
The Program on Biblical Law and Christian Legal Studies

Mission
Equip, Encourage, and Inspire Students to Lead with Values and Purpose
The Program on Biblical Law and Christian Legal Studies offers the opportunity for students to integrate law, leadership, and life through the study, debate, and application of the teachings of the Bible. We help students connect learning with conviction, inquiry with relationship, ideas with character, research with hope, gifts with purpose, and values with action. We seek to inspire confidence in biblical law as a source of truth powerful enough to meet global challenges, yet personal enough to inspire individual purpose.
“He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you. But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8 (NKJV)
Vision
Values Driven Leaders Inspired to Serve the World and Transform Culture
The Program on Biblical Law and Christian Legal Studies strives to build resilient, motivated leaders committed to serving others and empowered to transform culture by infusing values into our legal systems. These leaders will be committed to serving constituents in need of hope, clients in need of justice, colleagues in need of encouragement, and adversaries in need of grace.
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10 (NKJV)
Programmatic Themes
The Program accomplishes its mission by sponsoring initiatives that promote respectful dialogue and enhance the collective understanding of biblical and Christian teachings on two themes:
1) the law and the legal system; and
2) the professional identity formation and ethical practice of law students and lawyers.
The Program currently has an operating budget of approximately $700,000 annually with additional opportunities to fund unique sponsorships that will benefit students and the public at large in the pursuit of Truth. The Program is privately funded, and we welcome partners to join us in this journey to equip, encourage, and inspire students to lead with values and purpose – and, ultimately, to change the world.
Project Sponsorship Opportunities
Bibles | The Program gives out complimentary Bibles to students, staff, and faculty. |
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Estimated Cost: $200/annual | |
Conferences | The Program would like to host one conference a year that focuses on current legal issues from a Biblical perspective. |
Estimated Cost: $15,000-$20,000 | |
Daniel Fellows | Named after Daniel in the Old Testament, this appointment is made to a select number of HLS students whose skills, talents, and singular dedication to God distinguishes them in their generation. Daniel Fellows engage in research and community activities that focus on ethical and moral questions at the intersection of law and faith. Fellows are expected to help coordinate and provide feedback on Program initiatives (including assistance with student engagement with guest speakers invited to campus) and to undertake at least one major capstone activity that contributes to their spiritual and intellectual development. Subject to approval, fellows are eligible to receive a maximum of $2,000 in reimbursement for conference fees, travel, and accommodation to participate in or to host a professional development or spiritual growth event. |
Cost: $5,000 per student/annual | |
Director of Programming | Full-time staff position (currently Program has no position solely dedicated to programming). |
Estimated Cost: $175,000/annual | |
Director of Research and/or Research Fellow | Full-time staff position with teaching expectations. |
Estimated Cost: $175,000/annual | |
The Program would like to host a post-doc research fellow who would be able to teach and conduct research in a related field. | |
Estimated Cost: Endowed Fellowship (with naming rights) $1.5 million or $75,000/annual | |
Documentary | The Program would like to explore the Christian origins of Harvard University through the eyes of its founding father John Harvard. |
Estimated Cost: $2.5-$3.5 million | |
Law & Faith Lecture | The Law & Faith Lecture is a designated lecture with a high-level speaker and multiple events designed to engage the law school and wider university community. |
Estimated Cost: $15,000 in-person | |
Public Reading of Scripture | Faculty, staff, and students participate on Wednesdays, during the lunch hour, and listen to a 45-minute audible dramatization reading of the Old and New Testaments. We believe it is important to offer students this time to reflect on God’s word mid-day, mid-week. We have found serving a complimentary warm lunch encourages students and staff to attend. Due to COVID restrictions, for much of this past year we hosted the event via Zoom with a “grab-n-go” lunch that was picked up prior to the reading. We intend to return to in-person lunches this upcoming year. We averaged 20-25 students picking up lunches and an online attendance that includes participants from all over the world. |
Cost: Grab-n-go = $400/week when school is in session Cost: In-house = $500/week when school is in session |
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Publications | The Program would like to begin its publication initiatives with a Law & Faith Journal. |
Estimated Cost: Variable (depending on print circulation) | |
Reading Groups | Holding Summer Reading Group via Zoom has attracted students, alumni, and friends of the Program. We provide books for the student participants. |
Estimated Cost: $1,000 per group | |
Webinar Series | The Program has found an interest in our webinars that reaches beyond HLS. We would like to continue to host webinars that analyze current legal topics from a Biblical perspective. |
Estimated Cost: $1,000 per webinar | |
Website Resource | The Program has found its website to be a great communication tool that has the potential to be the leading resource in Biblical Law and Christian Legal Thought. Managing content, maintaining a blog, and building a digital resource library involves the services of a web design professional. |
Cost: $150/hour | |
Writing Prizes | Each year the Law School offers two awards, one to the best student paper in the following two categories: 1) Biblical Law; and 2) Judeo-Christian Legal Thought on the Intersection of Law & Faith. These papers are reviewed anonymously by HLS faculty. |
Cost: $1,500 for each prize/annually |
The Program’s long-term funding objectives include but are not limited to 1) $3-5 million endowment to fund an HLS professorship ($5 million) or visiting professorship ($3 million); 2) $10 million endowment to fund the Program in its current phase; and 3) $20 million endowment to change the Program into a Center.
If you are interested in learning more about these opportunities, please contact us: [email protected].
You can also give by check. Make check gifts payable to Harvard Law School, noted with our Program name (Program on Biblical Law and Christian Legal Studies). Mail to:
Harvard Law School
Donor Services
P.O. Box 412840
Boston, MA 02241-2840