One of the special interests listed in the profile of Harvard’s new Chief Chaplain is “meaning and purpose beyond religion.” A very striking deviation from the century-old tradition of religious guidance usually expected of a chaplain. 400-years in the making, Harvard, an institution whose original mission was to educate religious ministers, has elected its first openly atheist chapel minister.

The percentage of people not identifying under any religion has been growing in Northern Ireland. According to the Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey 2020, on question "Do you regard yourself as belonging to any particular religion?", about 27% of the population identified as non-religious, which is a 7% increase compared to the percentage of non-religious people in 2019.

On March 24th, 2021, House Bill No: 6538, otherwise known as "The Magna Carta of Religious Freedom", was approved by Philippine lawmakers. Authored by Deputy Speaker Eddie Villanueva and Representative Domingo Rivera, this bill was first approved on December 2nd, 2020, subject to amendments. Later in January, House Bill 8469 was filed by Camarines Sur 2nd District Rep.

The Republic of Sudan announced that it will remove the death penalty for apostasy by repealing Article 126 of the Penal Code.

Quebec is going to abolish a course in schools called “Ethics and Religious Culture” because it gives too much importance and attention to religion.