Holly Hollman Archives – Baptist News Global

Religious liberty advocates divided over Supreme Court’s Trinity Lutheran decision

Reaction varied to Monday’s Supreme Court ruling siding with a Missouri church which had been denied public money to improve a school playground. Groups including the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty called it a blow to the separation of…

As high court hears arguments, BJC lawyer said Missouri church not entitled to taxpayer support

A Baptist church/state specialist said after oral arguments April 20 the U.S. Supreme Court should rule against a Missouri church seeking state aid to make its playground safer, citing Baptist history when colonial dissenters objected to paying taxes to support…

BJC lawyer urges defeat of Okla. no-aid repeal

A lawyer who specializes in religious liberty concerns urged Oklahoma supporters on the eve of Election Day to vote against a ballot initiative ending the state’s constitutional ban on using taxpayer funds for religious purposes. Baptist Joint Committee for Religious…

Church playground dispute erupts into battle over separation of church and state

A church playground in Missouri has become the battleground for the next big religious liberty case coming before the U.S. Supreme Court. This fall the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Trinity Lutheran of Columbia v. Pauley, a case…

BJC says churches not entitled to taxpayer funds

Missouri’s ban on taxpayer funding for churches does not represent hostility toward religion but rather is a time-tested means of protecting religious liberty and the separation of church and state, claims a new brief filed at the U.S. Supreme Court…

Do No Harm Act seeks to rein in RFRA claims

Some who 23 years ago worked for passage of a law ensuring broad protection of religious freedom say now the Religious Freedom Restoration Act needs tweaking so it can’t be used to discriminate against others. Groups including Americans United for…

BJC offers timely answers to questions about religious liberty

A new one-page resource advocates a “golden rule” for religious liberty. “Do not ask government to promote your religion if you don’t want government to promote somebody else’s religion; and do not permit government to hinder somebody else’s religion if…

What can we learn from Kentucky’s Rowan County clerk?

By General Counsel K. Hollyn Hollman For good or bad, a Kentucky clerk became the public face, complete with “Eye of the Tiger” soundtrack, for religious freedom claims relating to same-sex marriage. Following the Supreme Court’s marriage decision, the elected…

Challenges today defy easy answers, demand best efforts of Baptists and others

By General Counsel K. Hollyn Hollman These are trying times to promote “religious liberty for all” as the BJC mission statement demands. Many of the current challenges on the legal and cultural fronts are not conducive to easy answers.

Understanding religious liberty in the same-sex marriage cases

By General Counsel K. Hollyn Hollman Obergefell v. Hodges, the same-sex marriage case being argued before the U.S. Supreme Court this week, is not a First Amendment case. Its potential impact, however, has increased conversations about religious liberty, particularly the…

Utah compromise worth consideration

By General Counsel K. Hollyn Hollman Through our publications, blog, and website, the BJC regularly reports on state legislative action affecting religious liberty. Some of the most visible recent bills are state versions of the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act…

Religious freedom doesn’t require risking public health

By General Counsel K. Hollyn Hollman The recent measles outbreak and ensuing conversation about immunizations is not primarily a story about religion or religious exemptions. We are learning, again, that measles is a serious, and sometimes fatal, but preventable disease….