Religious Liberty

Senators James Lankford and Ted Cruz introduced a bill to exempt qualifying religious-degree programs from losing federal aid under a graduate-earnings test, the Christian Post reports. Supporters cite modest ministry salaries; the Education Department says earnings accountability protects students and taxpayers. The proposal has not become law.

The Supreme Court agreed to review a Kentucky dispute over a Catholic group’s proposed prayer grotto, the Christian Post reports. Neighbors challenged zoning permission, and state courts rejected the variance. The appeal asks how federal religious-land-use protections apply; an argument date and final ruling remain pending.

Christianity Today’s interviews with Dalit Christians and church leaders describe exclusion from leadership, worship and burial grounds. A July burial dispute in Tamil Nadu illustrates the divisions despite a court ruling for equal access. This is fresh reporting on longstanding discrimination, rather than a newly occurring burial dispute.

Police in Taiyuan detained pastor An Yankui on suspicion of organizing illegal religious activities, the Christian Post reports, citing International Christian Concern and a police record. He leads an unregistered Protestant congregation and has been detained previously. The report does not establish a conviction or disclose the outcome of the latest detention.

Lahore High Court restored a police case over the alleged abduction, forced conversion and marriage of Maria Shahbaz, Christian Daily International/Morning Star News reports through the Christian Post, citing her family’s advocates. The family disputes documents and an earlier custody ruling. The restored case permits further proceedings; the allegations and custody challenge remain unresolved.

A cross-party Scottish Parliament motion commemorates Jane Haining, who refused to abandon Jewish and Christian schoolgirls in Budapest and died at Auschwitz in 1944, Christian Today reports through the Christian Post. The motion welcomes her memorial recognition and urges readers to confront prejudice and persecution.

A Havana court gave Christian content creator Anna Bensi and her mother two years of restricted liberty after they published a video of a state security agent, the Christian Post and Latin Times report. They were convicted under a privacy law; supporters call the case political repression. Their lawyer plans an appeal, and the written sentence’s precise terms remain pending.

The Bible Access Initiative estimates that more than 500 million Christians face restrictions on obtaining or using Scripture, the Christian Post reports. Its 106-country assessment distinguishes persecution from barriers such as poverty, literacy and internet access, and estimates over 125 million want a Bible but lack one. Expanded coverage limits simple year-to-year comparisons.

The Ninth Circuit upheld denial of a preliminary injunction seeking removal of a cross and seasonal Nativity display at Los Angeles’ historic El Pueblo district, The Christian Post reports. The court said the challengers had not met the requirements for interim relief. The case returns to the district court for a final decision; this ruling does not end the litigation.

The Supreme Court’s term begins Monday with cases concerning religious funding, gun rights, climate litigation and immigration, NPR reports. The preview outlines competing legal arguments and a continuing emergency docket. These are cases awaiting decisions; the court has not yet resolved the questions described.

Released pastor Ezra Jin urged China to free eight leaders of Beijing’s Zion Church, the Christian Post reports from an interview. He said the church expanded through online services after its building closed and expressed hope for religious revival. Those are his account and hopes; the eight leaders remain detained according to the report.

Women of Victory and Bethel Campus Fellowship sued Virginia State University over a policy placing Christian student clubs under one university-employed campus minister, The Christian Post reports. The groups allege unequal treatment and interference with their religious expression. The university did not respond to the outlet’s request for comment; the constitutional claims remain unresolved.

The World Evangelical Alliance urged Israel at the UN Human Rights Council to protect Palestinian civilians and address settler violence, the Christian Post reports. Its statement highlighted threats reported by residents of Taybeh, a predominantly Christian village. The alliance called for accountability and protection of homes, livelihoods and places of worship.

A federal district judge ruled that Oklahoma officials cannot require a proposed Jewish charter school to be non-religious, the Christian Post reports. The decision addresses the religious condition imposed on the proposal. It adds to the legal debate over religious participation in publicly funded charter education.

Italy’s government approved measures banning burqas and niqabs in schools and limiting the concentration of pupils with insufficient Italian-language proficiency. The measures leave hijabs uncovered by the ban and provide for exemptions and extra language teaching where redistribution is impractical. Supporters call the decree an integration measure, while opposition parties dispute its practicality and motives.

World Relief and Open Doors U.S. warn that persecuted Christians have fewer routes to safety in the United States, International Christian Concern reports. The account cites an effectively suspended refugee resettlement program and changes to the initial review of some asylum claims. The groups describe the implications for believers seeking protection.

International Christian Concern reports increasing pressure on Christian educational institutions in West Bengal, India. The watchdog describes surprise official visits and online accusations of unlawful conversions. Its account raises concerns about the ability of those institutions to operate freely.

Pastor Nehad Hasan told Christianity Today that Syrian authorities detained him in July over religious speech and online posts before dropping the charges and releasing him in August. The Lebanese-based Kurdish pastor says threatening messages continued after his release. His account raises questions about religious freedom and the gap between official assurances and conduct on the ground.

International Christian Concern reports that Myanmar soldiers shot and killed the Rev. Dal Thawn Tuang in Chin state on September 14. The assistant pastor of Lamzang Baptist Church was returning from religious duties in a neighboring village. The Christian Post reports that a religious-freedom group is urging the U.S. government to respond.

Two United Nations experts are seeking answers about the seizure of St. Peter’s Evangelical Church in Tehran and the eviction of around 20 Christian families. Their July 10 communication has now become public under UN disclosure procedures, according to the Christian Post. The experts said Iran had not answered their questions and raised concerns about a broader pattern of restrictions on Christian worship.

Amir Masih, a Christian from Punjab, remains in detention following his August 11 arrest, International Christian Concern reports. The allegations concern religious remarks and a video said to have circulated on social media. His case highlights the consequences of blasphemy accusations for members of Pakistan’s Christian minority.

Pastor John Sanqiang Cao is seeking to return to his family in the United States while battling late-stage prostate cancer. Christianity Today reports that his wife visited him in a Changsha hospital in April after nine years without seeing him face to face. The cancer had spread to his spine, adding urgency to the family’s effort to reunite.

A Haitian pastor detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement received a last-minute reprieve from deportation, according to the Christian Post. The decision came as his removal was imminent. The case draws attention to the personal consequences of immigration enforcement for clergy and their communities.

Algerian special forces raided a worship service at a humanitarian shelter on September 4, according to the Christian Post. All 12 Christians present were arrested on suspicion of holding an unauthorized non-Muslim service, and police seized Bibles. The case raises concerns about the ability of Christians to gather for worship in Algeria.

International Christian Concern reports that police detained 11 Early Rain Covenant Church elders during a September 10 meeting in a teahouse. Officers interrupted their discussion and took them to a police station for questioning. Pastor Ding Shuqi separately described pressure and mistreatment facing the Chengdu congregation, drawing renewed attention to religious freedom in China.

Ikhlaq Masih, a 17-year-old Christian, was severely beaten by a mob in a predominantly Christian neighborhood near Sheikhupura, Pakistan, after intervening to protect women. Local advocates say police have been slow to act. The family is seeking medical care and legal help.

Virginia Theological Seminary has received a sculpture commemorating Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde's public appeal to President Trump last year. Supporters describe the piece as a marker of pastoral courage. Critics have called the honor politically charged.

The Eiffel Tower’s operator says chief executive Patrick Branco Ruivo will leave at year-end after an investigation found failures in arranging a religious delegation’s visit, the BBC reports. Female staff had been replaced by men during the visit. The operator called their removal unacceptable and announced measures and training to promote gender equality.