Arkansan keeping religious-panel post

WASHINGTON — A former Harding University executive vice president and professor of business has been reappointed to serve on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, the organization announced Friday.

James Carr, who joined the commission early this year, is to serve through May 14, 2022.

U.S. Rep. French Hill, R-Ark., initially recommended Carr for the post.

The commission, established by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, describes itself as an “independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze and report on threats to religious freedom abroad.”

Carr, a member of the Churches of Christ, has called the free exercise of religion “a basic human right.”

This isn’t the Arkansan’s first federal post.

During the presidency of George W. Bush, he was placed on the National Security Education Board.

Carr was one of six commissioners, including chairman Tony Perkins, reappointed.

“I look forward to serving another two years with my colleagues and continuing our work to promote freedom of religion or belief for all,” Perkins said in a written statement.

The nine-member body works well together, Carr said in an email.

“I have enjoyed this immensely — it’s a very fine board supported by an incredible staff with a concern for those who are harassed, imprisoned and even executed because of their faith,” he wrote. “There is as great a sense of bipartisanship as I have ever observed in a group that is split almost evenly between Democrat and Republican appointees.”