Christian Legal Studies (J.D.)

Program Overview

The Juris Doctor (J.D.) in Christian Legal Studies is for students who believe that a Christian can be a good lawyer and that the law can be a field of Christian service. The Christian tradition has thought about law from the beginning — in the Mosaic covenant, in Paul's letters, in Augustine and Aquinas, in the canonists who built the first modern legal system, in the Reformers, and in the abolitionists and civil rights leaders who turned the law against injustice. This program trains students to work in the law with that inheritance in view. With the core of a legal education — legal method and writing, constitutional law, civil obligations, procedure and evidence, and professional responsibility — students study biblical law and its reception; Christian jurisprudence from Augustine, Gratian, and Aquinas through Luther, Calvin, Grotius, and Blackstone; natural law and natural rights, including the medieval canonists' contribution to the idea of rights; the Christian contribution to human rights in the twentieth century; the ethics of the Christian lawyer, from client confidences to the counselling of moral considerations; and Christian conciliation, which applies the teaching of 1 Corinthians 6 and Matthew 18 to real disputes. Graduates serve in Christian legal and advocacy organizations, in compliance and policy roles, in conciliation ministries, and as teachers and writers. The J.D. thesis studies a contemporary legal problem through the Christian legal tradition. The degree is an academic and professional credential in Christian legal studies; it is not a qualifying law degree for admission to the bar, and graduates who intend to practise law must meet the licensing requirements of their own jurisdiction.

Core Courses

• JD 501 — Legal Method, Research, and Writing (9 credits)
• JD 510 — Constitutional Law and Fundamental Rights (9 credits)
• JD 520 — Contracts, Torts, and Civil Obligations (12 credits)
• JD 530 — Civil Procedure and Evidence (9 credits)
• JD 614 — The Christian Legal Tradition (9 credits)
• JD 624 — Christian Ethics and the Legal Profession (9 credits)
• JD 680 — Professional Responsibility (6 credits)
• JD 699 — Juris Doctor Thesis in Christian Legal Studies (9 credits)

Admission Requirements

• Bachelor's degree from a recognized institution
• Statement of purpose describing an interest in law and its relation to faith, ministry, or public service
• Analytical writing sample of at least 1,500 words
• Current résumé or ministry profile
• Official transcripts from prior institutions when available
• Signed acknowledgment that the degree is not a qualifying law degree for bar admission in any jurisdiction