Law and Religion Headlines
Monday, 7 June 2021
Pilgrims return to Spain’s ‘El Camino’ paths after pandemic
(Iain Sullivan and Joseph Wilson, Religion News Service)
Indian Court: certain platforms can't be used to propagate a religion
(The Times of India)
Christian persecution peaks amid impunity in pandemic-era India
(John Dayal, Union of Catholic Asian News)
Church's suit on COVID limits dismissed as moot
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
How the Irish, and many others, lost their religious freedom to COVID restrictions
(Lois McLatchie, National Review)
Pastor seeks revival of suit challenging virus restrictions
(Kevin McGill, Associated Press)
What can save science from COVID disinformation? Let’s try religion.
(James Rupert, United States Institute of Peace)
Friday, 4 June 2021
California to pay $2M church legal fees over virus closures
(Brian Melley, Associated Press)
Challenges to Alabama COVID-19 orders are unsuccessful
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Vietnam bans all religious events after Protestant church service triggers COVID cluster
(Maggie Gile, Newsweek)
COVID-19 legislation and guidance: update to 5 June
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Wednesday, 2 June 2021
Gorsuch turns down Colorado churches’ request to block COVID restrictions
(Amy Howe, SCOTUSblog)
Gorsuch denies Colorado churches' petition challenging Covid-related restrictions
(Ariane de Vogue and Caroline Kelly, CNN)
Plenary indulgence granted to post-pandemic pilgrims in Italy
(Junno Arocho Esteves, Catholic News Service)
Six dioceses in Baltimore, Washington provinces reinstate Sunday obligation
(Catholic News Agency)
Abortions reached record levels in Scotland during COVID-19 pandemic
(The Christian Post)
Vietnam restricts religious services after Covid-19 surge
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Weekly highlight #158: COVID-19: Exploring faith dimensions: COVID-19 offers opportunities for religious cooperation, but also stokes tensions
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
How the pandemic changed free exercise forever
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)
Monday, 31 May 2021
Religious gatherings should have their own category under lockdown regulations: SACC
(SABC News)
Friday, 28 May 2021
The path to herd immunity runs through America’s faith communities
(Eboo Patel and Robert P. Jones, Religion News Service Opinion)
Coronavirus (COVID-19): places of worship in Scotland
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Timor-Leste allows religious activities to resume in Dili
(Ryan Dagur, Union of Catholic Asian News)
Southern Madagascar drought leads to starvation; pandemic complicates aid
(Bronwen Dachs, Catholic News Service)
Cameroon bishop condemns corruption in distribution of COVID aid
(Ngala Killian Chimtom, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Wednesday, 26 May 2021
Religions for Peace calls for equitable vaccine distribution as a humanitarian imperative
(Lana Ness, Religions for Peace)
Republicans and Democrats switch sides on religion vs. science
(Carol Kuruvilla, Religion News Service)
Children’s Hospital Colorado declares mental health state of emergency as suicide attempts rise
(Jennifer Brown, The Colorado Sun)
COVID-19 legislation and guidance: update to 29 May
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Is it safe to sing at church yet? Depends who you ask.
(Adelle M. Banks, Religion News Service)
Monday, 24 May 2021
Religious leaders who challenged legitimacy of church closures in Scotland entitled to expenses increase
(Scottish Legal News)
Another church seeks emergency injunction against COVID limits from Supreme Court
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Maine church seeks emergency relief from SCOTUS
(Liberty Counsel)
COVID-19 and religious freedom: Some comparative perspectives
(Javier Martínez-Torrón, Religious Freedom & Business Foundation)
Romania’s biggest Catholic service offers faith, vaccines
(Stephen McGrath and Andreea Alexandru, Associated Press)
Friday, 21 May 2021
California ends litigation with agreement to lift all COVID restrictions on houses of worship
(Don Byrd, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)
COVID-19: unexpected choral clampdown
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Wednesday, 19 May 2021
COVID-19 isolation led to massive spike mental health struggles; churches must be on ‘frontlines’: Rock Recovery director
(Emily Wood, The Christian Post)
More than 120 priests die in 2 weeks amid COVID-19 outbreak in India
(Leonardo Blair, The Christian Post)
Pandemic kills four Catholic priests daily in India
(Saji Thomas, Union of Catholic Asian News)
We can’t rebuild the US until we support families: Opinion
(Jim Wallis, Religion News Service Opinion)
Weekly highlight #156: COVID-19: Exploring faith dimensions: Eid al-Fitr; creative fundraising; vaccination challenges
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
County's current COVID restrictions upheld
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
COVID-19 Update: Cytûn – Churches together in Wales
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
COVID-19: Step 3 guidance – Church of England
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
COVID-19 legislation and guidance: update to 22 May
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
COVID-19: Step 3 guidance – Roman Catholic Church EW
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Monday, 17 May 2021
Nepal scales back Hindu chariot festival amid virus surge
(Binaj Gurubacharya, Associated Press)
Friday, 14 May 2021
Feilazoo v. Malta: Immigration detention in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond and the right of individual petition
(Aristi Volou, Strasbourg Observers)
Millions more Americans turned to Scripture during pandemic, study suggests
(Emily Wood, The Christian Post)
Sri Lanka cancels major Buddhist, Muslim festivals
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Hawaii mask mandate did not violate protester's Free Exercise rights
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Wednesday, 12 May 2021
Church sues over Massachusetts COVID regulations
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Massachusetts church asks court to toss governor’s discriminatory restrictions on religious exercise
(First Liberty)
Weekly highlight #155: COVID-19: Exploring faith dimensions: Raging pandemics; patent debates; cross-sector cooperation (and lack thereof)
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
Schmitt lawsuit challenges St. Louis Co. COVID restrictions
(Jim Salter, Associated Press)
Missouri AG sues county over COVID restrictions
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Ahead of the G20: (Re-)building a post-covid society pursuing the sustainable development goals
(JoAnne Wadsworth, G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)
Worshippers banned from attending Eid al-Fitr prayers at mosques in Moscow due to Covid-19
(Interfax-Religion)
Monday, 10 May 2021
Antigua & Barbuda doctor says religion should not be grounds for vaccine exemption
(Kadeem Joseph, The Observer)
Swiss doctor wins legal challenge to unlawful ban on public worship
(ADF International)
South Africa: even religion has limits on its rights
(Johann van der Westhuizen, Mail & Guardian)
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community UK - April 2021 Newsletter (PDF)
As COVID-19 infections and deaths surge in India, faith groups try to help
(Mya Jaradat, Deseret News Faith)
Hindu temple in UAE ships oxygen aid to crisis-hit India
(Associated Press)
COVID-19 legislation and guidance: update to 15 May
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
A tangle of COVID-19 challenges for European churches and society: how do we begin to unknot them?
(Conference of European Churches)
Friday, 7 May 2021
Giving while Muslim: How Ramadan philanthropy has changed from 9/11 to COVID-19: Opinion
(Muhi Khwaja, Religion News Service: Opinion)
New podcast: Religious wars over vaccines? They're more complex than those headlines
(Terry Mattingly, GetReligion)
Thursday, 6 May 2021
BOOK LAUNCH ONLINE, 6 May 2021 (19h00 CET): COVID-19 y libertad religiosa [COVID-19 and religious freedom]
(Rafael Palomino Lozano, Belén Rodrigo Lara, Javier Martínez-Torrón, Ana María Celis Brunet, Real Academia de Jurisprudencia y Legislación de España - Sección de Derecho Canónico y Eclesiástico del Estado)
Wednesday, 5 May 2021
National Day of Prayer to be marked with petitions for racial justice
(Adelle M. Banks, Religion News Service)
Weekly highlight #154: COVID-19: Exploring faith dimensions: India’s crisis; seeking distinctive religious responses
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
“A critical moment for the future of faith in Ireland”: Court challenge must continue as Ireland announces partial lifting of worship ban
(ADF International)
Police called after Argentine priest holds outdoor Mass for First Communion
(Ines San Martin, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
COVID-19: latest relaxations for places of worship in Wales
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
Religious freedom in pandemic times in Europe: A perspective after one year
(Alejandro González-Varas, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
Religion and the COVID-19 vaccine in the United States
(Jason Guy, WESH 2)
Monday, 3 May 2021
Vaccinated faithful throng Jerusalem church for Holy Fire
(Religion News Service)
Philippines: Palace calls for virtual interfaith prayer meet
(Business Mirror)
Plug-In: COVID-19 vaccines are still creating buzz on religion beat – pro and con
(Bobby Ross Jr., GetReligion)
COVID-19 legislation and guidance: update to 8 May
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Friday, 30 April 2021
How To Perform Umrah This Ramadan – Interview
(Mohammed Al-Sulami, Eurasia Review Opinion)
For California Muslims: A Ramadan approaching normal
(Joseph Hammond, Religion News Service)
‘Beautiful’ Ramadan returns for Israeli Muslims as restrictions lift
(Michele Chabin, Religion News Service)
Is faith the key to herd immunity? New research shows that faith-based initiatives could boost vaccination rates among not just the religious but all Americans
(Mya Jaradat, Deseret News)
Manitoba, Canada: Mistrust, religion, fear of side-effects feed COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy
(Nicholas Frew, CBC News)
The role of religion and faith-based communities in COVID-19 vaccination efforts in Africa
(JoAnne Wadsworth, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)
U.S. Catholic bishops may press Biden to stop taking Communion
(Bobby Ross Jr., Religion Unplugged)
Not everything is luxury in Andorra: evangelicals engage in social action as tourism collapses
(Jonatán Soriano, Evangelical Focus Europe)
Wednesday, 28 April 2021
Many South Africans citing religion as their opposition to COVID vaccine
(iAfrica)
Weekly highlight #153: COVID-19: Exploring faith dimensions: covid-19 surge in India; mis(information) from religious groups; changing faith practices
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
Governments don't get a pass on violating religious freedom in a pandemic
(Gayle Manchin and Tony Perkins, Newsweek Opinion)
Church in Wales – moving to Alert Level 3
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
COVID-19 legislation and guidance: update to 1st May
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
The COVID Heresy: Denying America’s Constitutional Theology During the Pandemic
(William E. Thro, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
Tuesday, 27 April 2021
WEBINAR, 27 April 2021 (10:30 EDT; 14:30 UCT; 16:30 South Africa): The Role of Religion and Faith-Based Organizations in COVID-19 Vaccination Efforts in Africa
(African Consortium for Law and Religion Studies and G20 Interfaith Forum)
Monday, 26 April 2021
Supreme Court GVR's challenge to California limits on indoor worship
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
'Christians and the Vaccine' project: Combating ethical qualms of evangelical communities
(Corky Siemaszko, NBC News)
Report: some countries used pandemic to target religious minorities
(Catholic News Agency)
Two-thirds of churchgoers gave same or more of their income to church during pandemic: study
(Michael Gryboski, The Christian Post)
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