American freedoms lecture to feature religious liberty advocate

Holly Hollman, general counsel and associate executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, will deliver the 2017 Isaac Backus American Freedoms Lecture on Tues., April 25 at 6 p.m. The talk is titled “Religious Liberty Challenges and Opportunities: An American Story.” It will be held in La Sierra’s Cossentine Hall, room 100.

Hollman will explain how religious liberty is protected by the American legal system and why people should challenge the system to take responsibility for protecting that legacy. The discussion will draw from historical examples and recent court cases in order to illustrate the principles of religious liberty. She will also explain how Christians can respond constructively in difficult debates. Hollman will talk about her work with the Baptist Joint Committee and how it shares a legacy with Isaac Backus and other colonial Baptists in defending religious liberty.

Hollman provides legal analysis before Congress, the courts and administrative agencies. Working with the Baptist Joint Committee has also given Hollman the opportunity to regularly consult with churches, individuals, and organizations about religious liberty issues. She closely works with members of the media and has appeared in numerous publications and broadcasts. Her work also includes preparing friend-of-the-court briefs, issuing briefings for congressional staff, and giving presentations for researchers and religious groups.

Hollman is also a member of the District of Colombia, U.S. Supreme Court, and the state of Tennessee bars. Prior to her work with the Baptist Joint Committee, she worked as an attorney in private practice specializing in employment law and litigation. 

Hollman is a graduate of Wake Forest University and received her law degree from the University of Tennessee, College of Law. She was also a member of the Tennessee Law Review and the National Moot Court Team.

Established in 1986, the Isaac Backus American Freedoms Endowment was founded with a gift from the estate of sisters Florence and Eleanor Backus, longtime residents of Riverside.  The founders’ interests in the endowment sprang from the example of their colonial ancestor, Isaac Backus (1724-1806), a leading Baptist preacher and a dissenter who fought the imposition of religious taxes and generally championed the cause of religious freedom. Backus supported the American War for Independence which he saw as a battle for religious freedom. The endowment funds an annual lecture delivered on the campus of La Sierra University.

Admission to the Isaac Backus American Freedoms Lecture is free. La Sierra University is located at 4500 Riverwalk Parkway, Riverside. A campus map is available at https://lasierra.edu/campus-map/.