The Law and Religion Program offers several cross-listed courses that allow joint degree candidates as well as other students to explore discrete themes in this interdisciplinary field.

Joint degree candidates are encouraged to take these courses as well as to pursue directed research projects on discrete law and religion themes under the supervision of program faculty.

Regularly offered courses, which collectively draw 400-500 students per year, includ

American Constitutional Law: Religion and State

An exploration of the historical formation and current judicial interpretations of the First Amendment guarantees of religious liberty.  Taught by John Witte, Jr.

Canon Law

A survey of the history of Catholic canon law, and its contributions to Western constitutionalism, family law, just war theory, and other topics.  Taught by Troy Harris

Child Advocacy

The Law, The Policy, and the Players - An exploration of the factors that shape policies affecting abused and neglected children, the role of various professions in the prevention, investigation, and prosecution of child abuse and neglect, and the role of federal, state, and local agencies and non-governmental organizations in addressing the needs of abused and neglected children and their families.  Taught by Karen Worthington

Civil Rights Litigation

An historical consideration of civil rights litigation strategies both before and after Brown v. Board of Education (1954), and analysis of the growing scholarly debate about Brown and other education cases.  Taught by Michael J. Perry

Comparative Legal History

The Western Legal Tradition. A comparative study of the successive transformations of Western law from the 12th to the 20th centuries, with emphasis upon the religious sources and dimensions of law.  Instructor to be announced.

Constitution and Human Rights

An analysis and evaluation of the United States Supreme Court’s constitutional interpretation of  human rights issues in the past century, including comparative analysis of courts in Canada and other jurisdictions that have resolved similar issues. Taught by Michael J. Perry

Federal Housing Policy and Homelessness

An analysis of federal and state housing and homelessness policies and of the religious and legal sources of the right to housing -- with clinical placements in homelessness agencies. Taught by  Frank S. Alexander

History of Church-State Relations in the West

An exploration of the interaction between religious and political authorities and laws in Roman, Medieval, and Reformation Europe, and early America, with analysis of the eventual formation of the First Amendment and state constitutional guarantees of religious freedom. Taught by John Witte, Jr.

Islam and Politics

An examination of issues of secularism and Islam in the modern context, with emphasis upon themes of human rights and cultural transformation.  Taught by Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na’im

Islamic Law

An introduction to the basic concepts and institutions of Islamic law, the foundation for the legal system of many countries where Islam is the religion of the majority.  Taught by Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na’im

Jewish Law

A survey of Jewish law principles that address difficult legal issues and a comparison of these principles to those of American law. Taught by Michael J. Broyde

Law and Theology

An exploration of the moral assumptions concerning human nature and the nature of community as reflected in the purpose and function of law. Taught by Frank S. Alexander

Law, Religion, and the Family

A seminar on the religious sources and dimensions of Western norms of sex, marriage, and family life.  Taught by Michael J. Broyde

Religion and Human Rights

An exploration of the problematic, yet unavoidable, relationship between religion and human rights in global comparative perspective, with a special focus on Islam and Islamic African societies.  Taught by Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na’im