Canopy Forum produces expert analysis to the broader community of digital consumers: citizens, scholars, lawyers, clergy, journalists, policy makers, and more. By providing accurate information, expert analysis, and contextualized explanation of issues impacting America and the world, Canopy Forum essays address the growing concern for an understanding of law and religion, bringing these issues to the forefront of American public discourse in an informed, nuanced, and productive way. Read some of our latest articles on the intersection of law and religion below, or browse our content by topic. Browse our full collection of essays here.
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Latest Articles
- “Religious Belief as an Existential Threat: How Russia Victimizes Religious Minorities in Russia and in the Occupied Territories of Ukraine” by Dr. Kyriaki Topidi
“Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks” by Ilya Repin (CC0) This article is part of our series on Transnational Christian Nationalism,… - Gender, Russian Orthodoxy, and the Invention of “Traditional” Values by Regina Elsner
Russian Orthodox Church, Rocklea, Russia by Bert Knot (CC 2.0) This article is part of our series on Transnational Christian… - “Fraternity: The Long Lost Companion of Liberty and Equality in the United States” by Marguerite Hattouni Spencer
Image by Filip Filipović from Pixabay Our nation is at a crossroads. In light of our calcifying divisiveness in the… - “Good Vibes Only: The “Aloha Spirit” in Hawaiʻi Constitutional Interpretation” by Aaron Walayat
Image by Talpa from Pixabay In 2017, Christopher Wilson, a resident of Maui, Hawaiʻi, was charged by the state for… - “Towards a Multidimensional Understanding of Places of Worship for Rights Balancing in Colombia” by John Osorio
Image by Neidy Girado from Pixabay (license). The following essay is reprinted and adapted on Canopy Forum in collaboration with the journal Derecho… - “The Muslim Family Law Reform: Exploring Cross-National and Historical Differences” by Yüksel Sezgin
Illustration commissioned for this project by Tahira Rifath Fifty-three nations (35 Muslim-majority, 18 Muslim-minority) formally integrate shari‘a-based Muslim Family Laws… - “Normative Development of Religious Freedom in Latin America: Counter-Transfer of Religious Policies” by Camila A. Sánchez Sandoval
Santuario de Las Lajas, Ipiales, Colombia by Diego Delso (CC BY-SA 4.0) The following essay is reprinted and adapted on Canopy… - “Cuba: A Legal Framework that Restricts the Right to Religious Freedom” by Teresa I. Flores
Image of Palacio del Centro Asturiano, Havana, Cuba by Carol M. Highsmith (CC0) The following essay is reprinted and adapted… - “Violence in Nigeria: discussion of the statistical evidence for the disproportionate targeting of Christians” by Dennis P. Petri & John Bainbridge
Makoko Lagos, Nigeria by Collins Okoh (CC BY-SA 4.0) A longstanding debate in the social sciences concerns whether violence in… - “St. Isidore of Seville Redux: Do Faith-Based Charter Schools Have a Future?” by Charles J. Russo
St. Isidore of Seville (1655) depicted by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (CC0). Introduction As I discussed previously, a controversy arose on June 5,… - “Teaching the Ten Commandments and Bible in Public Schools is about Race and History, Not Just the First Amendment” by Leslie Ribovich
Image of Ten Commandments outside of Stephens County Courthouse from WikiMedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). It’s already back to school time,… - “Promoting Diversity Through Court-Mandated Mediation” by Jo Chitlik
Photo of Supreme Court of Pakistan from Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Pakistan’s Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Act (XX of 2017)… - “The Illiberalism of Aleksandr Dugin: Romantic Anti-Capitalism, Occult-Fascism, and the War in Ukraine” by Thomas Jared Farmer
Photo of Aleksandr Dugin on Wikimedia by Mahdieh Gaforian (CC BY-SA 4.0). Alexandr Dugin is a Russian ultranationalist political theorist and television… - “Law and Religion in the People’s Republic of China” by Carsten Vala
Temple of Heaven in Beijing, China by Maros (CC BY-SA 3.0) In this article, I will make some general arguments… - A Religious “Delaware”: Establishing a State Haven for Religious Corporations by Ian Speir
The Arrival of Pilgrim Fathers by Antonio Gisbert (Public Domain) Protections for the religious freedom and internal affairs of religious… - “Holy Warheads: Russian Orthodox Christianity as Weaponized Culture” by Elaine Wilson
Main Cathedral of the Russian Armed Forces Patriot on Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). In an interview at the beginning of… - “Religious Exemptions and Retaliation under Title IX” by Constance Couch
Photo on Wikimedia by EOverbey (CC BY-SA 3.0). In 2013, Jane Doe 6 was a residential student at Liberty University,… - Reflecting on State Cooperation with Religion in Europe by Silvia Meseguer Velasco
Image of European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France on Wikimedia by CherryX (CC BY-SA 3.0). The following essay… - “How Will Preachers Address Social Issues During the 2024 Election?” by Leah D. Schade, Wayne Thompson, & Amanda Wilson Harper
A Field Sermon by Anna Ancher (CC0 1.0). Since Donald Trump’s appointment of conservative Supreme Court justices beginning in 2017,… - “Seeing like a Church, Seeing like a State: The Church-State Relation in Religious Asylum Adjudications” by Jaeeun Kim
Parish Church of Saint Mary the Virgin in Bury, England. Photo by Michael Beckwith (CC BY 3.0). Religion is one… - “God & Country: A Look at White Christian Nationalism that Both Enlightens and Disappoints” by David Little
Mount Rushmore, USA by Dean Franklin (CC BY 2.0). Rob Reiner’s recent movie, God & Country is, to be sure,… - “The Violent Incidents Database: A Social Innovation for Religious Freedom” by Dennis P. Petri and Kyle Wisdom
Casa de la Libertad (Freedom House) in Sucre, Bolivia by Dan Lundberg (CC BY-SA 2.0). The Growing Sophistication of Religious… - “Love for the Stranger: The New Testament Imperative” by Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Arnold
Photo by Pexels on Pixabay (CCO). In a recent campaign speech, Donald Trump referred to immigrants as a “poisoning of… - “The Stranger in the Hebrew Bible” by Ryan Bonfiglio
Code of Hammurabii via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0). In a March 5, 2024 headline, the NY Times named immigration… - “We Have Come into His House: The Black Church, Florida’s Stop Woke, and the Fight to Teach Black History – Part II” by Timothy Welbeck
Old Florida State Capitol, Tallahassee by DXR (CC BY-SA 4.0) We Have Come Into His House is an essay published in two… - “We Have Come into His House: The Black Church, Florida’s Stop WOKE, and the Fight to Teach Black History – Part I” by Timothy WelbeckOld Florida State Capitol, Tallahassee by DXR (CC BY-SA 4.0). We have come into His house to gather in His…
- “A Belated Book Review: Rabbi Dr. Emanuel Rackman, ‘Israel’s Emerging Constitution’ (1954) and Its Continued Relevance” by Michael J. Broyde
Nuremburg Trials Protocols by David Shay (CC BY 3.0 DEED) Prologue Rabbi Dr. Emanuel Rackman (b. 1910, d. 2008) was… - “Religious Charter Schools: A New Horizon for the Establishment Clause and School Choice” by Charles J. Russo
Oklahoma City’s Skyline by Oklahoma City Convention and Visitors Bureau (CC BY-SA 3.0). The school choice movement spurred on by… - Affirmative Action, Religious Liberty, and The Freedom to Discriminate by Rachel F. Moran
Photo by Andrew Tan on Pixabay (CCO). Debates over affirmative action in higher education have raged for years. Supporters of… - “Playing with Fire (Again): Authoritarian Tendencies in Max Weber’s Thought” by David Little
Street sign of Max Weber Square. Cholo Alemen on Wikimedia (CC-BY-SA-3.0) Editorial Note: Page numbers in the text refer to… - “Ukraine’s Religious Persecution” by Lawrence A. Uzzell
Photo of Ukrainian Flag from Pixabay Religious freedom is ominously shrinking in Ukraine. Unlike Moscow, post-Soviet Kiev used to tolerate… - “Dissenting Voices: Unveiling Complexity in the Russian Orthodox Church’s Stance on the Ukraine Conflict” by Evgeniia Muzychenko
Picture of a dome at the Cathedral of Peter and Paul, Petergof, Russia. Taken by Author. Expressing the position of… - “Tracking Religious Liberty in the States over Time” by Jordan J. Ballor
Panorama of “Religious Liberty” Statue in Philadelphia by Andrey Bobrovsky (CC BY 3.0 Deed). Since its founding, the United States… - “‘Churches Can, Mosques Can’t’: Race, Immigration, and Islam in Belgium” by Hafsa Oubou
View of the Lys river in the centre of Ghent, Belgium by Joaquim Alves Gaspar (CC BY-SA 3.0 Deed). In… - “Playing with Fire: The Normative and Prescriptive Implications of Carl Schmitt’s Theory of Sovereignty” by David Little
Home of Carl Schmitt in Plettenberg-Pasel (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0). Editorial Note: Page numbers in the text refer to… - “Religious Freedom and Comparative Law: The Protection of Rights and the Exception of Religious Freedom” by Andrea Pin, Nicholas Aroney, & et al.
Thomas Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C by King of Hearts (CC BY-SA 4.0 Deed). As the world celebrates the 75th… - “Ghosts of Law and Religion: The Paranormal Fascination and the Bounds of Knowledge and Experience” by M. Christian Green
Photo titled “Ghosts, Spooky” from Pixabay (License). As anyone with cable or streaming television in the United States knows, it’s… - “303 Creative v. Elenis, Groff v. DeJoy and the Difference a Sentence Can Make” by Mark Satta
Picture by Todd van Hoosear (CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED). In June 2023, the Supreme Court announced two significant First Amendment… - “Christians Shouldn’t Celebrate 303 Creative: A Perspective from the Missio Dei” by David W. Opderbeck
Saint Isaac’s Cathedral in St. Petersburg, Russia by Peter H. on Pixabay. Many Christians celebrate the Supreme Court’s decision in… - “Death Sentence and Imprisonment under Nigerian Blasphemy Laws” by Georgia du Plessis
“Okotie Eboh Street, Lagos, Nigeria” by Obinna Okerekeocha on Unsplash. Blasphemy is the “act of insulting or showing contempt or… - “‘60s Dreaming: Social Uplift Aims and Contradictions” by R. Drew Smith
“Civil Rights March on Washington, D.C.” Colorized by Jordan J. Lloyd on Unsplash. O n August 28, 1963, Martin Luther… - “An Illustrative Approach to Religious Freedom Violations in Nigeria” by Dennis P. Petri
Lagos, Nigeria by Nupo Deyon Daniel on Unsplash. Nigeria is a multi-ethnic and culturally diverse federation of 36 autonomous states… - “How German Muslims and Christians Criticize Capitalism” by Christian Sperneac-Wolfer
Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany. Throughout its history, capitalism has been met with harsh religious resistance and objections. Today, both… - “Under the Protection of God: Does the Preamble of the Brazilian Constitution of 1988 Allow Freedom of Expression solely for Christians?” by Damião Benilson Gomes de Melo, Rafaela Albuquerque Fires & J. Ernesto Pimentel Filho
Picture of the Supremo Tribunal Federal in Brazil by Dennis W. Asfour (CC BY-SA 4.0). In Brazil, the constitutional preamble… - “Watering the Seeds of Consciousness through Sound : Logos, Shabd, and the Implications for Natural Law” by Sunil Rao
Heraclitus, ‘the weeping philosopher’, by Johannes Moreelse (PD-US). The human inclination to search for timeless and transcendent truths, and transform… - “Faith in Interpretation” by Aaron J. Walayat
Abraham and the Angels by Andries Snellinck (PD-US). What is the relationship between faith and constitutional interpretation? Superficially understood, this… - “‘Luminous and Obscure’: Into the Depths of Constitutional Meaning” by Perry Dane
James West investigating the Constitution. From NASA (PD-US). Let’s explore an out of the ordinary way of thinking about the… - “The Right to Conscientious Objection Under Martial Law in Ukraine” by Illia Roskoshnyi
From the President of Ukraine (PD-US). The right to conscientious objection to military service as a fundamental human right is… - “Iran’s Political Agenda: Women’s Bodies at the Intersection of Religion and Law” by Faegheh Shirazi
A sign with “Woman, Life, Freedom” (Jin, Jiyan Azadi) in Central and Northern Kurdish by Pirehelokan (CC BY-SA 4.0). As… - “Chinese Persecution of the Uyghur: A Case of Genocide” by Ali Çaksu
Demonstration for Uyghur rights in Berlin by Leonhard Lenz (CC0 1.0). Uyghurs are a Muslim Turkic people who have been… - “Religion, Law, and Governance in Premodern Hindu Political Theory” by John Nemec
Prambanan Temple Complex in Yogyakarta Indonesia. Photo by CEphoto, Uwe Aranas. (CC BY-SA 3.0). Political theory in premodern South Asia… - “‘A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast’*: Early Modern Christian German-speakers, and the Rights of Other Creatures” by Anthony Roeber
*(Proverbs: 12:10); “The Good Shepherd, St. Botolph without Aldersgate” by Andrewrabbott (CC BY-SA 4.0). The present essay explores why the… - “Freedom of Thought and Conscience and the Challenges of AI” by Andrea Pin
Artificial General Intelligence Illustration by David S. Soriano (CC BY-SA 4.0). The capacity to spread misinformation, manipulate people, and persuade… - Law, African Religion, and Environmentalism by Ikechukwu Anthony Kanu
Mazah Hills, Jos, Nigeria. Photo by Victor Salami Oyale (CC BY-SA 4.0). In 2022, I was invited by Harvard Divinity School at… - “Religious Regulation and Discrimination in Venezuela” by Dennis Petri
Religion in Isla Margarita, Valle del Espíritu Santo by Wilfredor (CC0 1.0). This essay seeks to illustrate the state of… - “The Trial of Saint Francis of Assisi” by Ricardo Evandro Santos Martins
St Francis of Assisi by Philip Fruytiers. From the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp. (PD-US). It is possible to… - “Law and Religion in an Age of Rapid Secularization” by Frank Lechner
Trinity Church on Broadway and Wall Street, New York City. Photo by TLM1995 (CC BY-SA 4.0). In the relationship between… - “The Black Police Officer in the US: An Analysis of Tyre Nichols’ Death” by George Walters-Sleyon
“Tyre Nichols protest from January 29, 2023 at the Ohio State House in Columbus” by Becker1999 (CC BY 2.0). This… - “Control over Bodies: Transformation of a Religious Tradition into Law” by Zahra Abedinezhad
“Amir Kabir University Uprising September 2022” by Darafsh. (CC BY-SA 4.0). How much can a religious-political system control its citizens?… - “California Dreamin’ on Caste” by Prakash Shah
Meeting between Indian Prime Minister Modi and Vice President Harris, from Office of the Vice President of the United States… - “Climates of Anti-Blackness: Religion, Race and Environmental Politics in Bolivia” by Mareike Winchell
The sunset in Santa Ana de Chiquitos, Santa Cruz, Bolivia, by Osireg. (CC BY-SA 2.0). It was sweltering — nearly… - “Lobbyists United in Corporate America” by Matteo Corsalini
“No Lobbyists Beyond This Point” sign at the Maryland State House by Daniel Huizinga. (CC BY 2.0). In the history… - “Chaplains: Indispensable Members of the Military” by Charles J. Russo & John C. Mosbey
“First Female Muslim Chaplain, 2021” by Airman 1st Class Jackson Manske (CC0). Senator John Boozman (R-AR) and Senator Raphael Warnock… - “Nicaragua and the Catholic Church” by Michael Hendricks
“Posesión de Daniel Ortega como presidente de Nicaragua” by Cancillería del Ecuador, 2012. (CC BY-SA 2.0). In recent years, Nicaraguan… - “Politics and Religion in Cuba and Nicaragua” by Dennis P. Petri
“Cristo Church, Havana, Cuba” by Roberts & Co., Havana (CC0). The Regulation of Religion in Communist Cuba Religious groups have… - “Religion in State Education Policy” by Bryan Kelley
“In God We Trust” Plaque by USCapitol (CC0). Every year, state legislatures throughout the country introduce legislation that in some… - “The Intersection Between Religion and Inclusive K-12 Athletic Participation” by Suzanne Eckes
Image by Wutthichai Charoenburi (CC BY 2.0). Religious rights and civil rights sometimes collide in public schools. In earlier cases,… - “Politics vs. Religion?: The Case of Nicaragua” by Teresa Flores
Managua Nicaragua Centroamérica by Hillsong7 (CC BY-SA 4.0). During crises or social conflicts in Nicaragua, the Catholic Church has served… - “The Politics of Prayer in Prison” by Andrew Skotnicki
Magite Historic / Alamy Stock Photo I read a newspaper column many years ago by Garry Wills. He was writing about a… - “Ten Years of Pope Francis and the Transatlantic Catholic Gap” by Massimo Faggioli
Via Vyacheslav Argenberg on Flickr The tenth anniversary of a papal election is an important milestone. This is especially so… - “Internet Ethics, American Law, and Jewish Law: A Comparative Overview” by Dr. Gertrude N. Levine & Samuel J. Levine
The Internet, devised for the purpose of interconnecting diverse computer networks of research and educational communities, has become a global communication… - “The Effects of Proscription on the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt” by Ioana Emy Matesan
Photo by Jr Korpa on Unsplash. Introduction From its establishment in 1928 until the Arab Spring uprisings of 2011, the… - “Perilous Times Ahead for Religious Freedom on Public College and University Campuses?” by Charles J. Russo“Library” from Pixabay (License) After its recent attempts to challenge conscience exemptions for medical professionals whose faiths prevent them from…
- “The Banality of Anti-Judaism” by Matthew Cavedon
European Court of Justice (ECJ) in Luxembourg with Flags by Cédric Puisney (CC BY 2.0). Last year, Dr. Mia Brett… - “Extremism, Dissent, or ‘Just a Job’? The Lethal Concoction of India’s Anti-Terror Laws and Media Policy in the Kashmir Valley” by Annapurna Menon
Kashmir Valley in India by Kriti Kuhoo (CC BY-SA 4.0). A prominent Kashmiri journalist, Fahad Shah has completed one year… - “When a Constitutional Democracy Meets Islam: The Italian Case” by Francesco Alicino
“Italian Parliament Building” by Marco Verch (CC BY 2.0). In a constitutional democracy, the right to freedom of religion implies… - “The Conscience Rights of Health Care Professionals Under the Affordable Health Care Act and its Regulations: An Emerging Controversy” by Charles J. Russo
One of the more contentious issues surrounding medical care concerns the conscience rights of health care professionals such as doctors,… - “Irreconcilable differences: Law, Religion, and Taiwan’s relationship with China” by André Laliberté
Taipei Sunrise by Chensiyuan (CC BY-SA 4.0). Historically, laws regarding religion in China and Taiwan differ considerably, and these differences… - “Faculty Unions in Catholic Educational Institutions: A Disconnect between Church Teachings and Practice” by Charles J. Russo
Approaching Vatican City, Rome by Fenous (CC BY-SA 4.0). Speaking in the Vatican to a gathering of the Italian General… - “Plessy, Prince, and Me: Law, Religion, and the Quest for Racial Justice” by M. Christian Green
Photo by Matthew Bedford on Unsplash. 1896. The year seemed to flash in glaring red lights from the text of… - “How Is Eastern Christianity Affecting Pope Francis’s Priorities?” by Matthew Cavedon
Cloisters of Norwich Cathedral by Arjen Bax (CC BY-SA 2.0). Introduction: Easter with the Easterns? The Christmas season hadn’t even… - Does Religion Speak War; Why Use It As A Means? By Rackel Jackson Agara
Aso Rock in Abujo, Nigeria by Mike Fisher (CC BY-SA 2.0). “War is the greatest plague that afflicts humanity, it… - “Together” by Almas Shaikh
“Together” Almas Shaikh Medium: Water and Acrylic Colors on a 300 GSM PaperDate: March 2022Artist’s Note: I painted this in… - “Sovereigns, Exceptions, and ‘Shadow Dockets’: Law, Religion, and States of Emergency” by M. Christian Green
Picture by Adam Kring on Unsplash. “Sovereign is he who decides on the exception.”Carl Schmitt, Political Theology (1921) “By nonetheless… - “Religious Freedom and the Burqa Ban in Italy” by Rebeca Vázquez Gómez
Supreme Court of Cassation in Rome, Italy by Matthias Lemm on Pixabay. This article is part of our “Clothed in… - “Identifying Religious Modes of Discourse in Healthcare Policy Debates” by Ira Bedzow
Black Beach in Iceland by Job Savelsberg on Unsplash. Religious discourse in multicultural environments has enormous potential to enrich our… - “Bring Back Meatless Fridays” by Matthew P. Cavedon
Picture by Jez Timms on Unsplash. Meatless Fridays were once one of the most visible markers of Catholic identity. For… - “The Southern Baptist Convention Cases and the Limited Option for Holding Religious Institutions Accountable for Clergy Sex Abuse” by Carolyn M. Warner
Southern Baptist Church by Warren LeMay (CC0 1.0) In May of 2022, the news broke that the US Southern Baptist… - “Protecting Students From Religious Coercion After Kennedy v. Bremerton” by Gabriela Hybel and Alex Bodaken
This article is part of our “Kennedy, Carson, and Dobbs: Law and Religion in Pressing Supreme Court Cases” series.If you’d… - “Has Religion Been Fueling the Politics of Conflict in Ethiopia? A Cautionary Tale” by Jon Abbink
body of water under cloudy sky during sunset by Storiès on Unsplash. Conflict and Religion Is religion a conflict dimension… - “Sketching the Legal Landscape of Religious Liberty in the States in 2022” by Jordan J. Ballor
silhouette of trees covered by fog by Paul Pastourmatzis on Unsplash. The United States Constitution, drafted in 1787, is a… - “Dignity and Belonging in Family, Church, and State” by Rafael Domingo
This essay is adapted from Prof. Rafael Domingo’s address at the ICLARS (International Consortium for Law and Religion Studies) conference… - “The Admissibility of Christian Pro-Life Politics” by Matthew P. Cavedon
Bible, Church, Wedding (Pixabay) In the course of calling out anti-Semitism in American law – a very valid concern – Dr. Mia Brett’s recent Canopy Forum article argues… - “Regulating Religion in Taiwan: Historical Background, Changes, and Recent Controversies” by Rung-Guang Lin
Yonghe Baofu Temple in Taipei, Taiwan by Andrea De Santis on Unsplash. One of the most notable characteristics of Taiwan’s… - “Can Faith-Based Schools Retain Their Traditional Religious Values in a Changing World?” by Charlie Russo and Keith Thompson
Picture by Mostafa Meraji (CC BY-SA 4.0) Contemporary efforts to regulate religious schools are unjust and bound to fail. Emerging legislation… - “The Unmelting Lebanese National Pot” by Imad Salamey
Picture by Pawal Czerwinski on Unsplash. Post-colonial Middle Eastern states have failed to achieve national secularization and homogenisation. Nation-building has… - “The Rise and Fall of Church-State Separation” by Damon Mayrl
Photographs in the Carol M. Highsmith Archive, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division. This article is part of our… - “Remedies for Religious Persecution in China: An International Human Rights Perspective” by Michelle Coleman
Picture by Danny D. on Unsplash. The Chinese government is waging an assault on religion. Millions of Christians, Muslims, and… - The Bible and the Constitution: Of Monkeys, Babies and Original Intent by Larry W. Caldwell
In 1925, on Day 7 of the infamous “Scopes Monkey Trial” (The State of Tennessee v. John Thomas Scopes), defense… - “Why Are Jehovah’s Witnesses Persecuted?” by Mathew N. Schmalz
Picture by Jace Grandinetti on Unsplash. Since 2017, the Russian government has attempted to “liquidate” Jehovah’s Witnesses as a religious…