UBC Christian Law Students Association

A service-oriented community of law students putting their faith into action

Christian Legal Resources

Christian Law Organizations

	We encourage all members to join the Christian Legal Fellowship (CLF), Canada's nationwide fellowship of Christian lawyers, judges, academics, and law students. While this page can point you toward some great books and other resources, nothing here can substitute for the encouragement and support of belonging to this body of flesh-and-blood believers who are involved in every aspect of the Canadian legal system. Membership also gives you the opportunity to apply for a CLF mentor, to attend subsidized the national CLF conferences in September and January, to participate in regular chapter meetings, and gives you a subscription to the CLF's Christian Legal Journal publication and the CLF national member directory (Click here for the CLF's "Top 10 reasons to join" or click here for a student's brief description of how he's been blessed to be a part of the CLF, and click here for information on how to become a member).
	The Christian Legal Society is the US equivalent to the CLF. Due to its greater size, it has some useful resources which aren't available through the CLF (see book suggestions below). Its Institute for Christian Legal Studies (ICLS) is particularly valuable.
	The Lawyers Christian Fellowship is the UK equivalent to the CLF. Like the Christian Legal Society of hte US, it also contains many useful resources. You can check out their website here.

Remedial Reading

The law is laden with values and assumptions, and so is teaching of the law. It is no surprise that a secular humanist university teaches law from this worldview. Here are some resources to help you think critically about the way you are being taught the law at UBC, and to be able to articulate a Christian response.

Reading Lists

	The ICLS (mentioned above) offers a comprehensive Electronic Bibliography for Christian Law Students
	The CLS's Institute for Christian Legal Studies Spring 2002 newsletter has the following suggestions.

Libraries

	A wonderful resource for UBC students is the Regent Carey Library - all UBC students can get a free Regent library card; the library is located downstairs in Regent College at the intersection of University Boulevard and Wesbrook Mall. It has many of the books recommended in the ICLS bibliography above.
	The Christian Law Students Association has a private book, audio cassette, and CD collection from which members are free to borrow. A number of these books are also held in the UBC library system. Here's the list. Contact the club e-mail address if you'd like to borrow something from us, or help yourself to the library version for those available that way.
	The UBC library has many other books of interest to Christians, including many of those recommended in the ICLS bibliography above.

Online devotionals

The CLF has a 20-week Devotional program

Good books to start with

(Legend: the letters in parentheses after the book description indicate where it can be found: (C)LSA private collection, (R)egent Carey Library, (U)BC libraries)

	Budziszewski, J. Written on the Heart: The Case for Natural Law. Intervarsity, 1997. A very readable, entertaining, and basic introduction to natural law theory. This is the perfect resource for the busy law student who is willing to take the time to read a relatively easy 228 pages. Despite its accessibility, it is a scholarly primer, with index and numerous notes. (description from the CLS bibliography below) (C, R)
	Allegretti, Joseph. The Lawyer's Calling: Christian Faith and Legal Practice. New York: Paulist Press: 1996. Professor Allegretti compares the metaphors which the world uses (like gunslinger) to describe lawyers with biblical alternatives (like healer). (C, R)
	Budziszewksi, J. What We Can't Not Know: A Guide. Dallas: Spence, 2001.
	George, Robert P. and Wolfe, Christopher. Natural law and public reason. Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Press, 2000. (including such essays as "abortion, natural law, and public reason" and "political liberalism, public reason, and the citizen of faith") (R, U)
	George, Robert P. In Defense of natural law. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999. (R, U)
	Finnis, John. Aquinas: moral, political, and legal theory. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998 (A heavier philosophical work) (R)

Online articles and books

	The Acquaintance with Things Human and Divine - very brief account of the biblical source of the civil law.
	What's a Nice Christian Like You Doing in a Profession Like This? by Professor Mike Schutt of ICLS
	Integration and Integrity: Integration of Faith Into Practice, by Professor Schutt
	The ICLS has available for download A Study on the Biblical Foundations of Procedural Law

Purchasing Links

CLS Resources Catalogue

Starting a CLSA at another Canadian law school

	Contact the CLF and let them know of your intentions. They desire to help you in every way they can!
	The US CLS's Law School Ministries arm publishes a Student Group Manual which, although it does contain a fair bit of US-specific information, is still worth a read.

Miscellaneous

E-Sword free bible study software (multiple translations, search abilities, etc.)

Send mail to ubc_clsa@yahoo.ca with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2007 UBC Christian Law Students Association. Reproduction by other CLSA chapters for non-profit use is permitted. No other use is permitted except with prior permission from the CLSA executive.
Last modified: August 29, 2007