The German Pope never claimed that between the old and the new Catholic teachings on religious liberty there was perfect continuity. But he said the reform was not a “rupture.”
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Benedict XVI and Religious Liberty. 1. Ratzinger and Lefebvre
It was in dealing with Archbishop Lefebvre’s refusal of the Second Vatican Council that Cardinal Ratzinger started reflecting in depth on the foundation of religious liberty.
Spanish Supreme Court: Political Parties Cannot Exclude “Cult” Devotees as Candidates
The judges sanctioned the Podemos party for its discrimination of members based on the sole reason that they belonged to the Prometheus Initiatory School.
Communist Parties and Religion: The Japanese Communist Party’s “Final War” Against the Unification Church
Communist parties in democratic countries have a devious way to attack religions. What is happening in Japan is just the most recent chapter of a long story.
California and Confession. 4. Confessing to More than One Minister
Protecting the secret of the confession only when the penitent confesses to one minister creates an unjustified privilege for some religions.
California and Confession. 3. With Relatives Present, It’s Still a Confession
In other American states, courts have concluded that the presence of wives, children, or parents of the penitent does not make the confessional privilege inapplicable.
California and Confession. 2. A Landmark Case, Reutkemeier v. Nolte
In 1917, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled that a confession can be rendered to a committee of four and still be protected by the confessional privilege.
The Anti-Unification Church Campaign in Japan: The Shadow of the Communist Party
An explosive journalistic report claims Japanese Communists played a key role in fueling hostility against the anti-Communist religious group.
California and Confession. 1. A Catholic Victory—Which Did Not Solve All Problems
In 2019, Catholics managed to stop a draft law that would have opened a breach in the confessional privilege. But they left a problem unsolved.
In the Shadow of Russia: Jehovah’s Witnesses and Central Asia
Scholars from different countries discussed how Russian influence created serious problems of religious liberty, although there are also signs of improvement.