By Matt Walters, Gardner-Webb University Communications
In January, BJC General Counsel K. Hollyn Hollman spoke twice on the Gardner-Webb University campus, first discussing religion and the presidency as part of the university’s“Life of the Scholar” program and then sharing from her life experiences during the university’s Dimensions Program. While on campus, she was interviewed by Matt Walters, Gardner-Webb’s assistant director for executive communications, about First Amendment issues and religious liberty. Here are excerpts from that interview.
On the centrality of freedom to Baptists and to the greater American identity:
It’s important, as part of our history, to realize that [freedom] goes to the very crux of who we are, [to realize] that as individuals, we are created free and are responsible for the choices that we make. In America, that [freedom] is protected, and it’s protected largely because of efforts of religious people who fought for that freedom. That power was not given easily. It’s important to remember that historical reason for your freedom, because that makes you appreciate it and exercise it responsibly. As Americans, we should be proud that when it comes to religious freedom, we are the envy of the world. The Founders very ably and with great genius set up a system that removed religion as a basis for governing. They didn’t remove it from any influence; we have great religious influence in our society. But as a matter of government, they created a government that is free for all people and is not defined by any particular religious tradition.
On how American Christians should use their freedom:
It is a life’s work to figure out how to use the freedom that we’re given. One, to recognize it, to claim it, to know that God wants you to have that, that He wants you to see God’s work alive in the world. If you don’t claim that freedom, you might be convinced that God is sort of restricted — restricted by rules, restricted by religion sometimes — instead of being alive. As Christians, we are taught that we are free in Christ, and that we worship a living God that works not just in historic, biblical times but every day. … [T]he call to freedom that I always try to look to and struggle with is to exercise that freedom of the love of Christ, [a freedom] that cannot be held by any government and that certainly cannot be defined by any Republican or Democrat and their vision for America, but it is much greater than that. We are called to use our freedom responsibly in service and love to one another.
On the proper relationship between citizens’ religious convictions and their political choices:
[M]any citizens want to elect people who share their values. That’s understandable. But we make a real mistake when we equate a political party or a candidate with our religious affiliation, or when we equate our governmental leaders with our religious leaders or with our God, with our commitment to Christ. It is important to recognize that we [Christians] are citizens of two kingdoms. We are citizens of our political community, and — in that citizenship — we have a responsibility to all in our political community. Those people who we elect, we elect to serve all. We do not elect our officials to lead our churches. We are also, of course, citizens of the Kingdom of God. It’s important to recognize the dual citizenship that we have. I always encourage people to not get those confused, [but] to educate yourself as a citizen and to know that government officials are responsible to all citizens without regard to religion, and that’s as it should be. At the same time, as Christians, we can ask our government officials the hard questions and tell them what our values are. But we should not try to apply a religious test. We should stand by our Founders’ design of a government that does not equate political citizenship with our religious views and be very careful that we guard that. [We should] be glad that there are people being raised in various religious traditions who are strong Americans and can be wonderful leaders. That’s the kind of country that we have.
