In the world today, there are well over 100 national Christian Legal Societies or Fellowships of some kind (see our Home Page linking to some). Our intention here is not to list all of them, but to introduce you to those which go beyond offering nurture and encouragement to their members, and do something even more foundational than standing up for kingdom causes: They provide intellectual training for individuals, in ways consistent with the goals of AI’s Institute of Christian Legal Studies. As national organizations or associations, they have their own Institutes or Centers of scholarship. These are invaluable to students and legal professionals in the locations in which they serve, and may be useful to you, wherever you are, so we introduce them to you here.
In time, we hope many others will spring up around the globe, like streams in the desert, watering their legal landscapes with the knowledge of Truth and Justice. Of course, as they become known to us, we will happily add them here.
The Christian law societies and groups listed here also typically have strong advocacy programs (on issues such as religious liberty), and/or have their own journals or publications. If so, we have also attempted to cross-list them in Advocacy Groups, Scholarly Journals, and in any other appropriate pages on this site:
Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF)/ADF International; Arete; Blackstone Fellowship [see also Scholarly Journals and Advocacy Groups Squares on this site]
ADF is an accomplished, US-based, public interest association of legal advocates focusing on three key areas, fitting closely with some of AI’s areas of interest. These are:
(i) Defending Religious and other Civil Liberties (including Academic Freedom);
(ii) Defending Life; and
(iii) Defending Traditional Marriage and Family. ADF International is an independent and vital extension for ADF’s advocacy work around the globe. It is a strategic, and very important partner in AI’s work. (See ADF/ADF International also in the Advocacy Groups Square on this site.).
ADF and ADF International have a number of training programs available for attorneys and students. ADF trains its national and international allies on the above three advocacy areas through its Young Lawyers Academy (formerly, its National Litigation Academy). ADF also has a strong student training organizations in the USA, known ,such as Blackstone Legal Fellowship. ADF International, also trains several students each year through its Arete’ Academy, and ADF recently started its Center for Academic Freedom, assisting students, including some international students, with religious liberty issues.
ADF also offers a very informative free online newsletter, focusing on its core issues, called Alliance Alert Digest, which you can see and learn more about in our Scholarly Journals and Articles Square above. ADF International is a vital partner of AI in helping train students and attorneys, and in promoting justice around the globe.
Christian Legal Fellowship, Christian Legal Institute (Canada)
Christian Legal Fellowship (CLF) is a Canadian charitable association that serves the legal profession by deepening and strengthening the spiritual life of its members, encourages Christians in the vocation of law, and facilitates the integration of a Biblical faith with contemporary legal, moral, and social issues. It achieves much of this equipping work through its Christian Legal Institute.
The Christian Legal Institute works closely with its partner, the Ezra Institute to host a great summer training program in Canada for students.
CLF also seeks to advance the public good by articulating legal and moral principles that are consistent with, and illuminated by, the Christian faith through court interventions and parliamentary consultations (see more on this aspect of CLF in the Advocacy Groups Square on this site).
Christian Legal Society (CLS); Institute for Christian Legal Studies; Christian Law School Fellows (USA) [see also Scholarly Journals and Advocacy Groups Squares on this site]
“Christian Legal Society (CLS) is a [US] nationwide fellowship of Christians committed to acting justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with their God.”
The CLS has its own Institute for Christian Legal Studies (ICLS). It features podcasts, devotions, scholarly journals, and many fine worldview and organizational resources. It is also the inspiration for AI’s similar ICLS, sharing its resources with us on this (AI ICLS) site.
CLS’s Law Student Ministries (LSM) serves thousands of students through its inspirational CLS Law School Fellows program. CLS also assists and offers training programs for Christian Legal Aid.
As a solid kingdom advocacy organization, CLS vigorously defends such rights as the free exercise of religion, speech, and association, including vindicating rights of students. It seeks to protect these rights, human life, marriage, and Christian values through its Center for Law and Religious Freedom. CLS also offers a couple of high-quality publications available for advocates (see in our Scholarly Journals Square).
Faith and Law Around the Globe (FLAG)
Established in 2007, FLAG is a worldwide movement of Christian legal professionals integrating faith with life and work. It offers several resources on its website and through its conferences, such as spiritual devotions, Bible studies for lawyers and students, and evangelistic training. (See them also on AI’s Spiritual Devotions page.)
The Lawyers Christian Fellowship (LCF); Essential Truths (UK)
Founded in 1852 as the Lawyers‘ Prayer Union, the subsequently-renamed Lawyers Christian Fellowship has a long history of uniting and equipping Christian lawyers and witnessing to members of the legal profession.
Scholarly resources from LCF on a variety of jurisprudence and social issue topics are available through LCF’s Essential Truths program. The Library on LCF’s Resources page also has some great study resources.