Noted Commentator to Talk on Obama and Religious Liberty
WHO/WHAT:
“The Fictitious War on Religious Liberty.” The University of Illinois at Chicago presents a talk by commentator and former U.S. Ambassador Douglas W. Kmiec, professor and Caruso Family Chair in Constitutional Law at Pepperdine University.
WHEN:
March 14
3 p.m.
WHERE:
Student Services Building, Conference Rooms B & C
1200 W. Harrison St.
DETAILS:
With public attention focused on issues involving religion and politics, Kmiec will dispute the assertion of some that President Obama is at war with religious liberty. He will address the legal protection of religious liberty, “coerced secularism,” why politics needs religion, and what the American experience means for the rest of the world.
Kmiec, a Catholic Republican, gained notoriety during the 2008 presidential campaign when he endorsed Obama and authored the book, “Can Catholics Support Him?: Asking the Big Questions about Barack Obama.”
Obama nominated Kmiec in 2009 to serve as U.S. ambassador to Malta, a post he held for almost two years. From 1985 to 1989, he served as constitutional legal counsel for the Reagan and Bush administrations.
He has had a syndicated column for the Catholic News Service and also wrote a regular column in the Chicago Tribune. He is a frequent contributor to various publications and is often interviewed by national media on matters of constitutional law.
The talk is part of the Catholic studies lecture series at UIC. Admission is free. For more information, call (312) 355-3448.
