News October 2002

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NEWS RELEASE
Contact: Jonathan Gallagher/Viola Hughes
Tel: 301.680.6686
Fax: 301.680.6695

Silver Spring, MD… [IRLA news] October 10, 2002. At its board meeting yesterday, the International Religious Liberty Association (IRLA) re-elected Denton Lotz as president for the term 2002-2004. Other officers re-elected were John Graz (secretary general), Jonathan Gallagher (deputy secretary general), and Don Robinson (treasurer).

“It has been a pleasure working with Denton this past year, and we are happy to be working with him again,” says John Graz, secretary general. “We are honored to have someone like Denton whose passion for religious freedom is demonstrated in his daily commitment to defend human rights for people everywhere.”

Dr. Lotz also serves as secretary general for the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) office in Falls Church, Virginia, USA, since 1988. A part of his responsibilities include representing the BWA to world governments and other international bodies in defending human rights.

Prior to his position as general secretary, Lotz served the BWA as director of evangelism and education. An international speak and author, Lotz’s commitment to racial reconciliation was the catalyst for the formation of the BWA Special Commission on Baptists Against Racism and Ethnic Conflict, which produced the Harare Declaration in 1993 and the Decade for Racial Justice.

Dr. Lotz received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill in 1961, the Bachelor of Sacred Theology from Harvard Divinity School in 1966, and his Doctor of Theology from the University of Hamburg, Germany.

“It has been a joy to work with the IRLA and John Graz to defend and encourage religious freedom all over the world,” says Dr. Denton Lotz, president of IRLA. “I believe the IRLA is making a significant contribution in educating the role of religion in society as a peacemaker. We need to work together to ensure human rights and religious freedom of people everywhere.”

Chartered in 1893, the IRLA has advocated for religious freedom for 105 years. It is incorporated as a tax-exempt educational organization. The IRLA works with government and educational institutions to disseminate principles of religious liberty and human rights throughout the world. For more information on the IRLA, visit www.irla.org. [Viola Hughes]