RELIGIOUS LIBERTY FOR ALL IN A POLARIZED AGE

Thomas Berg, leading scholar on law and religion, will speak at the fall Veninga Lecture Series on Religion and Society on October 12.

Thomas Berg is professor of law and public policy at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul

As Berg puts it, “We live in polarized times, and in recent years, disputes over religious liberty have contributed to the polarization. Many Americans tend to emphasize liberty and equality of, for example, Muslims or same-sex couples. Many others tend to emphasize it for conservative Christians.

There seems little overlap between those two groups.” As an advocate for the rights of all these groups, Berg will present reasons why giving significant protection to all of them is most consistent with our constitutional values, and principles for defining the rights in cases of conflict so that neither undermines the other.

Berg has written approximately 50 book chapters and journal articles and dozens of op-eds and shorter pieces on religious freedom, constitutional law and the role of religion in law, politics and society. His work has been cited several times by the U.S. Supreme Court and federal courts of appeals.

He teaches constitutional law, law and religion, intellectual property, and the religious liberty appellate clinic. In the clinic, Berg supervises students writing briefs on major religious liberty cases. He draws upon his expertise drafting nearly 40 briefs on issues of religious liberty and free speech in the Supreme Court and lower courts.

Free and Open to the Public

Thursday October 12, at 7 p.m.

UW Center for Civic Engagement, James F. Veninga Theater

625 Stewart Ave., Wausau

This program is made possible through the support of B.A. and Esther Greenheck Foundation, Bremer and Trollop Law Office, UW-Marathon County, Mark and Anne Bradley, Chris and Paul Bremer Muggli, and Linda and Lane Ware.

 

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