Pastor's Blog

Harold J. Berman argues that law is so fundamental to life that we have all been law students since a very young age. A child says, "It's my toy." That's property law. A child says, "You promised me." That's contract law. A child says, "He hit me first." That's criminal law. A child says, "Daddy said I could." That's constitutional law.

I recently acquired the above mentioned  book  by the highly esteemed legal scholar,  Harold J. Berman.  A quick perusal of its introduction makes me think I'll enjoy it even more than I originally expected. Just a brief quote and a few quick comments: The principal affirmation is that law and religion are two different but interrelated aspects, two dimensions of social experience--in all societies, but especially in Western society, and still more especially in American society today [1973]. Despite the tensions between them, one cannot flourish without the other. Law without (what I call) religion degenerates into a mechanical legalism.  Religion without (what I call) law loses its social effectiveness . [Italics added] Indeed. Law is a necessary and inescapable part of life in this world. Civilization cannot function without it. For Christians to ignore or deny God's law and its ongoing applications both for the individual as well as for society at la...