Some interesting law & religion stories from around the web this week:
- Egypt sentenced seven Coptic Christians to death in absentia for their involvement in the anti-Islamic film, “Innocence of Muslims”
- SNL broadcast a sketch about Jesus that some considered blasphemous (prosecution unlikely)
- Ireland apologized for failing to protect women incarcerated in Catholic Church-run “Magdalene” laundries
- Former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman endorsed gay marriage as a way to promote freedom of conscience
- Canada’s Prime Minister announced the establishment of a new Office of Religious Freedom and appointed Andrew Bennett as the first ambassador
- A California School District was sued over “inherently religious” yoga classes
- Ross Douthat proclaimed the end of a “distinctive Catholic moment” in American politics
- Netanyahu thanked Pope Benedict for deepening Christian-Jewish ties
- A Harvard law professor called a leading candidate to replace Pope Benedict an anti-Semite
- Vatican officials parsed the Holy See’s constitution to determine whether papal conclave might be moved forward
