Law and Theology Seminar

3 units

This course provides an introduction to the intersection of law and theology (as distinct from law and religion, law and political theory, or jurisprudence). The course focuses on Christian theology due to the influence of Christianity on the Western legal tradition, much as a course on jurisprudence would typically focus on Anglo-American jurisprudence to the neglect of important works of Islamic jurisprudence, Chinese legal thought, and other non-Western traditions. Students are welcomed and encouraged to approach this class sympathetically, critically, or comparatively. This course has no formal prerequisites, but students should have a passing familiarity with Augustine, Aquinas, Calvin, Luther, Locke, and Rawls. Students without this background should read Sheldon Wolin's Politics and Vision prior to the beginning of the semester. The course is geared toward law students but is also open to advanced graduate students with a basic understanding of American legal education (e.g., graduate students who have a J.D. or whose graduate work has focused on American law.) Please note that laptops and other electronic devices are not permitted in class. [BCCCR Requirement: this course contains 2 hours of BCCCR instruction.]