Conversations

Blog series on current law and religion topics

Religion during the Russian-Ukrainian War

The religious component of the Russian-Ukrainian war has manifested itself in a variety of aspects: from religious justification and rhetoric employed by Russian president Vladimir Putin, to the perception of the war by Russian and Ukrainian Orthodox churches, to the dramatic situation with religious freedom in the territories under Russia and its proxies’ control. These and other issues are discussed in this series.

 

Desmond Mpilo Tutu: In Memoriam

The series contains tributes to Archbishop Desmond Tutu who recently passed away. The posts commemorate Tutu’s life-long efforts to promote peace, reconciliation, and human dignity and reflect on his legacy as a theologian and human rights advocate

 

The First Annual Forum on Law and Religion of the Southern Cone: Remarks from Speakers and Panelists (Eng/Spa)

The First Annual Forum on Law and Religion of the Southern Cone, “Human Dignity and Religious Freedom,” was held in Santiago, Chile, 28–29 October 2021. The forum was sponsored by BYU’s International Center for Law and Religion Studies, the Chilean government’s National Office of Religious Affairs, and the Center for Law and Religion at Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. Below are links to select forum remarks, available in both Spanish and English

 

(Un)friendly Algorithm: Religious Freedom and Digital Technologies

This blog series explores some threats that digital technologies can create to freedom of religion or belief and other human rights.

Judges and Their Religions

In this series, we provide different perspectives on religion and judging. Five contributors, academics and a U.S. federal judge explore religious diversity and the judiciary, interplays between religious convictions and judicial ethics, and the role of religion and religious beliefs in professional and personal biographies of judges.

The 2021 G20 Interfaith Forum: Remarks from Church Leaders and ICLRS Speakers

The International Center for Law and Religion Studies speakers at the 2021 G20 Interfaith Forum Summit in Bologna, Italy along with leaders from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Summit Theme is “A Time to Heal.”

Advancing Religious Freedom in Different Political Regimes: Personal Stories

In June 2021 the ICLRS Blog, “Talk About: Law and Religion,” hosted a webinar on advancing religious freedom in different political regimes. The panelists (Brett G. Scharffs, Seng Mai Aung, Ján Figeľ, Mine Yildirim, Knox Thames, and Elizabeth A. Clark) talked about their personal experiences in Iraq, Myanmar, Pakistan, Turkey, and Uzbekistan focusing on challenges and restrictions religious and belief communities face in these countries and other parts of the world.

Dignitatis Humanae 2.0: Religious Freedom for the Good of All

This series offers a set of essays written from various perspectives—Catholic, Orthodox, and secular—and with different outcomes—more positive and supportive, and more critical—concerning both ideas and approaches articulated in the 2019 Declaration and its political implications.

Rohingya Muslims Flee Violence In Myanmar

Conceptualizing Religious Persecution as a Crime against Humanity

In this series we discuss the conception “grievous religious persecution” developed by Werner Nicolaas Nel in his recently published book.

Individualization of Religious Beliefs, Secularization and Religion-State Relations

In this series, we look at the individualization of religious beliefs through lenses of social philosophy, religious studies, and law.

God, Religion, and Faith in the Australian Constitution

This series develops the theme we were discussing in one of our previous conversations: the normative, political, and symbolic role of mentioning God in the Australian Constitutions.

God in Secular Constitutions

This series explores the normative, interpretative, political, and symbolic role of mentioning God, the Trinity, and other sacraments in secular constitutions. The contributors consider the German, Greek, Irish, Polish, and Russian cases.

Fratelli tutti: A Series of Reflections

In October 2020, Fratelli tutti, Pope Francis’s new encyclical was released. This 287-paragraph document provides a Catholic perspective on a variety of questions from human dignity and political integration from the lack of public trust and peacemaking to the death penalty and fake news. Talk About: Law and Religion posts a series of theological and philosophical reflections on Fratelli tutti.

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Digitalization of Religion in Times of COVID-19

Freedom of Religion or Belief—Creating the Constitutional Space for Fundamental Freedoms: A New Book on Religious Freedom and its Protection from the Perspective of Several Jurisdictions

COVID-19, Religion and FoRB: Reflection upon the Completion of the Webinar Series

The Series Hosts join to reflect upon issues raised in the 14-part webinar series, COVID-19, Religion and Belief, sponsored by BYU International Center for Law and Religion Studies,  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints European Office, Bruno Kessler Foundation / CIRIS and University of Sienna, FGV Escola de Direito do Rio de Janeiro,  and the Cambridge Institute on Religion & International Studies.

Obergefell v. Hodges: Five Years Later

Five guest authors join us to discuss this landmark 2015 decision of the US Supreme Court in Obergefell. See posts by Tanner Bean & Robin Fretwell Wilson, Mark Hill QC, Eugenia Relaño Pastor, and Christine Venter.

Religion and Religious Freedom in the COVID-19 Era: Finding Community and Hope

Religion and the Rule of Law

We have opened a conversation on the important and timely topic of Religion and the Rule of Law.  Existing posts are listed below.

Mr. Ahmed Shaheed, Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief © UN Photo/Amanda Voisard

Religious Freedom and Gender Equality:  Reflections on the Recent UN Special Rapporteur’s Report

Participants representing academic and human rights institutions in the US, Spain, Turkey, and Germany weigh in.

 

COVID-19 and Human Dignity

Developed from contributions to an international Webinar held 16 April 2010, Episode 2 of the Webinar Series COVID-19 and Freedom of Religion or Belief. Hear panelist addressing: How is this global emergency affecting our concept of human dignity? How can we ensure that restrictions to civil liberties that we accept for our collective safety respect human dignity and human rights?

The Chained Wife Problem:  Religious and Secular Perspectives

Scholars from Israel, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine discuss a landmark case, ‘believed to be the first time the criminal justice system in the UK has been used on behalf of an agunah – a “chained” woman left unable to remarry according to Jewish law because her husband denies her a religious divorce.’ Evoked in this case are issues not only of Jewish and British law, but of family law, religious autonomy, and women’s rights, with ”wide implications within the Orthodox Jewish community and potentially in other communities, when religious laws are abused .’

Ukrainian Autocephaly, One Year On

The creation of a new Orthodox Church of Ukraine in January 2019 provoked turmoil in the Global Orthodoxy and even impacted U.S.-Russian relations. In a new Talk About Conversation marking the first anniversary of this event, Elizabeth Clark  introduces posts by Dmytro Vovk, Andriy Fert,  Catherine Wanner and Tetiana Kalynychenko, Andrii Krawchuk, Robert Blitt, and Stanislav Panin.

(Anti)Religious Speech and State Security Measures

Religious Freedom and Security as Mutually Reinforcing Objectives: Reflections on the New OSCE/ODIHR Policy Guidance