tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16443507352741747522024-03-13T22:07:10.835-07:00Regent Law Students & Alumni BlogRegent University School of Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053409599918131703noreply@blogger.comBlogger100125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1644350735274174752.post-63892768055410428662015-01-05T22:00:00.000-08:002015-01-05T22:31:18.683-08:00Torture: A Biblical Perspective<div class="mceTemp" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 15.5555562973022px; line-height: 26.6666679382324px;">
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<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Image Courtesy of <a data-mce-href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/shankaronline/" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/shankaronline/" style="-webkit-user-drag: none;" target="_blank">Shankar S.</a></dd></dl>
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At the outset I feel obliged to acknowledge that torture is a technical and complicated legal issue. However, the issue of torture also implicates God’s eternal law; the law which we must all one day answer to. Simply put, the Biblical truth-claims involved in dealing with government torture are necessarily the very same ones that literally form the basis for how we approach other human beings in every facet of our lives.</div>
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As Christians we have come to the correct conclusion that the word of the one true God (the Bible) is completely authoritative over all areas of our lives, including justice and public policy. This doesn’t mean that the Bible explicitly deals with every moral and ethical quandary we may face in life, but the principles of the Biblical narrative, taken as a whole, must primarily guide our beliefs. This is why a Christian’s worldview must be a Biblically consistent one. Remember Luther’s <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>battle cry: <i>sola scriptura</i>. Does the Bible speak directly and/or explicitly on the issue of torture? No, but it does provide the necessary principles to come to the correct position to this issue.</div>
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The more important question here is are we willing to let the Bible frame our position on the issue of torture no matter how uncomfortable or insecure it may make us?</div>
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The word “torture” comes from the Latin <i>tortus</i>, which means to twist. From a legal perspective, there are a myriad of definitions already in place from statues to the UN Convention on Torture, to the Geneva Conventions. They are generally very similar in nature, but I cite one below for a general reference. According to Part 1, Article 1 of the <a data-mce-href="http://www.hrweb.org/legal/cat.html" href="http://www.hrweb.org/legal/cat.html">UN <span class="s2">Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment</span></a><span class="s2">, torture is defined as:</span></div>
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For the purposes of this Convention, torture means any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity. It does not include pain or suffering arising only from, inherent in or incidental to lawful sanctions.</blockquote>
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Whether or not you agree with the release of the <a data-mce-href="http://www.intelligence.senate.gov/study2014/sscistudy1.pdf" href="http://www.intelligence.senate.gov/study2014/sscistudy1.pdf">Senate report</a> on the CIA’s enhanced interrogation program, it is clear, even if the report is biased, that the U.S. Government engaged in at least some acts of torture under the premise of protecting American citizens against Islamic terrorism. But can such a reason, or any reason for that matter, be Biblically justified? In a word, no. Many Christian leaders have articulated this position, people like <a data-mce-href="http://www.breakpoint.org/bpcommentaries/entry/13/26559" href="http://www.breakpoint.org/bpcommentaries/entry/13/26559">Eric Metaxas</a> and <a data-mce-href="http://www.breakpoint.org/listen/entry/38/26572" href="http://www.breakpoint.org/listen/entry/38/26572">John Stonestreet</a>. To date, I have seen only <a data-mce-href="http://thefederalist.com/2014/12/17/yes-christians-can-support-torture/" href="http://thefederalist.com/2014/12/17/yes-christians-can-support-torture/">one commentator</a> even attempt to use the Bible to support the use of torture. Unfortunately, the article itself was very near torturous in its misapplication and misunderstanding of the Biblical text.</div>
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<span class="s4">Allow me to briefly frame the issue of torture before delving into it. We are dealing with action by the government, not individuals. This distinction is important because it leads us directly to Romans 13:1-7. This passage stands for the proposition that God instituted governments among men, that they have been delegated with limited authority to administer temporal justice here on earth, and that they bear specific tools toward their designated end. </span><span class="s3">As Jesus noted, what defiles a man comes from within (<i>see</i> Mark 7:20-22). While it is clear that sin originates within the heart (Matt. 15:19, Matt. 5:21-23, 27-28), governments are only authorized to punish the outward manifestation of sin in the form of deeds or omissions (compare Jeremiah 17:10, with Romans 13:3-4, Deuteronomy 17:6, 19:15). From Romans 13 we see that the government is given only the sword (to kill) and the ability to tax (including civil fines). God hasn’t given the Government complete authority over the administration of justice, because we, as limited, sinful beings, are incapable of correctly providing complete justice. It is the <i>process</i> of justice that renders justice in a temporal sense because we cannot look into a man’s heart and mind. God provides eternal justice. (<i>See </i>Jeremiah 17:10).</span></div>
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<span class="s3">Romans 13:4 notes that government serves as an “avenger” or “revenger” (literally one who inflicts punishment in return for an injury or offense). The key point here is that government’s limited role in justice is that of paying back for offenses, not doling out punishment for the state of a man’s heart or for prospective crimes (<i>see</i> Leviticus 24:17-22). Governments can’t kill a person because they might or even will kill again; governments kill people because they have killed in the past and have been tried and convicted. (Deuteronomy 16:20). It is holy to kill a murderer for taking, or sometimes even attempting to take, a life. (Genesis 9:6.) It is holy to kill an adulterer for having a single affair. (Leviticus 20:10.) It is not holy to torture a man in the hopes that even a million sinful lives can be temporarily spared. </span><span class="s5">No terrorist can justly be tortured for the sake of saving one person or a million in the future because </span><span class="s3">there are no “innocent” people for a government to save (<i>see </i>Romans 3:23). As Christians we must remember that the authority of government in providing justice is narrow, limited, and but a shadow of the true justice Christ will bring. (Matt. 10:28.)</span></div>
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<span class="s3">As a creation of God, human governments are capable of and required to administer their limited authority in a holy manner. In fact, holiness is required of each of us even in our fleshly bodies (1 Peter 1:14-16). Borrowing from the law of God, we have a template for holy governance. Capital punishment then, is necessarily a holy act. And if a holy act, it is fundamentally an act of love to all involved, even to the one put to death. This understanding lead Abraham Kuyper in his lecture, “<a data-mce-href="http://www.neocalvinisme.nl/ak/calv/akstone3.html" href="http://www.neocalvinisme.nl/ak/calv/akstone3.html"><span class="s6">Calvinism and Politics</span></a>,” to exclaim:</span></div>
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<span class="s3">"Thus God, ordaining the powers that be, in order that, through their instrumentality, He might maintain His justice against the strivings of sin, has given to the magistrate the terrible right of life and death. Therefore all the powers that be, whether in empires or in republics, in cities or in states, rule “by the grace of God.” For the same reason justice bears a holy character. And from the same motive every citizen is bound to obey, not only from dread of punishment, but for the sake of conscience.”</span></blockquote>
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<span class="s3">Government must ever be cognizant of human dignity in the administration of its solemn duties. Torture for information and/or to stop a prospective threat can never be described as an act of love toward the tortured since it is focused on only one side of this equation. In that context, torture consists of using a human being as a means to an end for the benefit of other sinful human beings. This cannot be.</span></div>
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<span class="s3">Perhaps we should focus on whether or not it’s wrong not to do everything theoretically possible to prevent murder. We as a nation agree with the Bible that the answer to this is 'no.' Consider our policy not to negotiate with terrorists. This position tragically and necessarily leads to some deaths at the hands of terrorists, but our government bears no culpability for those heinous crimes. Simply put, to torture a terrorist is to become a terrorist regardless of one’s motivation because whether as punishment or an exercise of force to procure information, torture fundamentally undermines human dignity.</span></div>
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<span class="s3">This leads to another argument I have come across as a justification of torture. The argument suggests that a person by engaging in sinful acts justifying capital punishment somehow forfeits their human dignity. However, this argument falls flat from a Biblical perspective. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>No one has the ability or authority to forfeit their image bearing status, no matter how depraved (I don’t care what Aquinas said). <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I think those that appeal to the human dignity argument are really appealing to<i> imago dei</i>, but the fact is this: the most evil men in history bore the image of God. It’s not something that one provides himself so it’s not something one can lose or give up. We only live because Christ sustains us. The terrorist may forfeit his right to life for planning, organizing, and contributing to acts of terrorism, but he can’t give up his right to human dignity because it isn’t dependent upon him. His human dignity remains intact while Christ sustains the life in his veins. As the Hebrew denotes, we are a “shadow” of God. We are all of equal value in that sense. Therefore the government killing a person justly convicted of a capital offense is nothing less than an expression of pure love. Indeed, the capital offenses contained in the Old Testament relate directly to the breaking of the greatest commandments according to Jesus (loving God and loving others). It is out of respect for human dignity that we kill for certain crimes, but only upon a conviction or in defense of an immediate threat of death. </span><span style="font-size: 15.5555562973022px; line-height: 26.6666679382324px;">Compare these verses:</span></div>
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<span class="s3">"Say to them, ‘As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?’” (Ezekiel 33:11 ESV)</span></blockquote>
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<span class="s3">Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.” (Psalm 116:15)</span></blockquote>
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<span class="s5">The argument for the legitimacy of sacrificing one for the sake of the many has only one application in all of history. It occurred when the sinless God-man was crucified and purchased with his blood all those who would accept him.</span> <span class="s5">When a government does what ours did to people (yes, islamic terrorists are people) under its enhanced interrogation program, it isn't keeping its people safe; it's sinning, which is never "safe."</span><span class="s3"> I submit that it is not naive to stand on moral principle, even in the face of Islamic terrorists. Doing so recognizes that to remain faithful to the solemn and holy task of justice, we must recognize and distinguish between right and wrong even when plumes of smoke from falling buildings fill our streets, our eyes, and our lungs, while grey clouds of ash and disintegrated cement envelope us into a fog of confusion, anger, and fear.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081894527922637997noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1644350735274174752.post-51283328204491459942014-12-11T11:51:00.002-08:002014-12-11T20:24:27.027-08:00Christmas: Why the Virgin Birth?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://joelsdunn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/9532581603_208c10dcfd_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://joelsdunn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/9532581603_208c10dcfd_z.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Image courtesy of Flickr user <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/wwworks/" target="_blank">woodleywonderworks</a>.</span></div>
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The celebration of the birth of Messiah is not a sacrament. It is not doctrinal. It is neither sanctioned nor is it prescribed by the Bible. In fact, for a majority of Protestant history, Christmas was considered to be a pagan celebration of the Catholic Church. From Calvin, to Jonathan Edwards, many Church leaders have recognized this point, not only did they refuse to celebrate Christmas, but they were stalwart in their opposition to it.<br />
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In America, the Puritans, like the reformers themselves, abhorred the celebration of Christmas such that they made it specifically illegal.<br />
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"For preventing disorders, arising in several places within this jurisdiction by reason of some still observing such festivals as were superstitiously kept in other communities, to the great dishonor of God and offense of others: it is therefore ordered by this court and the authority thereof that whosoever shall be found observing any such day as Christmas or the like, either by forbearing of labor, feasting, or any other way, upon any such account as aforesaid, every such person so offending shall pay for every such offence five shilling as a fine to the county."</blockquote>
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<i>From the records of the General Court,<br />Massachusetts Bay Colony<br />May 11, 1659</i></blockquote>
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However, other respected Church leaders like Luther and Charles Spurgeon, allowed for this celebration notwithstanding its fundamentally pagan roots. <a href="http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/1026.htm" target="_blank">Spurgeon, in his 1871 sermon</a> on Christmas, said:<br />
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"We have no superstitious regard for times and seasons. Certainly we do not believe in the present ecclesiastical arrangement called Christmas: first, because we do not believe in the <u>mass</u> at all, but abhor it, whether it be said or sung in Latin or in English; and, secondly, because we find no Scriptural warrant whatever for observing any day as the birthday of the Saviour; and, consequently, its observance is a superstition, because not of divine authority... It was not till the middle of the third century that any part of the church celebrated the nativity of our Lord; and it was not till very long after the Western church had set the example, that the Eastern adopted it.... Nevertheless since, the current of men's thoughts is led this way just now, and I see no evil in the current itself, I shall launch the bark of our discourse upon that stream, and make use of the fact, which I shall neither justify nor condemn, by endeavoring to lead your thoughts in the same direction. Since it is lawful, and even laudable, to meditate upon the incarnation of the Lord upon any day in the year, it cannot be in the power of other men's superstitions to render such a meditation improper for to-day. Regarding not the day, let us, nevertheless, give God thanks for the gift of his dear son."</blockquote>
Therefore, since its widespread acceptance among Evangelicals, the celebration of Christmas has become an important tool in emphasizing the veracity and import of the gospel message: that God sent His only begotten Son to die as a ransom for many in order to establish for Himself the Kingdom of Heaven. Right or wrong, the story of the conception and birth of the Lion of Judah remains known as the “Christmas story.”<br />
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That being said, I think that the significance of God’s ingress into time and space cannot be overstated. The entirety of the gospel hinges on the authenticity of this truth-claim. If Jesus did not fulfill <u>every</u> prophecy that foretold Messiah, then He was <u>not</u> Messiah. One prophecy in particular has stood out to me this year:<br />
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<i>Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.” </i><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah7&amp;version=NASB#fen-NASB-17797m" target="_blank">Isaiah 7:14 (NASB)</a></blockquote>
NOTE: I understand that there is some ambiguity in the translation for the word "virgin" in this passage. This word may very well have a double meaning: (1) "A young woman of marrying age" in reference to Isaiah's wife, AND (2) "a virgin" since the gospels explicitly affirm the virgin birth. We must always use the entire context of the Bible when interpreting Scripture. Therefore, I believe that this prophecy had a typological fulfillment in the time of Isaiah, but its ultimate fulfillment was in the virgin birth of Messiah.<br />
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<i><b><br /></b></i></h3>
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<i><b>What is the significance of the virgin birth? Is it just to affirm the deity of Christ or is there some ancillary meaning associated with Messiah being born of a virgin?</b></i></h3>
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<i><b><br /></b></i></div>
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Before we delve into these questions, let us revisit Jesus’
conception.</div>
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<i>And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear
a son, and you shall call his name Jesus… The Holy Spirit will come upon
you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the
child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.” </i><a href="http://www.esvbible.org/Luke+1%3A31/">Luke 1:31,35 (ESV)</a></blockquote>
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I think most Orthodox Christians would affirm that Yeshua
was indeed virgin born, that it happened to fulfill Isaiah’s prophecy, and that
it confirms His identity as Immanuel (God with us). But I think that there is
much more to God’s decision to send Messiah in this way. In fact, I think this
was the <b><i>only way</i></b> Messiah could have come. This
thought originates from the book of Leviticus:</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“<i><u>For the life of the flesh is in the blood</u>, and I
have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is
the blood that makes atonement by the life… <sup>14</sup>For the life of
every creature is its blood: its blood is its life. Therefore I have said to
the people of Israel, You shall not eat the blood of any creature, for the life
of every creature is its blood. Whoever eats it shall be cut off.”</i> <a href="http://www.esvbible.org/Leviticus+17:11/">Leviticus 17:11, 14 (ESV)</a> (emphasis
added).</blockquote>
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As the Bible articulates it, life is within the blood. When
God breathed into the nostrils of His first human, life was infused into his
bloodstream and he became a living being. Today we understand blood to be,</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“the
fluid circulating through the heart, arteries, capillaries, and veins, carrying
nutriment and oxygen to body cells, and removing waste products and carbon
dioxide. It consists of the liquid portion (the plasma) and the formed elements
(erythrocytes, leukocytes, and platelets).”<a href="http://joelsdunn.com/christmas/?preview=true&preview_id=571&preview_nonce=d26e04f510#_ftn1" title=""><sup>[1]</sup></a> </blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Accordingly, the Leviticus passage does an
adequate job of relating the anthropological and theological origin story found
in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%202:7&version=NASB">Genesis
2:7</a> to the actual biological processes found within the human body.
Life is <i>contained</i> within the blood. The blood carries fresh
oxygen from the lungs to the body and removes that which is toxic as it leaves.
Blood makes life possible. According to the Genesis account, not only do our
bodies run on oxygen just as the animals do, but there is also a transcendent
component to the breath in our lungs that separates us from them.<a href="http://joelsdunn.com/christmas/?preview=true&preview_id=571&preview_nonce=d26e04f510#_ftn2" title=""><sup>[2]</sup></a>However, there’s something else to know about Adam:
the origin and meaning of his name. This statement may seem odd, but I think it
is vitally important to the theological underpinnings of the New Testament.
Below is a chart of two Hebrew words. The first is the Hebrew word for blood.
The second is the Hebrew name, Adam.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td colspan="2" style="border-top: solid #DDDDDD 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-top-alt: solid #DDDDDD .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 0in 4.5pt 0in; width: 217.0pt;" width="217"><div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H1818&t=KJV">Strong’s
H1818</a> – dam (Blood)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">דָּם</span><o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td colspan="2" style="border-top: solid #DDDDDD 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-top-alt: solid #DDDDDD .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 0in 4.5pt 0in; width: 226.0pt;" width="226"><div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H120&t=KJV">Strong’s
H120</a> – ‘adam (Adam)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">אָדָם</span><o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td style="border-top: solid #DDDDDD 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-top-alt: solid #DDDDDD .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 0in 4.5pt 0in; width: 95.0pt;" width="95"><div class="MsoNormal">
Transliteration<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>dam</i><o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-top: solid #DDDDDD 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-top-alt: solid #DDDDDD .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 0in 4.5pt 0in; width: 122.0pt;" width="122"><div class="MsoNormal">
Phonetic Pronunciation<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>dawm</i><o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-top: solid #DDDDDD 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-top-alt: solid #DDDDDD .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 0in 4.5pt 0in; width: 95.0pt;" width="95"><div class="MsoNormal">
Transliteration<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>‘adam</i><o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-top: solid #DDDDDD 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-top-alt: solid #DDDDDD .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 0in 4.5pt 0in; width: 131.0pt;" width="131"><div class="MsoNormal">
Phonetic Pronunciation<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>aw-dawm</i><o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td colspan="2" style="border-top: solid #DDDDDD 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-top-alt: solid #DDDDDD .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 0in 4.5pt 0in; width: 217.0pt;" width="217"><div class="MsoNormal">
Outline of Biblical Usage<o:p></o:p></div>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Blood<o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</td>
<td colspan="2" style="border-top: solid #DDDDDD 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-top-alt: solid #DDDDDD .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 0in 4.5pt 0in; width: 226.0pt;" width="226"><div class="MsoNormal">
Outline of Biblical Usage<o:p></o:p></div>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l5 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">Man,
mankind<o:p></o:p></li>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l5 level2 lfo2; tab-stops: list 1.0in;">Man,
human being<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l5 level2 lfo2; tab-stops: list 1.0in;">Adam,
first man<o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Etymology</b>: From <a href="http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?strongs=H119&t=KJV"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">אָדַם</span> (H119)</a> which
means red<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Firstly, notice that “Adam” comes from a very similar root
that means “red,” the color of blood. <b>In gematria, </b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">א</span> represents the number 1.</b> Adam’s
name is the word “blood” with an additional letter at the beginning (Hebrew
reads from right to left). That extra letter is “<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleph">Aleph</a>.” It is the first letter of
the Hebrew alphabet. Also, this letter happens to have special significance. To
the Hebrews, their alphabet served also as a numbering system. From the
earliest Jewish traditions, <a href="http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Grammar/Unit_Eight/Hebrew_Gematria/hebrew_gematria.html">gematria</a> has
played a special role in understanding concepts within words or
phrases. I am <u>not</u> suggesting that there are “Bible-codes” or
anything of the sort. I’m simply saying that for millennia, Jews have used
their alphabet to express numeric values, especially within the scriptures to
help them better understand the concepts that God relays through them.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What makes this so interesting to me is how poignantly
meticulous God is in His redemptive plan from the very beginning. In summation:<o:p></o:p></div>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in;">The
name, Adam, comes from a root that means red, which is the color of blood
and it’s spelling is almost identical.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in;">Adam
consists of the word “blood” and the letter aleph, which represents the
number 1.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in;">Several
scriptures, including <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%2015:45&version=NASB">1
Corinthians 15:45</a> and <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%205:14&version=NASB">Romans
5:14</a> show a special connection between the first man of creation
and the firstborn over all creation.<o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This information together leads me to believe that God
placed something beautiful in Adam’s name. I think that, in addition to its
plain meaning, “Adam” means: <b><i><u>First Blood</u></i></b>. Adam is the
beginning of the human race. We all come from common blood. We all share some
of the life that was breathed into the veins of Adam by God himself. Adam was a
type, his anti-type being Christ. This by itself is a beautiful thought,
but it is focused on humanity as much as it is God.<br />
<br /></div>
<h3>
<b><i>What effect did The Fall have?</i></b></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<a href="http://www.esvbible.org/Genesis+3/">Genesis 3</a> recounts
The Fall of man. In it we see death instituted as a consequence for
disobedience. In addition, the Bible paints the picture of The Fall in such a
way that it serves to condemn every individual, and it does so in a very
peculiar way. Here are a few verses to illustrate the point.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="background: white; border-collapse: collapse; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 540px;">
<tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="border-top: solid #DDDDDD 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-top-alt: solid #DDDDDD .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 0in 4.5pt 0in; width: 221.0pt;" width="221"><ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l6 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in;">“…
from before birth you were called a rebel.”<a href="http://www.esvbible.org/Isaiah+48:8/">Isaiah 48:8 (ESV)</a><o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l6 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in;">“Behold,
I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.”<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2051:5&version=NASB">Psalm
51:5 (NASB)</a><o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l6 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in;">“The
wicked are estranged from the womb; These who speak lies go astray from
birth.”<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2058:3&version=NASB">Psalms
58:3 (NASB)</a><o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>
</td>
<td style="border-top: solid #DDDDDD 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-top-alt: solid #DDDDDD .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 0in 4.5pt 0in; width: 221.0pt;" width="221"><ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list .5in;">“…
for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth.’”<a href="http://www.esvbible.org/Genesis+8%3A21/">Genesis 8:21b (ESV)</a><o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list .5in;">“Therefore,
just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through
sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned…
Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was
not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to
come.”<a href="http://www.esvbible.org/Romans+5%3A12/">Romans 5:12,14
(ESV)</a><o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>
</td>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
This Romans passage affirms, like many others, that the
consequence of The Fall rests on us all. It rests on us from birth. If both my
parents are sinful to the core, then I will necessarily be corrupted from
conception. Why? Because the life in my veins was created through the union of
my parents. When a man and a woman conceive a child, the child is an
amalgamation of the genetic material of the parents. This unification of
genetic material, borrowing from the two sets to create one, renders a unique DNA
set. The Fall of man effected humanity to its core. It corrupted the pure life
that God breathed into Adam and his wife, who would only now (after The Fall)
be called Eve because she was to become the mother of all the living.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is an established physiological fact that the mother’s
blood is neither the <b><u>source nor supply</u></b> of the blood in
the unborn infant’s veins.<a href="http://joelsdunn.com/christmas/?preview=true&preview_id=571&preview_nonce=d26e04f510#_ftn3" title=""><sup>[3]</sup></a> Without the vital contribution of the male no
blood could be produced because the female, of herself, does not produce the
elements essential for the production of new blood. Gray’s Anatomy, a
recognized medical authority, states:</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>The fetal and maternal blood currents traverse the
placenta, the former passing through the blood vessels of the placental villi
and the latter through the intervillous space. <u>The two currents do not
intermingle</u>, being separated from each other by the delicate walls of the
villi. Nevertheless, the fetal blood is able to absorb, through the walls of
the villi, oxygen and nutritive materials from the maternal blood, and give up
to the latter its waste products.”<a href="http://joelsdunn.com/christmas/?preview=true&preview_id=571&preview_nonce=d26e04f510#_ftn4" title=""><b><sup>[4]</sup></b></a></i></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Therefore, it is only the contribution of the male which
leads to the development of new blood. While the female’s ovum is the basis for
the production of human flesh, it is the male’s introduction of sperm that
allows for the creation of life according to the understanding of life from the
Leviticus passage above. This biological fact renders Christ’s virgin birth
essential to His efficacy as a blood sacrifice that could actually serve to
remove sin from humanity.<sup><a href="http://joelsdunn.com/christmas/?preview=true&preview_id=571&preview_nonce=d26e04f510#_ftn5" title="">[5]</a></sup></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>The blood of animals cannot take away the sins of men</i>. <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%2010:4&version=NLV">Hebrews
10:4 (NASB)</a></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I think the passage below shows the clearest picture of the
significance of the virgin birth of Jesus and how the biological aspects of
blood are pivotal in understanding how Christ, as the second Adam, could be
sinless despite taking on flesh. <b> </b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
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<tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td style="border-top: solid #DDDDDD 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-top-alt: solid #DDDDDD .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 0in 4.5pt 0in; width: 222.0pt;" width="222"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Hebrews 2:14 </b>(NASB) Therefore, since the
children share (koinōneō) in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also
partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had
the power of death, that is, the devil,<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-top: solid #DDDDDD 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-top-alt: solid #DDDDDD .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 0in 4.5pt 0in; width: 221.0pt;" width="221"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Hebrews 2:14 </b>(KJV) Forasmuch then as the
children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part
of (metechō) the same; that through death he might destroy him that had
the power of death, that is, the devil;<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="border-top: solid #DDDDDD 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-top-alt: solid #DDDDDD .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 0in 4.5pt 0in; width: 222.0pt;" width="222"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i>Koinōneō</i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in;">To
come into communion or fellowship with, to become a sharer, be made a
partner<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in;">To
enter into fellowship, join one’s self to an associate, make one’s self
a sharer or partner<o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>
</td>
<td style="border-top: solid #DDDDDD 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-top-alt: solid #DDDDDD .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 0in 4.5pt 0in; width: 221.0pt;" width="221"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i>Metechō </i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo7; tab-stops: list .5in;">To
be or become partaker<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo7; tab-stops: list .5in;">To
partake<o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
God has often worked through a child whose existence is
impossible. Notice here that the “children,” that is the human children, are
said to be <b>partakers </b>of flesh and blood. Then speaking of
Jesus, the King James says that He “<b>himself likewise took part of the same.</b>”
The Greek word rendered “<i>took part of the same</i>” (KJV), as applying to
Christ, is an entirely different word than “<i>share</i>” (NASB) as applied to
the children. The Greek word for partakers is κοινωνέω (koinōneō) and means “to
share fully,” so that all of Adam’s children share fully in Adam’s <b><i><u>flesh
and blood</u></i></b>. When we read that Jesus “took part of the same” the word
is μετέχω (metechō), which means to take “part”, but not all. This word implies
“taking part in something outside one’s self.” So whereas the Children
take both flesh and blood of Adam, <b><i><u>Christ (the second Adam) took
only part, that is the flesh (from his mother), while the blood was the result
of supernatural conception</u>. </i></b>As Timothy Keller points out in
His commentary on the Book of Judges:</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>The Old Testaments births occurred in the
shadow of disgrace (the mother being in a state of barrenness ), but Christ’s
birth brought disgrace upon both mother and Son. <b>And out of His
disgrace, He brought the fullness of the grace of God to mankind</b></i><b>.”</b></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jesus was a perfect human being.<a href="http://joelsdunn.com/christmas/?preview=true&preview_id=571&preview_nonce=d26e04f510#_ftn6" title=""><sup>[6]</sup></a> He was of the seed of David according to the
flesh,<a href="http://joelsdunn.com/christmas/?preview=true&preview_id=571&preview_nonce=d26e04f510#_ftn7" title=""><sup>[7]</sup></a>but His blood is that part which was the divine
addition. This allowed for His physical conception with uncorrupted blood.
In the creation of man, Adam’s body was made from the dust of the earth and God
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.<a href="http://joelsdunn.com/christmas/?preview=true&preview_id=571&preview_nonce=d26e04f510#_ftn8" title=""><sup>[8]</sup></a>The first Adam’s blood was corrupted and sin
transmitted through it to all mankind. In the last Adam, a new and divine and
sinless blood was produced in a body that was still the seed of Adam. This
resulted in the production of a new, uncorrupted human bloodline.<a href="http://joelsdunn.com/christmas/?preview=true&preview_id=571&preview_nonce=d26e04f510#_ftn9" title=""><sup>[9]</sup></a> For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ
shall all be made alive.<a href="http://www.esvbible.org/1+Corinthians+15%3A22/">1
Corinthians 15:22 (ESV)</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mary contributed the body of Jesus. The Holy Spirit
contributed the Blood of Jesus.It was Divine blood. It was pure, sinless blood.
It was truly innocent blood. And it was specifically prepared to be spilled by
those for whom it was made to save.<o:p></o:p></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Whatever has a defect, you shall not offer, for it will not
be accepted for you.</i> <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus+22%3A20&version=NASB">Leviticus
22:20</a></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with
blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.</i><a href="http://www.esvbible.org/Hebrews+9%3A22/">Hebrews 9:22 (ESV)</a></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jesus had to be fully human so as to be an appropriate blood
sacrifice, but he also had to have uncorrupted blood so as to be our Savior.<o:p></o:p></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable
things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from
your forefathers,<b> </b>but with precious blood, as of
a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.</i> <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+peter+1%3A18-19&version=NASB">1
Peter 1:18-19</a></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Conception by the Holy Ghost, then, was the only way justice
could be fully administered and salvation fully accomplished. And so,
Jesus, the second Adam and first-born from among the dead, accomplished on the
cross what could only have started in the womb of a virgin.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and
who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne,
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the
dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us
and released us from our sins by His blood— and He has made us to
be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to
Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.</i> <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation%201:4-6&version=NASB">Revelation
1:4-6 (NASB)</a></blockquote>
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<hr align="left" size="0" width="33%" />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://joelsdunn.com/christmas/?preview=true&preview_id=571&preview_nonce=d26e04f510#_ftnref1" title="">[1]</a> “ Blood,” Dorland’s Medical Dictionary for Health
Consumers, 2007.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://joelsdunn.com/christmas/?preview=true&preview_id=571&preview_nonce=d26e04f510#_ftnref2" title="">[2]</a> The phrase “breath of life” (Hebrew: <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">נשמה</span> </b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">חי</span></b> <i>nĕshamah chay</i>)
is different from the similarly translated Hebrew phrase: <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">רוח</span> </b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">חי</span> </b><i>ruwach chay</i> (<i>See</i>,
Genesis 7:15), which signifies the general “breath of life” which animals also
possess. It appears that the breath of life in this passage is used exclusively
for God or humankind, which bolsters the proposition that mankind, as made in
the image of God (Genesis 1:26), is a distinct being that is fundamentally
different from the animal kingdom. Even Deuteronomy 20:16, using the Hebrew
phrase <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">כֹּל</span> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">נשמה</span></b> <i>kol nĕshamah</i> (suggesting
literally “everything that breathes”), is clarified by verse 17, elucidating
that the passage is specifically talking about the people groups of the
Promised Land<i>. See also</i> Genesis 1:2, which uses <i>kol</i> to
signify everything within a specific subset of the animals consistent with this
interpretation.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://joelsdunn.com/christmas/?preview=true&preview_id=571&preview_nonce=d26e04f510#_ftnref3" title="">[3]</a> <i>Howell’s Textbook of Physiology</i>, Second Edition,
pages 885 and 886, <i>Williams’ Practice of Obstetrics</i>, Third Ed. page
133, Louise Zabriskie, R.N., <i>Nurse’s Handbook of Obstetrics</i>, Fifth
Ed. p. 75.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://joelsdunn.com/christmas/?preview=true&preview_id=571&preview_nonce=d26e04f510#_ftnref4" title="">[4]</a> The Bartleby.com edition of Gray’s <i>Anatomy of the
Human Body</i>.<a href="http://education.yahoo.com/reference/gray/subjects/subject/12">http://education.yahoo.com/reference/gray/subjects/subject/12</a> (emphasis
added)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://joelsdunn.com/christmas/?preview=true&preview_id=571&preview_nonce=d26e04f510#_ftnref5" title="">[5]</a> See <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%201:7&version=NASB">Ephesians
1:7</a>, <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%202:13&version=NASB">2:13</a>; <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians%201:14&version=NASB">Colossians
1:14</a>; <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%209:12&version=NASB">Hebrews
9:12</a>; <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%2010:4&version=NASB">Hebrews
10:4</a>, <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%2010:11-12&version=NASB">11-12</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://joelsdunn.com/christmas/?preview=true&preview_id=571&preview_nonce=d26e04f510#_ftnref6" title="">[6]</a> See <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2010:30&version=NASB">John
10:30</a> in the context of <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%205:48&version=NASB">Matthew
5:48</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://joelsdunn.com/christmas/?preview=true&preview_id=571&preview_nonce=d26e04f510#_ftnref7" title="">[7]</a> See <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%201:1-17&version=NASB">Matthew
1:1-17</a>; <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%203:23-38&version=NASB">Luke
3:23-38</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://joelsdunn.com/christmas/?preview=true&preview_id=571&preview_nonce=d26e04f510#_ftnref8" title="">[8]</a> See <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%202:7&version=NASB">Genesis
2:7</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://joelsdunn.com/christmas/?preview=true&preview_id=571&preview_nonce=d26e04f510#_ftnref9" title="">[9]</a> See <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%203:8&version=NASB">Luke
3:8</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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This post has been republished from my personal <a href="http://joelsdunn.com/christmas" target="_blank">blog</a>.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081894527922637997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1644350735274174752.post-2886271960104712722014-06-20T11:03:00.000-07:002014-06-20T11:06:13.186-07:00What is Law?<div class="one-third first">
<div class="quote-box">
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have recently been taking time for some much needed reflection on the law. I've worked through questions like: What is law? What is the purpose of law? What can law teach me about the nature and character of God? How do I properly integrated my understanding of law, its purpose, and its execution into a fundamental and systematic biblical worldview? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Against the backdrop of these questions I have some thoughts I though worth sharing:</span></div>
</div>
<div class="one-third second">
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small; text-decoration: underline;"><b>LAW</b></span> n.
<strong>1.</strong> The regime that orders human activities and relations through systematic application of the force of politically organized society, or through social pressure, backed by force, in such a society; the legal system
<a href="http://legalsolutions.thomsonreuters.com/law-products/Dictionaries-and-Reference/Blacks-Law-Dictionary-9th/p/100006359">Black’s Law Dictionary, 9th ed.</a>.</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether." <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2019:7-9&version=NASB">Psalm 19:7-9 (NASB)</a></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"No human society has ever been able to maintain both order and freedom, both cohesiveness and liberty apart from the moral precepts of the Christian religion…. Should our Republic ever forget this fundamental precept of governance…this great experiment will then surely be doomed." <b>-</b> <a href="http://www.heritage.org/research/lecture/why-religious-values-support-american-values">John Jay</a>, First Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i class="fa fa-gavel fa-5x"></i></span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Law is foundational to civil society. Whether they are the rules that apply in the realm of your parent’s house, city ordinances, state law, federal statute, or by decree of the king, the fundamental purpose of law is like that of any legitimate rule in any context:
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>to preserve, promote, and protect relationships</strong>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<!--StartFragment--><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As
the <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c3a1.htm">Catechism
of the Catholic Church</a> suggests, “<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">[l]aw is a
rule of conduct enacted by competent authority for the sake of the common good.
The moral law presupposes the rational order, established among creatures for
their good and to serve their final end, by the power, wisdom, and goodness of
the Creator. ‘Such an ordinance of reason is what one calls law.’”<span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1644350735274174752#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">[1]</span></span></a></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Law is, in its primary sense, a standard duly established and promulgated by a delegated authority in conformity with the laws of nature and nature’s God, in whom all authority is ultimately vested. In its most familiar context, government is that authority. The point I have asserted here is well stated by Roger Scructon in his <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 28.88888931274414px;">article titled</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #4e5e67; line-height: 28.88888931274414px;"> “</span><a href="http://www.firstthings.com/article/2014/06/the-good-of-government?utm_source=First+Things+Subscribers&utm_campaign=cf32bde0d2-5_27_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_28bf775c26-cf32bde0d2-172562721" target="_blank">The Good of Government</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #4e5e67; line-height: 28.88888931274414px;">.”</span> The following is an excerpt from that piece:
</span><br />
<blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Government is a search for order, and for power only insofar as power is required by order. It is present in the family, in the village, in the free associations of neighbors, and in the “little platoons” extolled by Burke and Tocqueville. It is there in the first movement of affection and good will, from which the bonds of society grow. For it is simply the other side of freedom, and the thing that makes freedom possible.”</span></div>
</blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Scructon’s worldview (based solely on the article linked above) seems ultimately incompatible with that of the Christian. However, he rightly apprehends the government as the guarantor (not the grantor) of human freedom. We cannot not be deceived into a belief, as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sovereign_citizen_movement">sovereign citizen movement</a> has, that Rousseau was correct in suggesting that we are “born free.” Government is not an impediment to human freedom from which one must be unshackled. Rather, it guarantees human freedom by legitimate force through the authority vested it in, not by men, not by itself, by the author of the natural law. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Scructon argues in his article that “the human individual is a social construct,” noting the fundamental transformation of political and anthropological suppositions, the individual being a hallmark of modern philosophical thought. He appears to assert, I think correctly, that humans are not free “in the state of nature”, but “by nature,” i.e., in accordance with the natural law. He says that this is “because we can <em>become</em> free, in the course of our development,” (emphasis in original) which necessarily involves relationship with others. Kant’s categorical imperative commanding us to treat rational beings as ends only and not as means does so because real relationship (a prerequisite for humanity) can never be forced. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Law exists because the family, and not the individual, is the fundamental and irreducible basis of humanity. Relationship is fundamental to human existence, and since, now, humans exist in a state of brokenness, law has been established to promote temporal freedom from the bondage into which we are born.
</span><br />
<blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. <a href="http://esvbible.org/Romans+8/">(Romans 8:3-4, ESV)</a></span></blockquote>
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1644350735274174752#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: 'Athelas Regular'; font-size: 9pt;">[1]</span></span></a><span style="font-family: 'Athelas Regular'; font-size: 9pt;"> Leo XIII, <i>Libertas præstantissimum</i>: AAS 20 (1887/88),597; cf. St. Thomas Aquinas, <i>STh</i> I-II,90,1.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081894527922637997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1644350735274174752.post-7487744245747545422013-06-18T07:51:00.000-07:002014-05-08T07:59:30.193-07:00Remembering A Father In The Law<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yXtNOJE8-_o/UcByeNUq72I/AAAAAAAAAE8/EED0KI5dxag/s1600/J_TylerMakepeace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yXtNOJE8-_o/UcByeNUq72I/AAAAAAAAAE8/EED0KI5dxag/s200/J_TylerMakepeace.jpg" height="200" width="170" /></a>Last Friday I was with my four-year old son on our first
camping trip when I received the message that my dear friend and mentor Tyler
Makepeace had gone to be with His Lord and Savior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being Father’s day weekend, I realized for
the first time how Tyler had in many respects been a father in the law to
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I first met him at a Christian
Legal Society Conference a number of years ago, he shared his vision for
Courtside Ministries with me and how he believed, even as an attorney in
Colorado Springs, that the people of Chicago would be enormously blessed by a
ministry devoted to praying for those coming in and out of their
courts—particularly the busiest criminal court in America at 26th and
California where Al Capone often appeared and where on any given day you can
sit in on one of 10-12 murder trials.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So
he asked me to pray with him for God to bring Courtside to Chicago, and God
did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God did <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and is still doing </i>abundantly more than Tyler, I, and others asked
or imagined he would do here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In just a
year and a half’s time, Courtside Ministries has prayed for thousands of
people, led hundreds of people to or back to the Lord and into local churches,
and has expanded to four different courthouses in the Chicagoland area
alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am so glad Tyler was able to
witness the fruition of the seeds he faithfully planted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still remember the child-like joy with
which he shared the news that Courtside is now operating in California, Indiana,
Illinois and Colorado and looking at opportunities at 23 other courthouses
across the country <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and even in few other
countries</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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I will miss him, his words of encouragement and wisdom, and
his fighting spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I will remember
him with each testimony we receive from the Courtside tables, like the man last
week who said to our prayer volunteers as he was leaving the courthouse,
"you saved a soul today."</div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am so glad Tyler
now has a front row seat to watch the ripple effects of the good work he
started.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before he left us, he
encouraged us to share his story with others, so please take a quick moment to
hear him in his <a href="http://words.net/2013/02/15/a-remedy-for-miserable-exhausted-and-alone-tylers-story/" target="_blank">own words</a>.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
And if you would like to support his ministry or see it come
to a courthouse near you, please feel free to contact me or visit our website
at: <a href="http://courtsideministries.org/" target="_blank">http://courtsideministries.org/ </a></div>
<br />
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And in honor of how Tyler led his life, and because the rest
of us have a lot of wonderful work to do, I leave you with this: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7UY8inmKHU" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7UY8inmKHU</a></span>
</div>
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“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable,
always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour
is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Cor. 15:58</div>
Noelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00740203749679227217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1644350735274174752.post-21309015797316596482013-03-13T09:47:00.000-07:002013-04-08T06:54:11.402-07:00Advice On Holy Habits and Juggling Acts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Against a beautiful backdrop of softly falling snow (a treat for this Florida girl), I delighted in the opportunity to speak to the Regent Law faculty and students during their annual spiritual retreat on January 24.<br />
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Our panel of three alumni followed an inspiring keynote speech by David Nammo, executive director of Christian Legal Society. He spoke of the importance of developing “holy habits” while in law school – because, believe it or not, kids, life actually gets busier after law school.<br />
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Yep! It’s true. While the pressures of toting highlighters and casebooks into every coffee shop you frequent are blissfully off, other pressures are full on. Swap out study hours for billable hours, final exams for annual reviews, and regularly scheduled homework assignments from your favorite professor for spontaneous, need-it-yesterday research assignments from your not-so-favorite partner, and welcome to a whole new world of chaos.<br />
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And that’s just your work life chaos. We haven’t even scratched the surface of the other daily pressures clamoring for your starved attention. Family members, laundry piles, mail stacks, bills and loans, yards and cars, grocery stores and dentist chairs. What about church? Ministry? Friends? A little quiet time, perhaps? Dare I say exercise?<br />
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Time is precious. Especially when measured in 6-minute increments. This is the first lesson every lawyer learns when released from the ivory white halls of academia.<br />
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Here’s a piece of advice dispensed from a well-loved judge I had the privilege to clerk for: Life is not a balancing act. There will always be more than two things you’re balancing – thus, it’s more of a juggling act.<br />
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When juggling, she says, be mindful of what’s in front of you at any given point in time. Sometimes, the priorities you’re juggling are like rubber and they’ll “bounce back” if you must drop one to keep others moving. Other times, you’re dealing with crystal – if dropped, it will shatter into a million unrecoverable pieces. The real trick is knowing when your rubber balls sometimes “morph” into crystal ones and vice-versa. A keen awareness of the ever-changing seasons of your life will aid your juggling efforts – is your family right now a crystal ball or rubber ball? Is that weekend work deadline crystal or rubber? Discernment at this level could save you from making a costly mistake.<br />
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While we’re on the topic of life-saving advice, I wanted to expand my thoughts on the four types of “holy habits” I shared about in brief on the panel. For the next four blog installments, I will dig a little deeper on these tried and true Biblical concepts: 1) First Fruits, 2) Honoring Authority, 3) Increasing Responsibility, and 4) Reaping and Sowing.<br />
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I look forward to journeying deeper with you into the Word on this blog. What I've found in the early stages of my legal career is that taking time to unlock the principles of His Kingdom – and turn them into “holy habits” – seems to unlock some sort of gate from Heaven from which all manner of unimaginable blessing flows.<br />
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And all that juggling? Way more manageable with an extra Helping Hand from above.Regent University School of Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053409599918131703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1644350735274174752.post-10177195995856825182013-02-18T06:57:00.000-08:002013-04-08T06:54:43.959-07:00Another week, another story<span style="background-color: #fffefc; color: #515151; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.546875px;">Greetings!</span><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Aqj5VhJ35Ao/Tj_3cly0qmI/AAAAAAAACQg/6gUNxiz3j08/s1600/vitto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Aqj5VhJ35Ao/Tj_3cly0qmI/AAAAAAAACQg/6gUNxiz3j08/s1600/vitto.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="background-color: #fffefc; color: #515151; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.546875px;">Another week, another huge sports story with legal implications. I'm not sure how many of you have followed the rise of Oscar Pistorius, but he is a South African sprinter. The more important point is that Pistorius is a double amputee and that he runs on plastic blades. And he ran fast enough to compete in the Olympics. Tragically on Valentine's Day, Pistorius shot and killed his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. The initial reports were that the death was a Valentine's Day surprise gone wrong as Pistorius mistook Steenkamp for a burglar. This theory has already been ruled out due to today's revevlations that Steenkamp was shot through the bathroom door of Pistorius' apartment. Here's some more info (courtesy of CNN):</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/18/world/africa/south-africa-pistorius-case/index.html?hpt=hp_t1" target="_blank">http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/18/world/africa/south-africa-pistorius-case/index.html?hpt=hp_t1</a><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fffefc; color: #515151; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.546875px;">There are so many different elements to this case it is hard to pick out just one. Violence against women is one facet that hopefully will get enough attention and won't be overshadowed by Pistorius' celebrity. Pistorius is considered a national hero in South Africa so the media coverage of his trial will be astounding. Police had apparently been called to Pistorius' apartment before to settle disputes between the two and there have been accusations that Pistorius' had a massive temper due to "roid-rage." As the trial unfolds more will come out about what exactly happened that night. Pistorius' has already lost some of his sponsors and more continue to leave. One very unfortunate ad that I saw was a picture of Pistorius leaving his starting blocks with the line, "I am the bullet in the chamber." Innocent at the time but now those words take on a whole new meaning.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fffefc; color: #515151; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.546875px;">I have found as I've gotten older that I have a harder time attempting to stay neutral in cases such as this. Crimes of this nature, especially if fueled by rage-inducing steroids are terrible. But, sometimes, these are the consequences from men who choose to do whatever possible to succeed. The case of Lance Armstrong is another example, though, many argue, that his cheating resulted in millions of dollars worth of funding for cancer research. The line continues to blur. And morality continues to suffer. Til next time.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fffefc; color: #515151; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.546875px;">Dave</span>Regent University School of Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053409599918131703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1644350735274174752.post-14818941344742287362013-01-30T06:56:00.000-08:002013-04-08T06:55:15.100-07:00Trying to Leave a Legacy<span style="background-color: #fffefc; color: #515151; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.546875px;">Hello All!</span><br />
<br style="background-color: #fffefc; color: #515151; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.546875px;" />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Aqj5VhJ35Ao/Tj_3cly0qmI/AAAAAAAACQg/6gUNxiz3j08/s1600/vitto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Aqj5VhJ35Ao/Tj_3cly0qmI/AAAAAAAACQg/6gUNxiz3j08/s1600/vitto.jpg" /></a><span style="background-color: #fffefc; color: #515151; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.546875px;">I hope this post finds you well. So much has happened. It has been some time since my last post and I apologize for the gap. Things have escalated quickly. When you start signing up for extracurricular's in law school, you can't exactly guess how much time you are going to have to dedicate to each enterprise. My personal pledge of time is usually quite significant as I get really into whatever I am doing and tend to zone everything else out. Well, in law school, that's not really an option as I still have to stay diligent with my classes. It's a constant balancing act, but with practice, it makes every day busy and interesting, and, at the end, that's all you can really ask for. To be challenged, as frequently as possible. I wanted to post a story about an issue that I have blogged about in the past, that of NCAA athletes being paid for their competition.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fffefc; color: #515151; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.546875px;"><a href="http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/8895337/judge-rules-ncaa-athletes-legally-pursue-television-money">http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/8895337/judge-rules-ncaa-athletes-legally-pursue-television-money</a></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fffefc; color: #515151; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.546875px;">(link courtesy of ESPN). A judge has dismissed a motion by the NCAA to prevent college athletes from trying to pursue a share of television contracts. This isn't yet the knockout blow in the case against the NCAA, but it is a small victory for those players who maintain that they should be compensated for their competition. The case is a very big deal considering how much money (especially television contracts) is tied up in these conferences and NCAA championships. The case has been scheduled for argument on June 20.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fffefc; color: #515151; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.546875px;">In other news, I am now in my final semester of law school and am preparing to take the Bar exam. There will be many more posts concerning this upcoming test. I don't think I can compose all my thoughts as of right now. So much more to come!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fffefc; color: #515151; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.546875px;">All the best,</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fffefc; color: #515151; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.546875px;">Dave</span>Regent University School of Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053409599918131703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1644350735274174752.post-46322893894631425282013-01-08T07:48:00.000-08:002013-04-08T06:55:43.362-07:00Hope Springs from New Job with the Center for Global Justice<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Today, I am feeling much more at peace about beginning this semester; last week, not so much. Coming back is always hard, but then Philippians and Hebrews reminded me that I must persevere! This will be an incredibly rewarding semester for me. One of the reasons I chose to come to Regent Law was the Center for Global Justice, Human Rights and the Rule of Law. This wonderful organization at the Law School works to promote justice through partnership collaboration, awareness building, and equipping law students and professions to advocate for the “least of these.” I have volunteered on the Student Volunteer Team for the past year researching potential partner organizations and researching Teen Courts around the nation, for the prospect of starting one here in the Virginia Beach area. Now, I am excited to have the opportunity to work for the Center as a Graduate Assistant. This is very exciting, because it means I will get to be more intimate with the Center’s partners, events, and procedures. I am grateful for the opportunity to learn from this wonderful team! They really seem to understand the power of God in advocating and promoting justice for those who cannot speak for themselves. The Center works in several areas: the legal protection of children (my favorite!), human trafficking, corrupt government issues, the rule of law development, and religious freedom. One of the reasons for the peace that will come with this job is knowing that I am doing something I really enjoy. Law school is not always enjoyable, but this is an opportunity to do something tangible that I am passionate about and hope will become a career, regardless of how that looks in regard to the legal profession!</span>Regent University School of Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053409599918131703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1644350735274174752.post-48359102997306176222012-12-04T18:42:00.000-08:002013-03-06T08:36:54.046-08:00Tis the SeasonThis week begins finals weeks for us! Monday, I had my first exam in Constitutional Law 1. It was difficult and took every bit of attention I had at 9am on a monday morning, during a three hour exam. By God's grace, I am 1 exam down. That is reason to rejoice in itself. I really enjoyed Con Law this semester. We learned so much more than the Constitution; we get to learn about history and how our Constitution was developed based on the common law in England and the English King and Parliament system, as well as what the Framers of our Constitution had in mind. Learning about the Founders' ideas of federalism, separation of powers, and the roles each branch would have puts today's political atmosphere in perspective. The Framers would have no idea how huge the government has become or how much discretion judges would have in deciding "cases and controversies." I've really learned a lot in this class and I'm excited for Con Law 2, but mostly I'm glad it's over! Now, I have a research article due on friday and three exams next week. I'm remembering how I felt last year: long days, much exhaustion, lots of notecards and tired hands! All in all, I'm excited for how much I'm learning, how my memory is expanding, and how the Lord is coming through for me. It has also given me a chance to have some serious relationship building time, while preparing and "sharing in the suffering" with my colleagues and roommates!Regent University School of Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053409599918131703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1644350735274174752.post-11737032218191287882012-10-30T15:34:00.001-07:002013-03-06T07:17:50.442-08:00UpdateThe Lord has been teaching me so many things in the past few months. I have been reminded a lot lately as to why I am in law school and what the Lord is training me for. I am currently learning about rule of law development and have listened to many prominent people, who have written constitutions for other countries and have helped develop democracies in post-war countries. It has been very interesting to see bright-eyed people with big hopes for governmental reform actually go to other countries and seek the Lord's heart for reform, some with success and some not so much. Simultaneously, I have been writing a paper on the rule of law in Guatemala regarding the adoption system and its current reputation for "baby stealing." This has become a very interesting topic that unfortunately has spawned as a result of unethical attorneys and government notaries. The people supposedly upholding the rule of law are actually destroying it. While the government is trying to remedy these accusations, much time and effort is still to come. I have been gaining a greater understanding of and passion for the protection of children, particularly in developing countries where the rule of law is not so transparent or stable. The Lord has been allowing me to meet missionaries and attorneys (some are missionary lawyers as I'd like to call them), who are working with street prostitutes, adoption, and trafficking victims. The more I learn about human rights issues and neglect for child welfare around the world, the more I desire to work in the rule of law and help developing countries research and develop good laws to protect their children in a way that comports with their culture. One piece of advice I have taken away from my International Development and the Rule of Law class is that it is very possible that God could use me as a law student, who is passionate about child welfare, to effect rule of law change if I take the initiative.<br /><br />I visited my parents in Costa Rica, and they are doing wonderful! Their Spanish is coming along so well. The Lord allowed us to meet some awesome believers who have family members working in the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, as well as friends working with street prostitutes and street kids in San Jose, CR.Regent University School of Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053409599918131703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1644350735274174752.post-28472366739558845252012-08-30T06:46:00.001-07:002013-03-06T07:17:50.457-08:002L yearLast week, I came home from D.C. and moved into my new apartment with a two friends from church. I am happy to admit I am starting this school year much more enthusiastic than I was at the end of last year. The Lord has really rejuvenated my heart this summer through my work with CCAI. My newly found knowledge about adoption and foster care issues has propelled me toward advocacy and the study of these issues, as well as child welfare as a whole. I am starting this year aiming to work with all of my heart towards child welfare issues, so that whatever papers I have to write or projects I'm assigned they will be devoted towards my understanding and comprehension of child welfare! I am so excited that God is showing me how all of my classes pertain to child welfare. This semester, I am taking Immigration Law (necessary for children born in the U.S. to immigrants who are sometimes deported, leaving their children in U.S. foster care, or citizenship issues regarding intercountry adoptions), International Development and the Rule of Law (I will be writing a paper on the rule of law in Guatemala or Ethiopia regarding family and adoption laws), Family Law (discussing topics like Family break down and how that influences our laws), a Child Advocacy Practicum (I will work on a particular project with juveniles in the justice system), Constitutional Law 1, and Evidence. This year should bring new awareness about child welfare issues in the U.S. and around the world and will be a great motivation for me to continue toward the call God has given me.Regent University School of Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053409599918131703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1644350735274174752.post-24020050764965965322012-08-11T12:48:00.001-07:002013-03-06T07:17:50.466-08:00Last week at CCAIUnfortunately my time has ended here in DC. I dropped off my coworker today at the Airport, and she is headed back to her 3L year at Texas Tech. She was such a blessing to work with, because she too has a strong passion for child welfare, which is not the typical path for most law students. Quite frankly, we want to help those who may never be able to pay us. I spent all of Friday dropping off certificates in each of the Senate houses. It was so exciting to be in the Senate buildings and meet some of the staffers. They really are fun people and passionate about their causes, but they are also very kind. I enjoyed visiting the offices of Senator Marco Rubio and Senator Bill Nelson, my Senators from Florida! Their staff were very friendly, and I am proud to say they are participating in CCAI's program Angels in Adoption. This program is an opportunity for Members of Congress to recognize individuals and agencies in their districts or states who are doing amazing work in foster care or adoption. Some of the "Angels" have fostered dozens of children, some hundreds!!, some have adopted 2 to 15 children, some are doing excellent advocacy. The Angels come to DC and are recognized in a Gala and a pinning ceremony, in which they can take pictures with their Senator or Representative. It is a special time to recognize those doing a great work and bring awareness of adoption and foster care issues. I'm proud to be apart of it and am challenged to foster and adopt myself if they Lord provides me with the opportunity (not like we are short of opportunity in this country).Regent University School of Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053409599918131703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1644350735274174752.post-64040592429100575812012-08-02T19:03:00.001-07:002013-03-06T07:17:50.477-08:00The Final Report and Congressional BriefingOur deadline for the FYI's report was supposed to be last wednesday, but our faithful Programs Director got the publish date pushed back until the next day. I thought I would finally get some sleep, but lo and behold I stayed in the office diligently working until 4am Thursday morning (that is after being there since 9am Wednesday morning). I can now say that I have slept on the job! I ended up leaving the office at 7am while the paid staff continued to work until 10am when it was finally finished. The process was tedious and laborious, but we managed to edit every page twice over and then again! My coworkers were absolutely amazing and were a blessing to work with, even at 4am. My boss at CCAI is a Regent Law alum and two of her friends, also Regent Law alums, came to help edit at midnight. I think this speaks so highly of the Regent community. The Foster Youth Interns did so well at the briefing. We had the briefing at the Capitol Tuesday night, and several Members of Congress showed up and gave remarks. The youth shared their stories and policy recommendations with the Members and child welfare stakeholders. They truely looked like professionals, and I was super proud. They were very composed and articulate, and now, they are published writers! The process has really shaped and cut my character so much- from all the editing, working with the interns to shape their story, and problem solving with staff members. I know I am a better professional, advocate, and writer because of the process. At the end of the report every year, the staff include an outline of a star, which is to remember that we absolutely could not have done it without the help of our God.Regent University School of Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053409599918131703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1644350735274174752.post-52821771296568368472012-07-22T12:39:00.001-07:002013-03-06T07:17:50.485-08:00Report Writing WeekendThis weekend I have been working with our foster youth interns to help them find research, write, and edit their reports for Congress. We spent all day yesterday in the office working, which was so much fun! There are about 11 CCAI staff and 4 CCAI interns and 13 Foster Youth Inters in a little townhouse office building. There is food everywhere and lots of it, we started the day today singing a song a co-worker made up about good attitudes, and I'm getting to learn all of the FYIs' personal stories. I have been working with an FYI on her report about the use of psychotropic medication in foster children. I am learning several things about the use of psychotropic medication with foster youth: 1) children 1-5 years old are being prescribed anti-psychotic medication, 2) many youth are being prescribed this medication without even obtaining second opinions, 3) judges often provide consent for the agency to prescribe the meds, 4) children aren't being given an option of whether they want to take them, and 5) this medication is often prescribed to these kids without first seeing how they do with counseling or a change in environment. It is no surprise that a child ages 2-11 are going to act crazy! They will act out, their personality changes, boys are tough and rough, and girls get serious attitudes- throw physical, emotion, and psychological abuse, neglect, and violence on top of that and no wonder these children are not coping! It is so sad that these children are not given the care and attention they need after experiencing these types of trauma. Instead, they are given 3 or more antipsychotic medications and are labeled ADHD, Bipolar, extremely agressive, etc. While the government is beginning to take a look at these issues, a lot of decisions need to be made on how to prioritize the well-being of these children. Just like you and I, they need someone to listen and really care for them, especially if the government wants them to grow up like any other non-agency child.Regent University School of Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053409599918131703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1644350735274174752.post-64759674649545659412012-07-16T19:11:00.001-07:002013-03-06T07:17:50.495-08:00It's the small things that matter most:This weekend I had the opportunity to meet a new friend. One of my friends from Regent has a brother who was just assigned to an Army unit here in the Arlington area. It was so much fun to roam around DC and Georgetown with a friend! It's hard getting to know people here, no matter how outgoing you are. I think it's easier to feel completely alone in big city like DC than in a smaller town. Not everyone is super friendly. I have been shoved on the metro and yelled at for not moving fast enough, and no one ever looks me in the eye, which is one of the most frustrating things about being here. In contrast, it was encouraging to be around a christian brother; I hope that he was encouraged as well. We found all of the amazing foreign Embassies here in DC and drove around the National Cathedral, Georgetown, and Potomac. It's amazing to see how beautiful and big the buildings are, even the homes! More than getting to wander DC, it's encouraging to know that I am a part of God's family. I had never met this friend before; actually, his sister connected us only the day before, but we immediately had things to talk about simply because we are both believers and a part of God's kingdom. Once again, the Lord has shown me that He has not forgotten me but has brought a friend to enjoy the time with, even if only for a season.<br /><br /><br />I talked to my dad tonight and they are safely in Costa Rica. They officially started their first language class today! Regent University School of Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053409599918131703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1644350735274174752.post-37826310954803861252012-07-11T18:54:00.001-07:002013-03-06T07:17:50.517-08:00I am continuing to learn new things every day and am completely inspired by what I am learning. Recently, I had an amazing opportunity to have lunch with a woman from the United Nations committee for Children's Rights. She is an incredible woman who is passionate about child welfare around the world and knowing how to approach difficult discussions with effective action. Today, I also had the pleasure of meeting the former special advisor for adoption and vulnerable children from the US Agency for International Development. He was so kind and told me how he ended up doing child welfare work, as well as what USAID does for children overseas and families wanting to adopt from overseas. He was gracious to listen to me rave about my parents who moved overseas today to start preparation for their work at an orpanage and as a nurse in the community. The great thing about child welfare is that everyone has a personal story to tell - about how they ended up working where they are - because at some point in each of our lives we experience child welfare issues first hand through adoption, foster care, poverty, etc. Although I am learning an immense amount and loving every moment of it, I am realizing how much I miss working face to face with clients. I miss the personal interactions with those experiencing these issues. I think the legislative process is wonderful and is something I hope to do one day. However, I am getting excited to see what it would look like to be on the front lines of child welfare through organizations like Guardian Ad Litem, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), or state social services. Needless to say, the past few weeks have been wonderful in spite of heavy storms and loss of power for several days. Tomorrow, I will attend meetings with Congressional staff regarding barriers to interstate adoptions from foster care in the United States and how those barriers are keeping children from being adopted. I am excited to attend becasue I was allowed to set up these meetings for a stakeholder who is coming to DC specifically to meet with Congressional staff. The next few weeks will be incredibly busy as we prepare for our Foster Youth Intern Report and their Congressional briefing! <br /><br />Next time I would love to share what I am learning about the Indian Nation and Native American child welfare issues. This is a subject I am becoming increasingly aware of and very interested in.Regent University School of Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053409599918131703noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1644350735274174752.post-14797289156817124472012-06-17T12:24:00.001-07:002013-03-06T07:17:50.538-08:00Every Child Deserves a Forever Home!The past few weeks have been quite amazing. When I applied to work with CCAI I had no idea of the magnitude of what I'd be doing and the impact it would have on me. They say that law school changes the way you think forever (and it's true); you become more analytical and question everything. Well, working with CCAI has also changed the way I think. Not only do I analyze the laws and the way they are made, I've begun to analyze the way I respond to daily life compared to the way a child in foster care would. I have gotten to meet and work with the most amazing 15 youth. They are a group of 15 college students who grew up in the foster care system for many different reasons, but by no fault of their own. Not that my experience is anything remotely close to theirs, but I feel like my parents moving overseas is giving me a glimpse of what it might feel like to be a foster youth. I don't want to diminish their experience in any way but it's interesting to make some comparisons. You wonder where you will go when you don't feel well and you can't call mom or who will help you learn how to fix things when you can't call dad, or where you will spend holidays. Who's there to help when you get into a financial bind? That's why a lot of these youth end up homeless or being trafficked. The worst part about our foster care system is that all the measurable definations pertaining to the "permenancy" of foster youth have nothing to do with stability!! Who has "permenancy" without stability, and who has stability without existing and lasting relationships? No one. That's what makes my situation completely different. I still have existing and stable relationships with friends and church family, who I know will be there if I needed something.<br /><br />Our foster youth interns are working with congress members and CCAI to change legsilation for their peers in the foster care system and all those who will come behind them. Tuesday we sat in a Senate Finance Committee roundtable hosted by the Congressional Caucus for Foster Youth. Our youth and others shared their stories and talked about how a piece of legislation that was written about 15 years ago effected their lives. What's amazing is that the people who wrote the legislation were present and were surprised by what it had become- totally different! <br /><br />I've gotten to see how legislation moves through various parties: from the time those in the field recognize it as a problem to the time it is inacted into legislation. I'm constantly on conference calls with working professionals, stakeholder agencies, congressional staffers, and citizens who have been directly impacted by bad or outdated laws. Creating laws is all about relationships...finding the right people who can strategize in an effective manner to influence the right people. I am constantly attending meetings and networking with all kinds of people. I'm so thankful for the chance to learn all that I am learning. I'm still not sure if policy is what I want to get into, but I'm learning so much that it will prepare me for anything I hope to do later on. I'm so thankful for this opportunity!Regent University School of Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053409599918131703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1644350735274174752.post-83915754021499638382012-06-01T16:03:00.001-07:002013-03-06T07:17:50.560-08:00First two weeks on the job!The first two weeks on the Hill have been awesome! I love the organization and even the assignments I've been working on. The main goal of our organization is to help educate congress members on foster care and adoption issues and provide a forum to connect members of congress to professionals working in the field. The first day was a bit crazy because I was reading proposed bills that had been introduced in Congress and I was supposed to summarize them for the members in the Congressional Coalition for Adoption. It took a bit longer than I anticipated because they had to do with the adoption tax credit, which is so technical, but by God's mercy I finished it. We are currently working on an adoption tax credit because the extension will expire at the end of the year. This week, our Foster Youth Interns arrived. They are 15 college students, who have spent at least two years in foster care and will be working with a Congress member for about 8 weeks on the Hill. This is an awesome way for the students to interact with Congress members and show the members a first hand account of what actually happens in the foster care system. Yesterday, I attended a Town Hall for the Caucus on Foster Care under the Capitol building. It was very informative; in fact, an issue was brought up which I am very interested in. One of the foster youth talked about how she was in the foster care system and ended up being trafficked. This is an area I would love to explore and work in. I never realized that some children in our foster care system end up being sexually exploited, not in the United States.Regent University School of Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053409599918131703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1644350735274174752.post-16389518510324450982012-05-21T08:07:00.001-07:002013-03-06T07:17:50.583-08:00Fear and CourageThis past week has been filled with emotion: fear of going into an invironment that is totally new and completely out of my comfort zone, sadness of leaving my new family and friends in Virginia Beach, and the excitement of starting to see God opening doors with things that excite me (adoption/ foster care work). I spent the week packing up my apartment and moving it to Bethesda, Maryland, which is where I'll be staying for the next 3.5 months while I working in D.C. I moved in yesterday and set up my new place, complete with one plastic 3-drawer container, a blow up matress, and a plastic bin! Welcome to missionary training?! I got creative and it looks like home for now. I took the metro this morning and found my job, and now i'm sitting at a Starbucks across from the Capitol! D.C. is definately a city for professionals, which is a part of the fear of coming here. I don't see myself as a city dweller and feel a bit out of place. I keep being reminded of Abraham who picked up everything he had and left and wandered for about 10 years. I only have 3 months! I'm kind of a wimp; so, it's a good thing I was reading about faith this morning. Satan tempted Jesus in Matthew 4, and Jesus never asked for a sign or a miracle. He fought Satan and the temptation to sin with the word of God alone. So often I ask for God to give me a sign that He is present and working. God is still powerful and already at work at the Congressional Coalition for Adoption Institute (my internship). He has already paved the path and it is set. I plan to take the advice God gave Joshua and be strong and very courageous for the Lord is help rock and my salvation, my fortress in times of trouble (or fright). Although I am anxious, I am excited to see what God will do here in Washington D.C.Regent University School of Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053409599918131703noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1644350735274174752.post-67646149394496463632012-05-17T13:05:00.001-07:002013-03-06T07:17:50.603-08:00Summer PlansWell, this summer has brought with it new challenges and exciting adventures. Once again, I am reminded that the Lord has me in law school for a different reason than most people, or at least a different plan towards potentially the same result. I took a visit to the Virginia Beach city jail last week and got to meet the chaplains, who apparently go to my church and I didn't realize it. Myself and two friends from the doctoral psychology program took a tour of the womens side of the jail. The inmates told us about the chaplain's Life Empowerment Program and how they became incarcerated. The program is very interesting because these 10 ladies are isolated from the general population of women and go through an intensive bible study course. They do about 3 studies a day, on their own and in groups, and they have only christian movies, music, and books to entertain themselves. The psych girls and I debriefed a few days later and we came up with some interesting questions about the program, how the ladies were progressing, and how we felt about it as christians who want to offer mercy but also want to see real results. It is easy to have a somewhat jaded perspective when inmates say they have changed in prison, especially if you have any personal experience with jail programs or people who are or have been incarcerated. It's a terrible to think this way, but so often people disappoint us. The psychology students are planning to get involved with the program as a part of their class project, and I am considering helping. Interestingly, I'm turning away from an opportunity to be apart of a law school activity, which at first I felt really guilty about. Then, I remembered how much I love working with people, especially the outcasts. I think the Lord may be shifting my heart away from the typical academic approach to law school, what I feel is expected of a "successful law student," to be involved in the trenches elsewhere maybe in the jail, maybe legal aid, or maybe pro bono work for some firm. The Lord has been showing my strengths and weaknesses and still He is opening doors. I may not be a strong academic, but if I can help overworked attorneys during law school by providing free help, especially to those who work with society's outcasts, then I think it will be worth rearranging my priorities.Regent University School of Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053409599918131703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1644350735274174752.post-62907680569073998222012-05-03T10:12:00.001-07:002013-04-08T06:53:17.223-07:00Resolve to Live And Practice Law As Chief Justice Hassell DidChief Justice Leroy Rountree Hassell, Sr., was an amazing example of what it looks like to integrate the Christian faith with the practice of law. I only had the privilege of hearing him speak once while I was at Regent, but my dear classmate, Ms. Farnaz Farkish, served as his law clerk. Right before he went to be with the Lord in February 2011, she penned the following resolution which gives you just a glimpse of what this man of God was like as a man, father, and jurist: <a href="http://www.regent.edu/acad/schlaw/blogs/docs/hassell.pdf">Resolution: Chief Justice Leroy Rountree Hassell, Sr</a>.<br /><br />Let us resolve to live and practice law with the same excellence, love, humility and faith that he did!Regent University School of Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053409599918131703noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1644350735274174752.post-52284602673365490372012-05-03T10:12:00.000-07:002012-11-19T06:35:14.288-08:00Resolve to Live And Practice Law As Chief Justice Hassell DidChief Justice Leroy Rountree Hassell, Sr., was an amazing example of what it looks like to integrate the Christian faith with the practice of law. I only had the privilege of hearing him speak once while I was at Regent, but my dear classmate, Ms. Farnaz Farkish, served as his law clerk. Right before he went to be with the Lord in February 2011, she penned the following resolution which gives you just a glimpse of what this man of God was like as a man, father, and jurist: <a href="http://www.regent.edu/acad/schlaw/blogs/docs/hassell.pdf">Resolution: Chief Justice Leroy Rountree Hassell, Sr</a>.<br /><br />Let us resolve to live and practice law with the same excellence, love, humility and faith that he did!Regent University School of Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053409599918131703noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1644350735274174752.post-47208037947788789982012-04-30T17:57:00.001-07:002013-03-06T07:17:50.625-08:00No longer a 1LWell, I made it through my first year of law school. I walked out of my last exam and saw a sign that said "congratulations 1Ls." I wasn't sure if I was going to cry or shout for joy. I can't believe it is over already. It seems like it just started, yet so much has happened since then. Coming out of the first year, I'm not exactly sure how it happened but I'm certain it was the Lord. They tell us coming into the first year that it is the most difficult year of law school and that you won't talk to your friends and rarely your family. They told us that it would be the hardest year of our lives and thus far I believe them. I'm sure i've never studied harder, ever! All in all, I know that I have gained so many new friends, a new appreciation for and dependence on Christ, and a whole new way of thinking and analyzing. Now that I've survived a year of law school, I don't think the same way as before. If not for the analytical frame of mind, law terms and theories are triggered in my mind frequently. I'm so thankful for my community and all that I've learned. It goes to show that pain is gain and sometimes you have to push a little harder to really see what you're capable of- usually it is more than you imagine! Now, I get to relax for a bit, have a cup of coffee, and finally enjoy the tv (without the pressure of looming work)!Regent University School of Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053409599918131703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1644350735274174752.post-71075104081740954652012-04-24T09:18:00.001-07:002013-04-08T06:53:17.224-07:00The Critical Importance of Christian Attorney MentorshipHere is a link to an excellent article on the importance of <a href="http://mauckbaker.com/CB1FDC/assets/files/News/CLS%20Mentorship%20Article.pdf">Christian Attorney Mentorship</a> written by my friend D.L. Morriss who practices for a big firm here in Chicago. This blog is actually a testament to the mentorship that I have received over the years from attorneys in my firm, the Christian Legal Society, and at Regent University School of Law.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.clsnet.org"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5734999102538525026" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0RwXMuf6piM/T5bPTGX-KWI/AAAAAAAAADY/7szJ-j2uDc4/s320/cls.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 71px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 234px;" /></a>If you, as a lawyer or law student, are interested in being mentored/discipled by a Christian attorney in your area, I would encourage you to reach out to the Christian Legal Society at <a href="http://www.clsnet.org/">www.clsnet.org</a> and plug-in to a local chapter.<br /><br />I would also encourage everyone to check out Regent's own mentoring community: <a href="http://www.regentalumni.org/s/832/1col.aspx?sid=832&gid=27&pgid=254&cid=952">http://www.regentalumni.org/s/832/1col.aspx?sid=832&gid=27&pgid=254&cid=952</a>Regent University School of Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053409599918131703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1644350735274174752.post-71712429099874572232012-04-24T09:18:00.000-07:002012-11-19T06:35:14.296-08:00The Critical Importance of Christian Attorney MentorshipHere is a link to an excellent article on the importance of <a href="http://mauckbaker.com/CB1FDC/assets/files/News/CLS%20Mentorship%20Article.pdf">Christian Attorney Mentorship</a> written by my friend D.L. Morriss who practices for a big firm here in Chicago. This blog is actually a testament to the mentorship that I have received over the years from attorneys in my firm, the Christian Legal Society, and at Regent University School of Law.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.clsnet.org"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5734999102538525026" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0RwXMuf6piM/T5bPTGX-KWI/AAAAAAAAADY/7szJ-j2uDc4/s320/cls.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 71px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 234px;" /></a>If you, as a lawyer or law student, are interested in being mentored/discipled by a Christian attorney in your area, I would encourage you to reach out to the Christian Legal Society at <a href="http://www.clsnet.org/">www.clsnet.org</a> and plug-in to a local chapter.<br /><br />I would also encourage everyone to check out Regent's own mentoring community: <a href="http://www.regentalumni.org/s/832/1col.aspx?sid=832&gid=27&pgid=254&cid=952">http://www.regentalumni.org/s/832/1col.aspx?sid=832&gid=27&pgid=254&cid=952</a>Regent University School of Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053409599918131703noreply@blogger.com1