A coalition of multi-faith organizations has filed a lawsuit against the Trump-Vance administration’s Religious Liberty Commission, alleging violations of the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The lawsuit claims the commission lacks religious diversity, consists almost exclusively of Christian members, and promotes a narrow ‘Judeo-Christian’ agenda consistent with Christian Nationalism. The plaintiffs are seeking a court order to declare the commission’s formation unlawful and require public disclosure of its records.

The Cato Institute announced the release of a new book edited by Mustafa Akyol titled ‘No Compulsion in Religion—No Exceptions.’ The volume features essays from global Muslim scholars arguing that religious freedom is an authentic Islamic ideal rooted in the Qur’an rather than a Western import. The book challenges coercive legal traditions regarding apostasy, blasphemy, and ritual observance, arguing that such interpretations often serve authoritarian political power rather than faith.

Interfaith Alliance has denounced the ‘Greater Than’ campaign, an anti-LGBTQ+ initiative seeking to overturn marriage equality. Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush characterized the campaign as an attack on religious freedom and human dignity, asserting that a majority of religious Americans support the right to marry.

India’s Supreme Court has agreed to review the constitutional validity of anti-religious conversion laws enacted by 12 states. The petitioner, the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI), argued these laws incentivize vigilante violence against minorities. The Solicitor General, representing the Centre, stated the government has responses and contested the petitioner’s claims. The court referenced past judgments concerning Article 25 of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of conscience and the right to propagate religion, but not the right to convert others.

Russian police and military officers raided Council of Churches Baptists’ Sunday worship in Krasnodon on January 25th, threatening to stop all future services if the church does not register with Russian authorities. This is part of a pattern of raids on religious meetings (Baptist and Muslim) in Russian-occupied Donetsk and Luhansk Regions between July and December 2025, often resulting in fines for “missionary activity.” Council of Churches Baptists intentionally avoid official registration. The article details specific raids, interrogations, and legal proceedings against pastors, highlighting the Russian occupation authorities’ severe violations of freedom of religion or belief, despite calls from the UN to respect these freedoms.

Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan initiated a reform of the Armenian Apostolic Church, seeking to remove Catholicos Garegin II and establish a state-led Coordinating Council. The government justifies this by accusing the Church leadership of involvement in politics, referencing the Church’s criticism of the government following the Nagorno-Karabakh defeat. The article argues this justification is legally untenable, as Armenian and international law permit religious institutions to engage in political discourse without violating the separation of Church and State principles. A secondary government narrative links some clergy to Russian intelligence (‘KGB agents’), which the author disputes given the Armenian Church’s unique, largely Western-educated, and historically independent ecclesiastical structure. Finally, the PM has publicly accused clergy of moral failings (adultery, violating celibacy), which the author contends fall under the Church’s internal, canonical jurisdiction, not the State’s purview, noting the suspicious timing of leaked private footage.

A couple in Indonesia’s Aceh province, the only region imposing Sharia law, was publicly caned 140 times each for having sex outside marriage and consuming alcohol. The woman fainted after enduring the punishment, which is considered one of the severest since Sharia was implemented in 2001. The punishment included 100 lashes for the sex offense and 40 for alcohol consumption. The couple was among six people flogged that day.

The Texas State Board of Education delayed voting on a proposed mandatory K-12 reading list due to widespread concern over its strong Christian religious focus and a lack of racial, ethnic, and gender diversity. Democrats and public speakers argued that emphasizing Christian texts like ‘The Parable of the Prodigal Son’ conflicts with the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution. Critics also noted the list underrepresents Hispanic and Black students, despite forming the majority of Texas students, favoring classical literature and political addresses. Proponents, mostly Republicans, defended the religious texts as historically significant and emphasized the quality of classical literature over author demographics. The list, which will be mandatory if adopted, allows parents to opt out of instruction, though students might still be tested on the material.

Seventy individuals who gathered in St. Petersburg from across Russia to pray for the health of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky were detained by Russian authorities, who labeled the organization a “radical sect.” The group, reportedly created in Ukraine and focused on spiritual development, also discussed the war and praised the Ukrainian armed forces. One leader is identified as Olga Dautova, a professor from the St. Petersburg Academy of Postgraduate Pedagogical Education. The prayer included specific requests for the protection of Zelensky, his team, and various Ukrainian regions.