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Articles 1 - 30 of 133
Full-Text Articles in Religion Law
How Law Schools Can Better Cultivate A Culture Of Engagement And Dialogue, Anton Sorkin
How Law Schools Can Better Cultivate A Culture Of Engagement And Dialogue, Anton Sorkin
Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal
For the last few years, a competing culture has developed on university campuses based on what the National Jurist called the “protest generation.” These developments have seeped into law schools, creating not only tensions with the administrations, but also tensions between student organizations seeking to participate in accordance with their mission and purpose. Given the importance of legal education and the role of attorneys in society, this article advocates for law schools to cultivate a culture of engagement and dialogue by establishing private forums where student leaders may work out their differences in a civil and constructive manner. Within these …
The Ministerial Exception And Defamation: Navigating Churches’ Autonomy And Their Communications, Zachary Runge
The Ministerial Exception And Defamation: Navigating Churches’ Autonomy And Their Communications, Zachary Runge
Pepperdine Law Review
In two recent cases, the Supreme Court has adopted what scholars and lower courts have called the “ministerial exception.” The Court only addressed the ministerial exception’s application to employment discrimination claims. But the Court did not foreclose the possibility of its application to other claims. This Comment argues that the ministerial exception applies to defamation claims arising out of a minister’s termination. After providing the background for the ministerial exception, this Comment explains the current state of the law. Then, this Comment argues that the ministerial exception, as a form of the church autonomy doctrine, applies to the defamation claims …
Ayahuasca And Religious Freedom, Andrew C. Michaels
Ayahuasca And Religious Freedom, Andrew C. Michaels
Pepperdine Law Review
Ayahuasca is an ancient and powerful psychedelic brew that has been used for many centuries in the Amazon rainforest, and over past decades has been gaining popularity in western countries such as the United States. The ayahuasca brew contains dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and accordingly is banned by the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). But some groups working with ayahuasca have applied for exemptions under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), and so far, at least five such groups have received exemptions, either via court decision or via agreement with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). However, the factors that courts and the DEA …
An Alternative Sacrifice: Religious Arbitration Agreements In Ministerial Employment Contracts, Grace E. Brandt
An Alternative Sacrifice: Religious Arbitration Agreements In Ministerial Employment Contracts, Grace E. Brandt
Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal
After decades of development in lower courts, the Supreme Court unanimously affirmed the ministerial exception in Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School v. E.E.O.C. (2012) and provided additional guidance in Our Lady of Guadalupe School v. Morrissey-Berru (2020). The precise contours of the exception remain uncertain, but the doctrine—grounded in the Free Exercise and Establishment Clauses of the First Amendment—effectively bars civil courts from reviewing claims against religious institutions that implicate ministerial employment decisions. Thus, ministers are unable to pursue redress for legitimate harms that occur within the scope of their religious employment, even if unrelated to religious doctrine. This …
From Ambiguity To Accountability: The Case For A Legal Definition Of Antisemitism In Academia, Andrea J. Martin
From Ambiguity To Accountability: The Case For A Legal Definition Of Antisemitism In Academia, Andrea J. Martin
Pepperdine Law Review
Following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel, U.S. college campuses experienced a sharp rise in antisemitic incidents, driven by an antizionism movement aimed at demonizing and delegitimizing the Jewish state and its supporters. A congressional investigation found that antisemitism persisted at prominent universities because administrators repeatedly failed to denounce antizionist conduct that functions as a vehicle for harassment of Jewish students and neglected to enforce their own nondiscrimination policies. The congressional committee, as well as several university antisemitism task forces, identified antizionism as a primary driver of campus antisemitism and strongly recommended that university leaders recognize and address …
Civility And Inter-Cultural Dialogue: Negotiating Respect In The Law School Classroom And Beyond, Chris Chambers Goodman
Civility And Inter-Cultural Dialogue: Negotiating Respect In The Law School Classroom And Beyond, Chris Chambers Goodman
Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal
Increasing polarization magnifies the importance of inter-cultural dialogue, which can be fruitful if the participants treat one another with civility. Civility manifests in various forms, and this Comment will focus on civility through the lens of Stephen L. Carter’s lauded book Civility: Manners, Morals, and the Etiquette of Democracy, applying lessons at the micro-level in the law school classroom. Part II explores various aspects of civility and the rules governing civility. Then, Part III focuses on civility in the legal profession and California’s new Continuing Learning Education (CLE) requirement. Next, Part IV briefly addresses views of civility from faith perspectives. …
Keynote Address: What Is An Enemy: Spirituality And The Attitude Of Forgiveness, Kenneth Cloke
Keynote Address: What Is An Enemy: Spirituality And The Attitude Of Forgiveness, Kenneth Cloke
Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal
Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal’s Symposium on Faith, Dialogue, and Meaning, held in November 2024. This Keynote Address explores the relationship between spirituality and conflict resolution, with a focus on forgiveness.
An "Exceedingly Persuasive Justification": Affirmative Action As Protected By The Free Exercise Clause, Kristin O'Bryan Pereira
An "Exceedingly Persuasive Justification": Affirmative Action As Protected By The Free Exercise Clause, Kristin O'Bryan Pereira
Pepperdine Law Review
In 2023, the Supreme Court’s Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. Harvard (SFFA) decision effectively outlawed the use of race-based affirmative action programs in higher education, holding that such programs violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Meanwhile, the current Supreme Court has been unprecedently friendly to claimants seeking Free Exercise Clause protection from government restraints on religious exercise. The intersection between these two areas of law has implications for a category of schools not explicitly considered in the SFFA decision—private, religious schools …
A Polygamist Proposal: How Dispute Resolution Techniques Provide Solutions In The Polygamy Debate, Ellie Martinez
A Polygamist Proposal: How Dispute Resolution Techniques Provide Solutions In The Polygamy Debate, Ellie Martinez
Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal
In 2020, Utah passed a bill decriminalizing polygamy. However, this legislation only addresses the peripheral interests of polygamous families as many are still disadvantaged. This comment argues the application of dispute resolution techniques would have resulted in a better solution than the current legislation by increasing value-creation for everyone involved. Part II sets the foundation by delving into the treacherous history of polygamy at both the state level in Utah and the Federal level in the United States. Part III details the passing of the Bigamy Amendments. Part IV identifies relevant parties—many of whom were left out of consideration when …
Who Let The Ghouls Out? The History And Tradition Test’S Embrace Of Neutrality And Pluralism In Establishment Cases, Jake S. Neill
Who Let The Ghouls Out? The History And Tradition Test’S Embrace Of Neutrality And Pluralism In Establishment Cases, Jake S. Neill
Pepperdine Law Review
In June of 2022, the Supreme Court decided in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District that an Establishment Clause inquiry “focused on original meaning and history” would replace Lemon’s endorsement test. But after announcing the test, the Court neglected to describe or apply it. This Comment attempts to fill that void. After analyzing the Court’s Establishment Clause jurisprudence, this Comment proposes tenets of the history and tradition test and applies those tenets to Allegheny County v. ACLU, a case decided under Lemon. Finally, this Comment concludes by arguing that the history and tradition inquiry supports pluralism, humility, tolerance, and a healthy …
Mother Of Exiles: Hospitality & Comprehensive Immigration Reform, Ana M. Rodriguez
Mother Of Exiles: Hospitality & Comprehensive Immigration Reform, Ana M. Rodriguez
Journal of the National Association of Administrative Law Judiciary
This article examines the historical pattern of denying immigration in the U.S. on moral and supposedly Christian grounds. Although it is reasonable that no nation is duty-bound to welcome every foreigner and provide the same benefits afforded those with full citizenship, this article contends that a genuinely Christian response demands the biblical core value of hospitality to others. Indeed, xenophobia is the antithesis of hospitality and cannot be supported by a faithful, exegetical interpretation of the Christian Bible. It should be noted that this article does not propose the emergence of an American theocracy; however, hospitality-based dialogue and humanitarian principles …
Can Islamic Law Principles Regarding Settlement Of Criminal Disputes Solve The Problem Of The U.S. Mass Incarceration?, Amin R. Yacoub, Becky Briggs
Can Islamic Law Principles Regarding Settlement Of Criminal Disputes Solve The Problem Of The U.S. Mass Incarceration?, Amin R. Yacoub, Becky Briggs
Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal
The mass incarceration crisis in the United States (US) remains a vexing issue to this day. Although the US incarcerated population has decreased by twenty-five percent amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the US remains a leading country in the number of incarcerated people per capita. Focusing on Islamic law principles governing settlement in criminal cases, the rehabilitative approach of the Icelandic criminal justice model, and the powerful role of prosecutors in serving justice, this research argues that integrating settlement and mediation into the prosecutorial proceedings will significantly reduce mass incarceration in the US.
Inviting An Impermissible Inquiry? Rfra’S Substantial-Burden Requirement And “Centrality”, D. Bowie Duncan
Inviting An Impermissible Inquiry? Rfra’S Substantial-Burden Requirement And “Centrality”, D. Bowie Duncan
Pepperdine Law Review
The Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) prohibits the federal government from substan-tially burdening a person’s religious exercise unless the government can satisfy strict scrutiny. The statute also defines religious exercise to prohibit courts from inquiring into how central a particular religious exercise is to a person’s religion. “The term ‘religious exercise,’” reads the relevant provision, “includes any exercise of religion, whether or not compelled by, or central to, a system of religious belief.” Despite this prohibition on centrality inquiries, some scholars argue that RFRA’s substantial-burden element requires courts to consider the religious costs a law imposes on a religious adherent …
A Fresh Approach To What It Means To Be A Religious Refugee, Brienna Bagaric, Jennifer Svilar
A Fresh Approach To What It Means To Be A Religious Refugee, Brienna Bagaric, Jennifer Svilar
Pepperdine Law Review
The world is currently experiencing an unprecedented displaced persons crisis. There are more than 70 million people worldwide who have been forcibly displaced from their homeland and are in search of a new country in which to settle. There is no international appetite to absorb these people. There is only one legal pathway by which displaced people can claim an entitlement to settle in another country. This is pursuant to the Refugee Convention. More than 140 countries including the United States are signatories to this convention. The difficulty experienced by displaced people is now particularly acute so far as entry …
In Contracts We Trust (And No One Can Change Their Mind)! There Should Be No Special Treatment For Religious Arbitration, Michael J. Broyde, Alexa J. Windsor
In Contracts We Trust (And No One Can Change Their Mind)! There Should Be No Special Treatment For Religious Arbitration, Michael J. Broyde, Alexa J. Windsor
Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal
No abstract provided.
Jewish Law Perspectives On Judicial Settlement Practice, Shlomo Pill
Jewish Law Perspectives On Judicial Settlement Practice, Shlomo Pill
Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal
The classic adjudicatory paradigm of opposing attorneys facing off at trial before a judge and jury in order to receive a favorable judgment is an image long past. Increased litigation volume, and the added time and expense of modern litigation has resulted in a rich practice of judges working to broker settlements between litigants in lieu of formal adjudication. Judicial settlement is the subject of much debate, however, and the diverse range of judicial practice in this area reflects the institutional, ethical, and jurisprudential uncertainties we still have regarding the propriety of judges facilitating settlements. This paper offers a new …
Blending Scripture And The Law: The Lack Of Christian Law And The Dangers It Presents In Christian Arbitration, Emily Holland
Blending Scripture And The Law: The Lack Of Christian Law And The Dangers It Presents In Christian Arbitration, Emily Holland
Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal
This paper will examine the ways in which a lack of an established substantive law within the Christian faith tradition affects the Christian arbitration process and explore the possible means to address these issues. It will outline the history and functions of Christian tribunals, highlighting the unique space within the justice system that these special tribunals fill. Next, it will discuss the differences between the application of law in tribunals of other religious faith traditions and the application of law in Christian arbitration. This paper will demonstrate how a lack of concrete and applicable law creates issues in the enforceability …
Contracts And The Constitution In Conflict: Why Judicial Deference To Religious Upbringing Clauses Infringes On The First Amendment, Elica Zadeh
Pepperdine Law Review
When a Hasidic person files for divorce under New York law, either party to the marriage may invoke a declaratory judgment action to establish certain rights in a settlement agreement. If children are involved, such an agreement may include a religious upbringing clause, dictating that the child is to be raised in accordance with their then-existing religion—Hasidism. Deviation from the contract risks removal from the aberrant parent who intentionally or unwittingly allows the child to wane into secularism. Although the child’s best interest is the cornerstone of custodial analysis, a problem emerges when his or her best interest is couched …
In God We Trust (Unless We Change Our Mind): How State Of Mind Relates To Religious Arbitration, Skylar Reese Croy
In God We Trust (Unless We Change Our Mind): How State Of Mind Relates To Religious Arbitration, Skylar Reese Croy
Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal
Arguably, binding religious arbitration agreements are constitutionally problematic because they hinder freedom of religion: They inhibit parties’ ability to change their beliefs. However, religious arbitration agreements also offer an outlet for the religiously inclined to further practice their beliefs. This Article offers a middle ground: If a party to a religious arbitration agreement changes religion, he or she can claim a “conscientious objector” status if he or she can prove the agreement violates his or her sincerely held religious beliefs. Courts are allowed to inquire into the sincerity of a person’s religious beliefs. The religious question doctrine — which restricts …
"Christian Traditions, Culture, And Law": An Update And A Few Reflections, Robert F. Cochran Jr.
"Christian Traditions, Culture, And Law": An Update And A Few Reflections, Robert F. Cochran Jr.
Pepperdine Law Review
Using Richard Niebuhr’s description of Christian approaches to culture, this Article examines the way Christians approach law, focusing on developments over the last 20 years. During that time, synthesists have continued to develop natural law, seeking an understanding of law based on shared human goods and reason, an approach that can generate a common approach among people of all faiths and no faith. Conversionists, including those on both the political left and right, argue for changes in law that will reflect Christian understandings of the good. Separatists (including many former conversionists) argue that American culture and law have become so …
One Step Enough, Steven D. Smith
One Step Enough, Steven D. Smith
Pepperdine Law Review
The growing divide between contemporary law and culture and Christianity forces Christians both in general and in the academy to confront difficult choices. The difficulty of those choices was manifest in the most recent presidential election. In this situation, some Christians take an aggressive or triumphalist stance; others are more inclined to a retreatist approach sometimes labeled “the Benedict Option.” What the right response is poses both prudential and theological questions about which Christians disagree, and about which confident answers are elusive. In this context, Professor Bob Cochran’s distinguished career exemplifies a path of humility in which the Christian citizen …
Jesus Came "Not To Abolish The Law But To Fulfill It": The Sermon On The Mount And Its Implications For Contemporary Law, David Vandrunen
Jesus Came "Not To Abolish The Law But To Fulfill It": The Sermon On The Mount And Its Implications For Contemporary Law, David Vandrunen
Pepperdine Law Review
This Article interprets Matthew 5:17–48 and argues that, because Jesus came not to abolish but to fulfill the law and the prophets, the Old Testament law takes on a new form for New Testament Christians. The law of God has been refracted through the ministry of Christ. While Matthew 5 does not address contemporary human law directly, its teaching does have radical implications for it. These implications flow particularly from the fact that Matthew 5 marks a decisive shift from the Mosaic theocracy to the worldwide new-covenant church that has no civil jurisdiction.
Divided By The Sermon On The Mount, David Skeel
Divided By The Sermon On The Mount, David Skeel
Pepperdine Law Review
This Essay, written for a festschrift for Bob Cochran, argues that the much-discussed friction between evangelical supporters of President Trump and evangelical critics is a symptom of a much deeper theological divide over the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus told his disciples to turn the other cheek when struck, love their neighbor as themselves, and pray that their debts will be forgiven as they forgive their debtors. Divergent interpretations of these teachings have given rise to competing evangelical visions of justice. One side of today’s divide—the religious right—can be traced directly back to the fundamentalist critics of the early …
Comparing Literary And Biblical Hermeneutics To Constitutional And Statutory Interpretation, Robert J. Pushaw Jr.
Comparing Literary And Biblical Hermeneutics To Constitutional And Statutory Interpretation, Robert J. Pushaw Jr.
Pepperdine Law Review
Interpreters determine the meaning of language. To interpret literary and biblical texts, scholars have developed detailed rules, methods, and theories of human understanding. This branch of knowledge, “hermeneutics,” features three basic approaches. First, “textualists” treat words as directly conveying their ordinary meaning to a competent reader today. Second, “contextualists” maintain that verbal meaning depends on generally shared linguistic conventions in the particular historical and cultural environment of the author—and that therefore translations or commentaries are necessary to make the writing intelligible to a modern reader. Third, “hermeneutic circle” scholars argue that texts have no objective meaning. Rather, a person’s subjective …
The Metaphorical Bridge Between Law And Religion, John Witte Jr.
The Metaphorical Bridge Between Law And Religion, John Witte Jr.
Pepperdine Law Review
This Article explores the role of metaphors in shaping our thought and language in general, and in the fields of law and religion in particular. Drawing on modern cognitive theorists like George Lakoff and Mark Johnson, the Article distinguishes and illustrates the roles of “orientation,” “structural,” and “ontological” metaphors in everyday life and language. Drawing on jurists like Robert Cover and Steven Winter, it shows how metaphors work both in describing the law in terms like “the body,” and in prescribing the foundational beliefs and values on which the legal system depends. Finally, the Article explores the ample use of …
The Dutch Effect: Kuyper And Neo-Calvinism In Professor Cochran's Scholarship, David S. Caudill
The Dutch Effect: Kuyper And Neo-Calvinism In Professor Cochran's Scholarship, David S. Caudill
Pepperdine Law Review
One of the obvious influences on Bob Cochran’s scholarship is the Dutch Calvinist tradition, especially as represented in the writings by or about Abraham Kuyper (1837–1920). Even though Cochran was neither Dutch nor a member of a Reformed church, Cochran found inspiration and compelling insights (with respect to legal processes and institutions) in the Dutch Calvinist tradition. This interest reflected Cochran’s generous ecumenism and his well-known respect for religious diversity. Three prominent conceptions—the trilogy of sphere sovereignty, antithesis, and common grace—provide a guide to Cochran’s recourse to Kuyper and Calvinism in his scholarly writing. Following a brief explanation of the …
Celebrating Robert Cochran And The Future Of "Embodied" Christian Legal Scholarship, Barbara Armacost
Celebrating Robert Cochran And The Future Of "Embodied" Christian Legal Scholarship, Barbara Armacost
Pepperdine Law Review
The occasion for this Article is a festschrift for Professor Robert (“Bob”) Cochran. I celebrate Bob’s significant scholarly contributions to the maturing of Christian Legal Scholarship. He applied a Christian perspective to legal issues, hosted conferences, mentored Christian Legal Scholars, and edited books of essays featuring Christian perspectives on law. Bob’s work in this area had a huge influence on the flourishing of Christian Legal Scholarship. This Article considers the future of Christian Legal Scholarship. It enters an ongoing conversation (disagreement) between law Professors David Skeel and David Caudill. In a 2008 article, Skeel defined Christian Legal Scholarship so narrowly …
Bob Cochran On Law And Lawyering: A Catholic Perspective, Stephen M. Bainbridge
Bob Cochran On Law And Lawyering: A Catholic Perspective, Stephen M. Bainbridge
Pepperdine Law Review
This Essay is a contribution to a festschrift honoring Pepperdine law professor Robert Cochran. In addition to his many other professional accomplishments, Professor Cochran is a leading figure in the study of Law and Christianity. One strain of Law and Christianity scholarship focuses on normative critiques of substantive legal issues based on Christian theology. In other words, it seeks to make the civil law more moral; i.e., to conform Man’s Law to God’s Law. A second strain seeks to help lawyers deal with the difficulties inherent in being a Christian and a lawyer. As Cochran has put it, one might …
The Communitarian Work And Vision(S) Of Robert Cochran (And Thomas Shaffer), Richard W. Garnett
The Communitarian Work And Vision(S) Of Robert Cochran (And Thomas Shaffer), Richard W. Garnett
Pepperdine Law Review
Professor Robert Cochran’s work and thought were powerfully shaped by those of his friend, mentor, and teacher, the late Professor Thomas Shaffer, a towering figure in the religious lawyering movement. A leading theme in Shaffer’s writing, one that has continued through and been developed in Cochran’s, is “community.” This Essay explores and unpacks this theme and highlights several ways that the idea of “community” functions in their vision of the lawyer’s role and vocation.
Abraham Lincoln And The Cardinal Virtue Of Practical Reason, Brett G. Scharffs
Abraham Lincoln And The Cardinal Virtue Of Practical Reason, Brett G. Scharffs
Pepperdine Law Review
Practical wisdom is an elusive concept. This Article focuses on a case in which Abraham Lincoln, prior to his election as President, participated (or more accurately did not participate) to frame a discussion of what practical wisdom means and how it makes a difference for lawyers.