The International Journal for Religious Freedom (IJRF)

How criminalizing hate speech in South Africa could unjustifiably censor religious views

Elizabeth Brink — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0100

South Africa’s Hate Speech Act includes broad definitions of “inciting harm” and “promoting or propagating hatred” and introduces significant ambiguity and subjectivity of statutory interpretation. Worryingly, the law comes in the wake of a trend of so-called hate speech laws across the world, including in national contexts and at the level of the United Nations, which have been intimately linked to the criminalization of speech relating to religious beliefs. The international legal framework for freedom of expression and opinion, and for freedom of religion or belief, provides a suitable basis by which to amend the law.

Church bells, chimes and calls to prayer: A religious blessing or noise nuisance?

Helena van Coller — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0100

Property owners have the right to enjoy their property free from noise nuisances but are equally obligated to use their property responsibly, respecting the rights of neighbours. In South Africa, noise nuisances, which include amplified sounds and church bells, are governed by national, provincial, and local regulations. While religious practices such as bell-ringing and calls to prayer (adhan) are protected under section 15 of the South African Constitution, these activities must be balanced with the need to maintain public peace. Case law highlights this balance, also emphasising respect for community rights.

The conceptual placement of atheism in secularist and post-secularist conceptions of society

Christo Lombaard — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0100

This paper draws a comparison between the intellectual placement afforded to atheism in social contexts with a foundationally secularist reflex and in those that are now moving beyond such secularist impulses. Describing these two kinds of contexts ideal-typically, that is, by placing them phenomenologically shows that atheism can be seen as occupying either a default no-religion position, placed above faith orientations, or a religious orientation within available alternatives, hence placed amongst faith orientations. The relevance of this issue for Africa is that many of these underlying assumptions about the treatment of atheism remain unacknowledged in Africa.

Towards an index on policies on and attitudes towards propagation of religion or belief

Christof Sauer — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0100

Propagating faith is a fundamental element of freedom of religion or belief. The datasets of the RAS Project at Bar-Ilan University include variables across states related to propagation of faith and conversion. They cover religious discrimination against minority religions; regulation of and restrictions on the religious practice of majority religion or all religions; explicit legislative limitations; explicit constitutional protection or limitation; and societal discrimination, harassment, acts of prejudice and violence against proselytising by minority religions. This study explores the feasibility of an index on government policies regarding propagation of religion or belief and societal attitudes and behaviours in that regard.

Tracking religious freedom violations with the Violent Incidents Database

Dennis P. Petri, Kyle J. Wisdom, John Bainbridge — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0100

Measuring and comparing religious freedom across countries and over time requires reliable and valid data sources. Existing religious freedom datasets are either based on the coding of qualitative data (such as the Religion and State Project or the Pew Research Center), on expert opinions (V-Dem or the World Watch List) or on surveys (Anti-Defamation League). Each of these approaches has its strengths and limitations. In this study, we present the Violent Incidents Database (VID), a complementary tool designed to collect, record, and analyze violent incidents related to violations of religious freedom based on media reports and
other public sources.

Noteworthy

IJRF — Sat, 31 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0100

The noteworthy items are structured in three groups: annual reports and global surveys, regional and country reports, and specific issues. Though we apply serious criteria in the selection of items noted, it is beyond our capacity to scrutinize the accuracy of every statement made. We therefore disclaim responsibility for the contents of the items noted. The compilation was produced by Janet Epp Buckingham.

Book Reviews

IJRF — Sat, 31 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0100

Methods to Explore Freedom of Religion and Belief: Whose Reality Counts?
Ending Persecution: Charting the path to global religious freedom
Towards A New Christian Political Realism: The Amsterdam School of Philosophy and the Role of Religion in International Relations
Equal and Inalienable Rights: Essays on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Religious Freedom and Covid-19: A European Perspective
The Non-Religious and the State: Seculars Crafting Their Lives in Different Frameworks from the Age of Revolution to the Current Day
Compact Atlas of Global Christianity
On the Dignity of Society: Catholic Social Teaching and Natural Law