North Georgia Congressman and U.S. Senate candidate Doug Collins in the recipient of the Torchbearer Award from the Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty.
Collins, a Gainesville Republican, received the award Monday at a ceremony in downtown Gainesville. According to officials with the Chaplain Alliance, the award is given to those who have lifted high the torch of religious liberty to ensure that members of the U.S. armed services remain free to worship according to the dictates of their consciences.
Capt. Craig Muehler, Retired Navy Chaplain and President of Chaplain Alliance, who also serves as endorser for The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, praised Collins.
"Representative Collins has been a stalwart defender of religious liberty, often working behind the scenes, to ensure military members may worship God freely," Muehler said.
Chaplain (COL) Ron Crews, Executive Director of Chaplain Alliance said, “Representative Collins happens to be my personal Representative, so it is a great pleasure to present this award to him here in his hometown. Representative Collins has never refused a call for help when religious liberty has been threatened.”
Special guest for the Monday-night event was Mike Berry, General Counsel for First Liberty Institute.
“Representative Collins has committed his life to the cause of religious freedom for our military, first as a chaplain, and then as a Member of Congress," Berry said. "He personifies the kind of tireless warrior who is deserving of the Torchbearer Award."
In addition to his profession as an attorney, Collins is a pastor and an Air Force chaplain.
