Christian Legal Society
Encyclopedia
The Christian Legal Society (CLS) is a non-profit, non-denominational organization of Christian
lawyer
s, judge
s, law professors, and law students whose members profess to follow the "commandment of Jesus
" to "do justice
with the love of God
."
The society has a legal arm, The Center for Law & Religious Freedom, for litigation purposes especially against restriction on legal rights of religious organizations. This arm also submits amicus curiae
legal briefs in cases involving important religious freedom issues.
CLS publications include The Christian Lawyer (quarterly), The Christian Lawyer Digest, CLS Bible Studies, CLS E-Devotionals (bi-weekly), and The Defender (publication of CLS' Center for Law and Religious Freedom).
CLS receives no government support for any of its programs or ministries and is supported by the dues and support of its members.
The Christian Legal Society holds an annual convention in the United States.
, was founded in Chicago, Illinois in 1961 by four lawyers (Paul Bernard, Gerrit P. Groen, Henry Luke Banks, and Elmer Johnson) who had met at a convention of the American Bar Association
in 1959 to pray
together.
Since its founding, it has grown to include 90 attorney chapters, 165 law school chapters, and four unincorporated ministry divisions.
Membership in the Christian Legal Society is open to all who believe in and sign CLS’ Statement of Faith.
was officially recognized by the Beta Upsilon Chi
(BYX) national board. The University of Florida however, refused to recognize BYX. The university had refused to recognize the chapter as a "Registered Student Organization" because the fraternity only accepts men, and would not recognize the chapter as a "Social Fraternity" because the fraternity only accepts Christians.
On July 10, 2007, the Alliance Defense Fund
Center for Academic Freedom and the Christian Legal Society filed suit (Beta Upsilon Chi Upsilon Chapter v. Machen, 586 F.3d 908, 911-912 (11th Cir. 2009)) on behalf of BYX against various officials from the University of Florida for various constitutional violations including unlawful discrimination. During the course of the proceedings, the 11th Circuit Court
(United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit on appeal from the Northern District of Florida, Leon County) ordered that the chapter be recognized pending the disposition of the appeal. The case was ultimately dismissed as moot
when the university amended its policies to permit the registration of the chapter.
reached the Supreme Court of the United States
in 2010. It was argued on April 19, 2010 and decided June 28, 2010 against the CLS by a vote of 5-4. The court upheld, against a First Amendment
challenge, the policy of the University of California, Hastings College of the Law
governing official recognition of student groups, which required the groups to accept all students regardless of their status or beliefs in order to obtain recognition.
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
s, judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
s, law professors, and law students whose members profess to follow the "commandment of Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
" to "do justice
Justice
Justice is a concept of moral rightness based on ethics, rationality, law, natural law, religion, or equity, along with the punishment of the breach of said ethics; justice is the act of being just and/or fair.-Concept of justice:...
with the love of God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
."
The society has a legal arm, The Center for Law & Religious Freedom, for litigation purposes especially against restriction on legal rights of religious organizations. This arm also submits amicus curiae
Amicus curiae
An amicus curiae is someone, not a party to a case, who volunteers to offer information to assist a court in deciding a matter before it...
legal briefs in cases involving important religious freedom issues.
CLS publications include The Christian Lawyer (quarterly), The Christian Lawyer Digest, CLS Bible Studies, CLS E-Devotionals (bi-weekly), and The Defender (publication of CLS' Center for Law and Religious Freedom).
CLS receives no government support for any of its programs or ministries and is supported by the dues and support of its members.
The Christian Legal Society holds an annual convention in the United States.
History
The organization, which is based in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, was founded in Chicago, Illinois in 1961 by four lawyers (Paul Bernard, Gerrit P. Groen, Henry Luke Banks, and Elmer Johnson) who had met at a convention of the American Bar Association
American Bar Association
The American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
in 1959 to pray
Prayer
Prayer is a form of religious practice that seeks to activate a volitional rapport to a deity through deliberate practice. Prayer may be either individual or communal and take place in public or in private. It may involve the use of words or song. When language is used, prayer may take the form of...
together.
Since its founding, it has grown to include 90 attorney chapters, 165 law school chapters, and four unincorporated ministry divisions.
Membership
CLS membership includes attorneys, judges, law students, and others who profess their commitment to the Faith. They are organized in more than 1100 cities into attorney chapters, law student chapters, and fellowships throughout the United States.Membership in the Christian Legal Society is open to all who believe in and sign CLS’ Statement of Faith.
Goals
Since its founding in 1961, CLS’ nine organizational objectives, as set forth in its amended not-for-profit articles of incorporation, have been:- To proclaim Jesus as Lord through all that we do in the field of law and other disciplines;
- To provide a means of society, fellowship and nurture among Christian lawyers;
- To encourage Christian lawyers to view law as ministry;
- To clarify and promote the concept of the Christian lawyer and to help Christian lawyers integrate their faith with their professional lives;
- To mobilize, at the national and local levels, the resources needed to promote justice, religious liberty, the inalienable right to human life, and biblical conflict reconciliation
- To encourage, disciple and aid Christian students in preparing for the legal profession;
- To provide a forum for the discussion of problems and opportunities relating to Christianity and the law;
- To cooperate with bar associations and other organizations in asserting and maintaining high standards of legal ethics; and,
- To encourage lawyers to furnish legal services to the poor and needy, and grant special consideration to the legal needs of churches and other charitable organizations.
University of Florida (2007)
On March 16, 2007, the Upsilon Chapter at the University of FloridaUniversity of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
was officially recognized by the Beta Upsilon Chi
Beta Upsilon Chi
Beta Upsilon Chi,or ΒΥΧ , is the largest Christian social fraternity in the United States. Since its founding at the University of Texas in 1985, ΒΥΧ has spread to twenty-four campuses in twelve states...
(BYX) national board. The University of Florida however, refused to recognize BYX. The university had refused to recognize the chapter as a "Registered Student Organization" because the fraternity only accepts men, and would not recognize the chapter as a "Social Fraternity" because the fraternity only accepts Christians.
On July 10, 2007, the Alliance Defense Fund
Alliance Defense Fund
The Alliance Defense Fund is a conservative Christian nonprofit organization with the stated goal of "defending the right to hear and speak the Truth through strategy, training, funding, and litigation." ADF was founded in 1994 by the late Bill Bright , the late Larry Burkett , James Dobson The...
Center for Academic Freedom and the Christian Legal Society filed suit (Beta Upsilon Chi Upsilon Chapter v. Machen, 586 F.3d 908, 911-912 (11th Cir. 2009)) on behalf of BYX against various officials from the University of Florida for various constitutional violations including unlawful discrimination. During the course of the proceedings, the 11th Circuit Court
United States circuit court
The United States circuit courts were the original intermediate level courts of the United States federal court system. They were established by the Judiciary Act of 1789. They had trial court jurisdiction over civil suits of diversity jurisdiction and major federal crimes. They also had appellate...
(United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit on appeal from the Northern District of Florida, Leon County) ordered that the chapter be recognized pending the disposition of the appeal. The case was ultimately dismissed as moot
Moot
Moot may refer to:* from Moot as an Old English language term for meeting:**Folkmoot**Jamtamót, the old assembly of Jämtland**Witenagemot, the High Council of Anglo-Saxon England...
when the university amended its policies to permit the registration of the chapter.
University of California, Hastings College of the Law (2010)
Their case Christian Legal Society v. MartinezChristian Legal Society v. Martinez
Christian Legal Society v. Martinez, 561 U.S. ___, 130 S.Ct. 2971, 177 L.Ed.2d 838 , is a June 28, 2010, decision by the United States Supreme Court...
reached the Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
in 2010. It was argued on April 19, 2010 and decided June 28, 2010 against the CLS by a vote of 5-4. The court upheld, against a First Amendment
First Amendment to the United States Constitution
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering...
challenge, the policy of the University of California, Hastings College of the Law
University of California, Hastings College of the Law
University of California, Hastings College of the Law is a public law school in San Francisco, California, located in the Civic Center neighborhood....
governing official recognition of student groups, which required the groups to accept all students regardless of their status or beliefs in order to obtain recognition.