Religion & Law

Sweden: New education law makes homeschooling illegal

Posted on July 07, 2010
HSLDA: "The new 1,500-page Swedish education law passed as expected on June 22, 2010. Introduced into parliament last year, the law creates a sweeping reform of the Scandinavian country?s decades-old education system, last changed in 1985. The new, comprehensive law devotes two pages to home education...

UK: Dean Jeffrey John, leading gay cleric, rejected as next Bishop of Southwark

Posted on July 07, 2010
Jonathan Wynne-Jones writing at the Telegraph: "I can reveal that Dr Jeffrey John, the openly gay but celibate Dean of St Albans, has been blocked from becoming a bishop once again. He has not been chosen as the next Bishop of Southwark."

Will lawyers in Tar Heel State be forced to choose between conscience, career?

Posted on July 07, 2010
"Alliance Defense Fund allied attorneys in North Carolina are uniting in their objections to a proposed policy revision which would add 'sexual orientation' and 'gender identity' to the list of 'non-discrimination' ethics rules for attorneys."

On the Catholic Church?s support for adult stem cell research

Posted on July 07, 2010
Rev. Tomasz Trafny, head of Science and Faith Department at the Pontifical Council for Culture, writing at The Washington Post / On Faith: "In an effort to explore the cultural impact of the advancement of sciences and to find common ground for progress in the field of biomedical research with special focus on regenerative medicine, the Pontifical Council for Culture with NeoStem Inc...

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Liberty Institute files brief supporting National Day of Prayer

Posted on July 07, 2010
Centre Daily Times: "Today, Liberty Institute filed an amicus brief in the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in support of the National Day of Prayer in Freedom from Religion Foundation v. Obama. Among those Liberty Institute represents in the brief include Dr...

Veiled order bans niqab in Syrian classrooms

Posted on July 07, 2010
The National: "Teachers who wear a full face veil have been quietly barred from their jobs by the Syrian government in a move the authorities say is necessary to protect secularism and ensure children receive an objective education. Civil society organisations believe that 1,200 women have been affected by the measure, with all of them moved from their teaching positions and given jobs in local municipal authority offices...

Cuba to free political prisoners, Catholic Church announces

Posted on July 07, 2010
BBC: "Cuba's communist authorities are to free at least 52 political prisoners, say Catholic Church officials in Havana. ... Agreement to release the prisoners came after talks between Mr Castro and Church leader Cardinal Jaime Ortega."

London Mayor backs calls for same-sex ?marriage?

Posted on July 06, 2010
Telegraph: "Peter Tatchell said Mr Johnson had told him the Conservatives should support gay marriage. ... The Mayor made his comments during the Pride London Parade - the annual celebration of gay rights, Mr Tatchell said."

5th Circuit: Evolution/Creation ?neutrality? policy does not have the ?primary effect? of advancing religion

Posted on July 06, 2010
Houston Chronicle (AP): "A federal appeals court has refused to reinstate a lawsuit against the Texas Education Agency by a former state science curriculum director who said she was illegally fired and that the agency's neutral position on the teaching of creationism was unconstitutional...

Justice Kennedy tells pals he?s in no rush to leave Supreme Court

Posted on July 06, 2010
NY Daily News: "President Obama may get liberal Elena Kagan on the Supreme Court, but conservative swing-voter Anthony Kennedy says he's not going anywhere anytime soon. Justice Kennedy, who turns 74 this month, has told relatives and friends he plans to stay on the high court for at least three more years - through the end of Obama's first term, sources said...

Obama and Supreme Court may be on collision course

Posted on July 06, 2010
Los Angeles Times: "Already, the healthcare overhaul law, Obama's signal achievement, is under attack in the courts. Republican attorneys general from 20 states have sued, insisting the law and its mandate to buy health insurance exceed Congress' power and trample on states' rights...

TX: McClennan commissioners approve prayer, pledge to start meetings

Posted on July 06, 2010
KWTX: "After weeks of discussions and deferrals, McLennan County Commissioners voted Tuesday to begin their meetings with a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance." | Related: [6.22.2010] TX: McLennan commissioners OK pledge, consider options for meeting prayer

Presbyterians opposed to suspending ?gay? clergy debate

Posted on July 06, 2010
Christian Post: "The debate over allowing noncelibate homosexuals to be ordained is tiring, many Presbyterians agreed. But a moratorium, they felt, also would not bring any peace. Delegates of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) began voicing their personal testimonies and arguments over ordination standards Monday at their biennial legislative meeting...

Presbyterians opposed to suspending ?gay? clergy debate

Posted on July 06, 2010
Christian Post: "The debate over allowing noncelibate homosexuals to be ordained is tiring, many Presbyterians agreed. But a moratorium, they felt, also would not bring any peace. Delegates of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) began voicing their personal testimonies and arguments over ordination standards Monday at their biennial legislative meeting...

Presbyterian Church USA down by 50 percent

Posted on July 06, 2010
UPI: "The Presbyterian Church (USA) has dropped to half the number of members it had in 1965, a report last week said. The church, based in Louisville, Ky., the largest of the Presbyterian groups in the United States, had 4.25 million members in 1965...

Could impending Prop 8 decision doom same-sex ?marriage??

Posted on July 06, 2010
The Washington Post / PostPartisan: "Perry v. Schwarzenegger is not the only marriage equality case out there. Folks have their eyes on one out of Massachusetts. But no matter how Judge Walker rules in the Prop 8 suit, which is expected sometime this summer, the case is certain to be appealed to the federal Ninth Circuit and then to the Supreme Court...

Hawaii: Lingle to announce civil unions decision today

Posted on July 06, 2010
Star Advertiser (AP): "Gov. Linda Lingle is set to announce her highly awaited decision on a proposal to allow same-sex couples to form civil unions."

County ignores the law, sends giant tax bill to S.D. church instead

Posted on July 06, 2010
"An Alliance Defense Fund allied attorney filed an appeal Tuesday on behalf of a South Dakota church challenging a decision issued by the Pennington County Board of Commissioners. The board voted last month to refuse to lift more than $17,000 in property taxes on land owned by the church even though the law exempts the church from such taxes...

Former DOJ officials stepping forward to support Adams on race-neutral law enforcement

Posted on July 06, 2010
Pajamas Media: "Several former DOJ employees have been in contact with Pajamas Media, interested in publicly supporting J. Christian Adams as he comes forward about the DOJ?s failure to enforce the country?s laws from a race-neutral perspective. These former DOJ employees have expressed a willingness to go on record regarding Adams? professionalism, excellent performance, and outstanding record of enforcing the law without racial bias...

Churches, nonprofits fight for survival amid spill

Posted on July 06, 2010
Boston.com (AP): "Months after the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded and its well started gushing oil, the British petroleum giant says it has yet to decide how to handle claims filed by religious groups and other charitable organizations that are endangered because people can no longer afford to contribute...

India: Muslims sever hand of Christian accused of ?blasphemy?

Posted on July 06, 2010
Spero News: "A group of unknown assailants severed the hand and the right arm of a university professor accused of defaming Mohammed months ago. The execution took place yesterday morning in Muvattupuzha, Ernakulam district (Kerala). Sajan K George, president of the Global Council of Indian Christians condemns this "barbaric act" and recalls that 'Sharia is not the law of India...

Tasmania: Archbishop warns on euthanasia bill

Posted on July 06, 2010
The Catholic Weekly: "Public opinion may well be in favour of euthanasia but that still 'doesn?t make it right', said Archbishop Adrian Doyle, Archbishop of Hobart. Concerns have been raised about the Tasmanian Greens' influence on the State Gov­ernment?s euth­anasia stance given that what is supposedly meant to be a private member?s bill on the issue has been raised in the Attorney-General's Budget reply speech ? and thereby ap­pears to be giving Govern­ment endorsement to legalising euthanasia...

Spain: Express Divorce only increasing marital breakdown, pro-family group laments

Posted on July 06, 2010
Catholic News Agency: "Spain?s Institute of Family Policy (IPF) critiqued the 'Express Divorce,' or rapid divorce law, which was implemented in 2005, because the policy has created an increase of 4.8 percent in marital ruptures in the first three months of 2010 as compared to the same period in 2009...

Indonesian Islamists eye proselytizing Christians

Posted on July 06, 2010
Boston.com (AP): "A banner with a picture of a young, bespectacled Christian man is draped in front of a mosque, a fiery noose around his neck and the words, 'This man deserves the death penalty!' Churches are shut down. And an Islamic youth militia held its first day of training...

Spain: Looser restrictions on abortion take effect

Posted on July 06, 2010
NY Times / World Briefing: "A new law allowing abortion without restrictions in the first 14 weeks of pregnancy went into effect on Monday, but the Constitutional Court could intervene to suspend or change it." | Bishops of Spain say new abortion law makes things worse

UK: Don?t sideline Christianity, says gov?t minister

Posted on July 06, 2010
The Christian Institute: "Christians should not be 'sidelined' for their faith, according to Communities Secretary Eric Pickles. In an interview with the Sunday Express newspaper Mr Pickles also vowed to put Christian values at the centre of the Government?s vision for the nation, and pledged to utilise the pastoral experience of the church...

Royal Society of Medicine rejects assisted suicide

Posted on July 06, 2010
The Christian Institute: "Opposition to legalising assisted suicide remains strong, according to the results of the Royal Society of Medicine?s (RSM?s) debate on the subject. The debate, held after the RSM?s day conference on the ethics of assisted suicide, revealed that 60 per cent of those present were opposed to any relaxation of the law...

?UK Supreme Court to rule on discretion policy for gay asylum seekers?

Posted on July 06, 2010
BBC: "The Home Office has been accused of telling gay and lesbian asylum seekers to avoid persecution back home by keeping their sexuality secret. ... The UK Supreme Court will rule on the legality of the advice on Wednesday involving countries where it is frowned upon or even illegal to be homosexual...

French parliament debates ban on burqa-style veils

Posted on July 06, 2010
Associated Press: "The bill being debated Tuesday is widely expected to become law, despite the concerns of many French Muslims, who fear it will stigmatize them. Many law scholars also argue it would violate the constitution."

?A gay bishop for the Church of England??

Posted on July 06, 2010
Associated Press: "The Church of England may be on the verge of promoting a gay priest to bishop, a step that would widen the split over sexuality in the global Anglican Communion. If that happens, it would appear to be a significant turnaround for Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, spiritual leader of the Church of England and the world's Anglicans, who recently imposed sanctions on the U...

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