Spotlight on Incoming 1L Chris Holinger


Q. Briefly tell us about yourself. 

Hometown: Lewiston, Maine
Undergraduate School: Gordon College
Major: Business Administration
A. I’m a husband and father doing my best to live according to God’s call on my life. I served in the United States Air Force for 22 years, but now I am called in a new direction.

Q. How will you spend your final months of freedom before law school begins? 
A. Having fun with my kids in our pool and going on scout camping trips. Travelling with the whole family to Alaska to fish, camp, and relax. Taking my wife out to all the local restaurants we’ve been dying to try. Hosting my retirement ceremony and party.

Q. How did you know that Regent Law is the right law school for you? 
A. I graduated from a Christian college that placed a lot of emphasis on integrating faith and learning and integrating faith into one’s vocation. I have been part of a military ministry throughout my career that teaches officers to make their faith an integral part of their professional lives and serve as Christ’s ambassadors in the military. When I learned how aggressively Regent seeks to integrate faith with the study and practice of law, I knew it was a perfect fit for me. I know people with similar values will surround me, and they will challenge me to excel not for personal gain but to bring glory to God through my work.

Q. You’re a husband, father, and have served the military for 22 years. How have these roles and your professional experiences shaped your perspective of law school? 
A. As part of the commissioning oath, officers swear to support and defend the United States Constitution against all enemies, both foreign and domestic. In recent years, I have become convinced that our constitution and our form of government are under a greater threat from domestic enemies than the foreign ones I faced throughout my career. Law school is basic training for the fight to defend the Constitution against domestic enemies. I really want my kids and grandkids to grow up in an America that has preserved the ideas that make it unique, not one that has decided to just go along with the rest of the world.

Q. What does becoming a lawyer mean to you? 
A. It means I will be able to engage in the legal arena in whatever role God calls me and help people in a concrete and meaningful way. I want to influence some small corner of the legal system with a Christian/biblical worldview because I think that has been lost and our system has suffered because of it.

Q. How do you plan to tackle the challenges of law school? 
A. Deliberate planning, careful time management, and lots of prayer.

Q. Which class/classes are you excited to take? 
A. Anything related to the Constitution, Christian Foundations of Law, and practicums/externships that will provide opportunities for hands-on learning.

Q. What kind of law do you hope to practice after graduation? 
A. I’m trying to be very open to God’s direction over the next few years. Either constitutional/appellate work (like the ACLJ) or some combination of family law and legal aid work. I think it’s unfortunate that our government and legal system has become so complicated and difficult that average citizens stand a very good chance of being denied justice in a host of areas if they can’t afford a good lawyer.

Q. What is your favorite book and why? 
A. Other than the Bible, How Now Shall We Live? by Charles Colson and Nancy Pearcey. This was the first book I read that explained worldviews to me and helped me understand how philosophy and worldviews shape every aspect of our culture and our lives, from individual relationships to whole societies, the arts, education, science, politics, and law. Worldview explains how people “do life” together and why.

Q. What is your favorite Bible verse? 
A. Proverbs 3:5-7. Everyone knows verses 5 and 6, but verse 7 is a good word of caution to people who tend to be high achievers and confident in themselves. It reminds us that our own wisdom is not sufficient for success if we don’t fear (revere) God.

Q. If you could meet with anyone alive or dead, who would it be and why? 
A. I’m sure the right “Christian” response would be “Jesus,” and spending time with him would be great. I’d love to ask him all of the tough questions that we seem to grapple with as we try to accurately interpret his words in the New Testament. Also, I would have loved to have the chance to meet and talk to Charles Colson. His life and testimony are fascinating.

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