Religion, Law and Covid-19 Emergency
Why this site?
The health emergency caused by the contagious virus SARS-CoV-2 is having many consequences also on religious rules – more broadly for the difficulties raising from the possible contradiction between the respect for the measures taken by civil authorities and religious rules. International law allows for the limitation˝ of the right to religious freedom on the grounds of protection of public health, and we are witnessing a situation of unprecedented restrictions on the global scale. As scholars engaged in the study of the legal regulation of the religious phenomenon, we have wanted to create a space to collect documents, comments and other useful materials related to the emergency, in order to assess the outcomes of the normative choices made by civil and religious authorities.
L’emergenza sanitaria prodotta dal contagioso virus SARS-CoV-2 sta producendo molte conseguenze anche sulle regole religiose, e più in generale sulle difficoltà che nascono in forza della potenziale contraddizione che può determinarsi fra il rispetto delle regole imposte dalle autorità civili e le regole religiose. Le norme internazionali ammettono che la libertà religiosa possa essere ristretta dalla legge per motivi di sanità pubblica, e stiamo assistendo ad un esercizio di restrizione su scala mondiale mai registrato in precedenza. Nella qualità di accademici impegnati nello studio della disciplina giuridica del fenomeno religioso, abbiamo pensato di creare uno spazio di raccolta di documenti, commenti, e altro materiale utile intanto ad affrontare l’emergenza, e in prospettiva a studiare gli esiti delle scelte normative che le istituzioni civili e quelle religiose stanno compiendo.
Recent Documents
- Russia, Patriarch Kirill urges worshippers to refrain from visiting cathedrals and churches
- Pontifical Academy for Life – Note on the Covid-19 Emergency: “Pandemic and Universal Brotherhood”
- COREIS – Islamic prayers during the pandemic and provisions to honor burial in Europe
- Message from the Dalai Lama
- Japan – Association of Shinto Shrines: the shrines will take measures for coronavirus
- Prime Minister of Australia, Update on Coronavirus Measures – March 22, 2020
- From Christian Coalition for Health to Prime Minister of Inda
- The Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Gov’t bans sports and entertainment activities until April 15
- Church of England – Securing and caring for your church buildings during the Covid-19 pandemic: advice for incumbents, churchwardens and PCC members, 27 March 2020
- Decree of the Bishop of San Marino-Montefeltro March 24, 2020, n. 40
- Republic of San Marino – Law Decree March 20, 2020, n. 52
- Republic of San Marino – Law Decree March 14, 2020, n. 51
- Japan – Imperial Household Agency cancels public viewing of the Imperial Throne for coronavirus
- INDIA – Letter from “Christian Coalition for Health” to PM Modi
- Jakarta Post – Religion and COVID-19 mitigation
- Church of England to close all church buildings to help prevent spread of coronavirus
- Cardinal Vincent Nichols, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales: Closing churches is the right thing to do to save lives
- UK – PM address to the nation: place of worship closed, no ceremonies excluding funerals
Recent Comments
Law and Religion during (and after) Covid-19 Emergency: the Law is Made for Man not Man for Law
by Luigi Mariano Guzzo
We’re not going back to normal said Gideon Lichfield, the editor in chief of MIT Technology Review. And it’s likely that, once Sars-Cov-2 pandemic is overcome, an update of the Law and Religion studies will be a new issue to think about as well.
The loyal collaboration between State and religions at the testing bench of the Covid-19 pandemic. A perspective from Italy
by Fabio Balsamo
The ongoing health emergency proposes many questions for ecclesiastical law.First of all, the limitation of numerous fundamental rights ordered by the Government Decrees dated 8th, 9th, 11th and 22th March 2020[2], as well as by the Law Decree 25th March 2020, n. 19, represented a balance test between the fundamental rights, with particular regard to the relationship between the right to health (art. 32) and the right to religious freedom (art. 19).
The Greek Orthodox Church at the time of the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic
by Enrica Martinelli
Last week the Greek government informed the population of the urgent need to adopt prevention and containment measures against the spread of the CoViD-19 virus, indicated by the WHO, which also prohibited gatherings of people, even in open spaces, and the closure of schools, universities and public establishments. In respect of these measures the hierarchy of the Orthodox Church, which in Greece enjoys a State prerogative, demonstrated its wish not to come to terms with the virus, unconditionally trusting in the salvific work of Christ the Saviour.
Lesson from the Shincheonji Case in South Korea: Monitoring Without Scapegoating
by Massimo Introvigne
On February 19, 2020, I received the first phone calls from media about a South Korean new religious movement known as Shincheonji, which was somewhat related to the spread of COVID-19 in its country. I was the only Western scholar who had studied Shincheonji, published about it, and interviewed its founder, Chairman Lee Man Hee.
