Christmas quandary
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)
Wednesday, 22 December 2021
She escaped child marriage twice. Now she’s trying to save other girls from pandemic suitors.
(Danielle Paquette, The Washington Post)
Public division over Covid-19 no less dangerous than virus itself - Russian Orthodox Church
(Interfax-Religion)
Monday, 20 December 2021
Troops find religious exemption for vaccines unattainable
(Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press)
Christian organizations ask Supreme Court to stay OSHA private-employer vaccine mandate
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Justices field emergency requests on federal vaccine policies for workplaces, health care facilities
(Amy Howe, SCOTUSblog)
ADF asks Supreme Court to halt enforcement of unlawful vaccine mandate
(Alliance Defending Freedom)
Friday, 17 December 2021
Defense Authorization Act requires religious exemptions from COVID vaccine mandate
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Church in Wales – new Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Legislation for Plan B – Four SIs approved
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
On New York vaccine mandate, Gorsuch’s religious liberty maximalism comes up short
(Mark Silk, RNS Column: Spiritual Politics)
Wednesday, 15 December 2021
Why the Court is avoiding a ruling on religious exemptions in the vaccine context
(Mark Movsesian, The Volokh Conspiracy)
Most courts – including SCOTUS – leaving vaccine mandates in place against religious liberty challenges
(Don Byrd, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)
Court rejects religious challenge to New York’s vaccine mandate for health care workers
(Amy Howe, SCOTUSblog)
Barrett and Kavanaugh supply another majority to deny religious-liberty exemption
(Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review)
Why the Supreme Court hasn’t ruled (for now) on vaccine mandates
(Mark Movsesian, Public Discourse: The Journal of the Witherspoon Institute)
European churches urge people to get vaccinated against COVID-19
(Conference of European Churches)
Weekly Highlight #186: COVID-19: Exploring faith dimensions: Religious leaders support vaccine acceptance, religious exemption requests rise
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
Monday, 13 December 2021
Supreme Court rejects religious challenge to vaccine mandate for NY health care workers
(Brittany Bernstein, National Review)
Supreme Court denies relief in challenge to NY vaccine mandate that lacks religious exemption
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
UK: Mandatory COVID-19 status checks in England: exemption for places of worship
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
Law and religion round-up – 12th December
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
Denial of religious exemptions to vaccine mandate violated Free Exercise rights
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Punishing compliance with International Law: The Omicronv ariant and the International Health Regulations (2005)
(Pedro A. Villarreal, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)
Plug-In: Americans favor religious exemptions for COVID-19 vaccine mandates — sort of
(Bobby Ross Jr., GetReligion)
Why we still like separation of church and state
(Marci A. Hamilton and Leslie C. Griffin, Justia)
Friday, 10 December 2021
Religious identities and the race against the virus: American attitudes on vaccination mandates and religious exemptions (Wave 3)
(PRRI and Interfaith Youth Core)
1 in 10 Americans say the COVID-19 vaccine conflicts with their religious beliefs
(Deepa Shivaram, NPR)
58% of Americans back religious exemptions to government-imposed vaccine mandates, survey finds
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)
The case for keeping churches open during a future pandemic
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)
Church of England: Plan B guidance – face coverings
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
60 percent of Americans say too many use religious reason to avoid vaccines: poll
(Lexi Lonas, The Hill)
Most Americans support religious exemptions to vaccination but say they’re overused, survey finds
(Marisa Iati, The Washington Post)
Christian apocalypse in pandemic-stricken South Korea: Christianity in South Korea will never be the same post-pandemic.
(Myung-Sahm Suh, Sightings - The University of Chicago Divinity School)
Wednesday, 8 December 2021
Weekly Highlight #185: COVID-19: Exploring faith dimensions: Religion as a source of strength during the pandemic
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
High court to hear pastor’s case against virus charges
(Associated Press)
Loss on COVID houses of worship restrictions proves costly to New York
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Monday, 6 December 2021
Ukraine: The prime minister thanked religious leaders for popularizing vaccination against COVID-19
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Covid trauma seems not to have shaken American Christians’ faith
(Michael Gerson, The Washington Post Opinion)
African faith leaders combat misleading theologies that promise cures for COVID-19
(Fredrick Nzwili, Religion News Service)
An evaluation of religious exemptions from covid-19 vaccine requirements
(Samuel L. Bray and Nathan S. Chapman, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
Friday, 3 December 2021
Vaccination status and the law in South Africa: religious rights are "not absolute"
(Webber Wentzel attorneys, The Daily Maverick: Opinionista)
Ireland’s birth rate falls off the cliff
(Angelo Bottone, The Iona Institute)
Public worship in a time of Covid
(YouTube Video, YouTube Video)
Shincheonji: Chairman Lee not guilty of COVID offenses, Appeal Court said
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter)
Oklahoma AG sues to invalidate Biden's vaccine mandate for federal employees
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Wednesday, 1 December 2021
How red states are using religion to fight vaccine mandates
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)
Weekly Highlight #184: COVID-19: Exploring faith dimensions: Governance, policies, and religious authority
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
Cleric lawsuits seek to limit governor’s emergency powers
(Randall Chase, Associated Press)
The anti-Covid restrictions on Hanukkah in Russia have been slightly relaxed
(Interfax-Religion)
Russian coronavirus-denying monk given prison sentence
(Vladimir Isachenkov, Associated Press)
New York City educators' covid mandate falters on religious exemption procedures
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
9th Circuit enjoins school district vaccine mandate pending appeal
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Supreme Court denies injunction pending appeal of case on vaccine mandate exemptions
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Churchgoers in Greece must prove vaccination status or take COVID test
(The European Times)
COVID-19: Omicron variant and the churches
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
How the pandemic in France has led to an explosion in number of sects
(Sam Bradpiece, The Local)
Monday, 29 November 2021
Changing Church: Autumn 2021 Survey: Research Report (PDF)
(Evangelical Alliance)
Evangelical church attendance, giving significantly hit by pandemic, UK study finds
(The European Times)
Religious exemptions to COVID-19 vaccine mandates do not include political, social, economic beliefs, according to EEOC
(Daniel Eric Gonzalez, JD Supra)
Wednesday, 24 November 2021
Weekly Highlight #183: COVID-19: Exploring faith dimensions: Religion and conspiracy theories: It’s complicated
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
Military under a microscope and federal employees entitled to religious exemption
(Liberty Counsel)
How religious liberty was distorted in the age of COVID-19
(Andrew Koppelman, The Hill - Opinion)
Monday, 22 November 2021
How Democrats and Republicans feel about religious exemptions to vaccine mandates
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)
Minichurches and burned-out pastors – four crucial COVID-19 trends to follow
(Bobby Ross Jr., GetReligion)
Friday, 19 November 2021
Kosovars get COVID vaccine after Friday prayer at mosques
(Associated Press)
East European churches struggle with new COVID-19 upsurge
(Jonathan Luxmoore, Catholic News Service)
Gospel ‘has brought hope’ during pandemic, says British monarch
(Reuters, The European Times)
Wednesday, 17 November 2021
Weekly Highlight #182: COVID-19: Exploring faith dimensions: Sharpening focus on inequality and poverty
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
Religious Freedom Index results: Americans increase support for religious freedom with highest Index score yet
(Becket: Press Release)
Record levels of pastors, more than half of mainline preachers ‘seriously considering’ quitting: study
(Leonardo Blair, The Christian Post)
Monday, 15 November 2021
Wales: COVID-19 update
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
Holy Land religious leaders urge world to get vaccinated
(Elise Ann Allen, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Employers, courts examine religious exemptions to COVID-19 vaccine mandates
(Carol Zimmermann, Catholic News Service)
Cert. denied in challenge to Oregon's limits on parochial schools
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Latin America’s bishops to confront increasing poverty after COVID-19
(David Agren, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Separating the devout from the defiant for religious exemptions from vaccination
(Katherine Franke, The Hill)
Friday, 12 November 2021
Religious groups warm up to COVID-19 vaccines in Zimbabwe
(UNICEF)
Judge rules United Airlines can mandate vaccine for employees
(Jordan Williams, The Hill)
Journalism tips on: (1) Evangelical crack-ups, (2) campus faith fights, (3) COVID exemptions
(Richard Ostling, GetReligion)
Oklahoma brings religious bias suit over Catholic hospitals' COVID vaccine mandate
(Tom Hals, Reuters)
Left, right or middle? Two of America's biggest seminaries are pro-vaccine, but anti-mandate
(Terry Mattingly, GetReligion)
Wednesday, 10 November 2021
School must offer alternatives to nursing students who assert religious objection to covid vaccination requirement
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Navy SEALs file federal lawsuit against Biden Administration for denying religious exemptions to vaccine mandate
(First Liberty)
S3, Ep. 03: What’s going on with religious exemptions to COVID-19 vaccine mandates?
(Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)
Religious groups say implementing Biden’s vaccine mandate would be ‘sin against God’s Holy Word’
(Dennis Romboy, Deseret News)
Two evangelical seminaries sue to block vaccine mandates, citing religious freedom
(Bob Smietana, The Washington Post)
Weekly Highlight #181: COVID-19: Exploring faith dimensions: Religion versus science, religion with science
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
Court will take new look at masks in religious schools
(Associated Press)
Pritzker signs COVID-19 amendment to Illinois conscience law
(John O'Connor, Associated Press)
Monday, 8 November 2021
Religious plaintiffs, others, win stay of Biden’s private-employer vaccine mandate
(Mark A. Kellner, Washington Times)
Asian churches urged to have innovative pastors
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Religious organizations are not agents for federal mandates
(Ryan Tucker, National Review)
Chicago officials are right to encourage COVID vaccinations – but sponsoring an official prayer day isn’t the way to do it.
(Rob Boston, Americans United for Separation of Church and State)
Friday, 5 November 2021
Greek Church urges faithful to get vaccinated as cases spike
(Associated Press)
Romania: An anti-vax sermon by the bishop of Giurgiu led to an investigation against him
(The European Times)
COVID and the malaise of human rights
(David McGrogan, Law & Liberty)
Religious organizations ask federal courts to block Biden’s vaccine mandate
(Mark A. Kellner, Washington Times)
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