January 13, 2012
This semester, the Law School will offer an exciting new
seminar, “Colloquium in Law: Law and Religion.” The seminar will
give a select group of 16 students an opportunity to study
cutting-edge issues in law and religion with some of the most
prominent thinkers in the field. Students will read articles on
topics ranging from cohabitation to state-sponsored religious
displays and then discuss the articles with the authors
themselves:
- Philip Hamburger (Columbia)
- M. Cathleen Kaveny (Notre Dame)
- Joseph H. H. Weiler (New York University)
- Michael W. McConnell (Stanford)
- Justice Antonin Scalia
- Ayelet Shachar (University of Toronto)
The seminar is coordinated by Professors
Mark L. Movsesian and
Marc O. DeGirolami, Director and Associate Director of the Law
School’s
Center for Law and Religion (CLR).
“The Colloquium gives us students a great opportunity to dive into
a really important area of law and engage with heavyweights in the
field,” said
CLR Fellow Andrew R. Hamilton. “I can’t wait to discuss a
decision as important as Employment Division v. Smith with the
Justice who actually authored it.”
The skills and insights students hone in this seminar will help
them navigate whatever career path they choose in the law.
“Students will be graded on the basis of short reaction papers they
prepare in response to the scholarship they have read, as well as
background readings the authors have assigned,” Professor Movsesian
explained.“Preparing these papers will give students valuable
practice in quickly synthesizing complicated materials and
analyzing complicated arguments – skills all lawyers find
essential. In addition, students will be part of a scholarly
conversation at the very highest level.”
Reflecting on the unique nature of the seminar and the
opportunities it affords, Hamilton added, “One of the reasons I
choose St. John’s was because I knew, in a small school like this,
that I would have opportunities to work closely with the
professors. Now I have the chance to discuss things with leading
academics and professors from around the country, and even the
world.”