The Relevance of Religion to a Lawyer's Work: Legal Ethics

Abstract:     
In this essay, my focus is on the interdisciplinary question of whether religious studies and theology contribute anything to legal ethics. I argue that both theological and religious ethics are important contributors to legal ethics, but that law requires theology's role to be different from that of the related discipline of religious studies. We do not want a theological legal ethics; theology is best debated and resolved among members of the same tradition. Instead, we depend on lawyers to employ the language of public reason. Theology motivates individual lawyers and may inspire them to conscientiously object to the norms of the profession. Religious studies assists them in translating their theological convictions into norms of public reason. Religion and theology also have a place in the daily life of the profession. Religious as well as philosophical comprehensive doctrines that encourage people to be good lawyers are an important part of legal ethics. Such comprehensive doctrines need not be privatized.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 31

Keywords: legal ethics, religion, public reason

Accepted Paper Series