International Center for Law and Religion Studies

09/02/2026

In a new video on the Talk About blog, Gideon Sapir discusses Israeli Supreme Court case law regarding yeshiva students’ exemption from military service. While Sapir initially supported some Supreme Court decisions, he explains how and why his views have shifted.

Read: https://talkabout.iclrs.org/2026/07/28/sapir-on-the-israeli-supreme-courts-decisions-on-religious-exemption-from-military-service/

08/17/2026

Check out our new video. Michel Rosenfeld of Cardozo Law explains why he changed his opinion regarding the Strasbourg Court’s famous Leyla Şahin judgment and why he believes that, had it been decided in 2026, the case would have required a different approach.

Read here: https://talkabout.iclrs.org/2026/07/28/michel-rosenfeld-on-rethinking-his-initial-support-of-the-ecthr-judgement-in-leyla-sahin-v-turkey/

08/14/2026

Want to get involved with the 2026 Annual International Law and Religion Symposium?

Join us for a Volunteer Information Meeting and learn how you can gain valuable volunteer experience, strengthen your résumé, and connect with international delegates from around the world!

Wednesday, August 26 5:00 PM
📍 BYU Law Building, Room 306
FREE J. Dawgs!

Scan the QR code on the flyer to sign up and become a volunteer. We’d love to have you join us!

08/07/2026

In our new video, Thomas Berg explains why he eventually began viewing same-sex marriage as a constitutional right—the recognition of which is important not only for same-sex couples but also for symmetrical religious freedom protection.

08/05/2026

Scholars gathered at Christ Church, Oxford, for the workshop "Religious Freedom, Flourishing Societies, and the Role of Law," where they explored the complex phenomenon of the reported "religious revival" in the West and its implications for law, society, and religious freedom.

The discussions examined how religious belief and practice are evolving, including the concept of the "minorisation" of religion—a term used by keynote presenter Alexis Artaud de La Ferrière to describe how religious minorities adapt and sustain their faith in changing societies.

We are grateful to the scholars and organizers who contributed to these thoughtful conversations. Short papers from the workshop will be published on the ICLRS blog, Talk About: Law and Religion, with longer publications under consideration.

The workshop was organized by Brett G. Scharffs (International Center for Law and Religion Studies), Andrea Pin (University of Padua Law School), and Luca Vanoni (University of Milan).

08/03/2026

Check out our superseries of essays on Pope Leo's Magnifica Humanitas with theologians, constitutional theorists, political scholars, software business managers, and human rights lawyers reflecting on this powerful document.

07/29/2026

Scholars of Indigenous law and advocates for Indigenous peoples gathered at Christ Church, Oxford, on 21-22 July 2026 for the Indigenous Ideas of Human Dignity workshop, co-hosted by the International Center for Law and Religion Studies (ICLRS) and UCLA's Native Nations Law & Policy Center.
Bringing together participants from Bangladesh, New Zealand, Mexico, Guatemala, and the Seneca, Hopi, Potawatomi, and Navajo Nations, among others, the workshop explored how the legal and philosophical concept of human dignity has shaped Indigenous communities and how it can support the protection of Indigenous rights.
Discussions highlighted Indigenous understandings of dignity rooted in relationships, both among peoples and with the natural world. Participants emphasized that reciprocal care for one another, as well as for water, plants, and the environment, is essential to human dignity and human flourishing.
Learn more, view the program, and see photos from the workshop on the conference webpage.

07/28/2026

The Role of Religion in Constitutional Identity, held at Christ Church, Oxford, on July 15–16, 2026, brought together leading legal scholars from around the world to examine the relationship between religion, constitutional identity, and religious freedom.

Through comparative case studies from countries including Bulgaria, Georgia, Indonesia, and India, participants explored how constitutional systems address the role of religion while protecting fundamental freedoms. Many of the conference proceedings will be published in the coming months.

Learn more about the program and speakers:

Discussions on establishment of religion usually focus on the impact of establishment on the rights of nonbelievers and on basic democratic principles. In contrast, the primary research question explored in this Workshop is, Can a state establish its majority religion while respecting the religious....

07/27/2026

Check out a new interview on our blog. The Center's Founding Director, Cole Durham, discusses religious freedom, equality, and non-discrimination in American constitutional law and beyond.

06/22/2026

The Religious Freedom Annual Review (RFAR) brought together scholars, faith leaders, policymakers, advocates, and friends from around the world for meaningful conversations on religious freedom and human dignity.

Thank you to everyone who attended, presented, organized, volunteered, and supported this year’s event. Your insights, dedication, and commitment made RFAR a truly impactful gathering.

If you missed the live conference or want to go back and rewatch anything, the session recordings will be out soon.

Until next year, thank you for helping make RFAR such a memorable and successful event.