In our first episode of 2018, Trinity Law School Professor Myron Steeves draws on the work of Charles Taylor (A Secular Age) and Rod Dreher (The Benedict Option) to inform our understanding of the
cultural moment confronting the Church. Lately, it seems, the Church has found herself in a fully confrontational mode with the surrounding society, having moved from a period of general domination (after the Emperor Constantine) and then cultural accommodation. Professor Steeves contrasts these eras, suggesting that Christians of every age have faced challenges to faithful culture making and cultural renewal. 

During this fascination conversation, host Mike Schutt and Professor Steeves discuss the importance of faithfulness, the difficulties of cultural confrontation in light of the temptation to be seen as "normal," and our call to courage and love.

Listen in on this interesting conversation!

Myron Steeves is Professor of Law at Trinity Law School, where he has served since 1992. A graduate of Georgetown University Law Center, Professor Steeves has practiced law in the nonprofit area, particularly advising churches. Professor Steeves frequently speaks on issues including the integration of faith and law, legal careers as tools for Christian ministry, law and public policy, and law and theology.

Mike Schutt is host of Cross & Gavel and is Associate Professor at Regent University School of Law and director of Law Student Ministries for the Christian Legal Society. He is a graduate of the University of Texas School of Law. 

One of the biggest free speech and religious liberty cases in decades, Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission was argued before the Supreme Court of the United States on December 5. On December 6, Cross & Gavel host Mike Schutt recorded this conversation with religious liberty attorney Kim Colby, who sat in on the argument. Kim gives a short background of the case, shares her observations, and discusses the important issues raised by the attorneys and justices. 

Jack Phillips, owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop in Denver, did not deny service to homosexuals, as is sometimes reported. Jack served anyone who came into his shop to buy his ready-made cakes and cookies. Yet when he was asked to use his artistic talents to design a custom cake for a same-sex wedding ceremony, he politely declined. Jack declines to bake custom cakes for Halloween celebrations or divorce parties as well. He simply does not provide his artistic voice in support of things with which he fundamentally disagrees. 

Is this unlawful discrimination, or is this his right as a shop owner with religious convictions? 

Listen to Kim and Mike discuss the issues and the interesting questions asked by the justices during oral argument. 

Read the transcript of the argument here. 

Read the CLS Brief in support of Jack Phillips here. 

Kim Colby is the director of Christian Legal Society’s Center for Law and Religious Freedom , where she has worked since graduating from Harvard Law School in 1981. She has represented religious groups in several appellate cases, including two cases heard by the United States Supreme Court. She has filed numerous amicus briefs in federal and state courts. In 1984, she assisted in congressional passage of the Equal Access Act, 20 U.S.C. § 4071, et seq., which protects the right of secondary school students to meet for prayer and Bible study on campus. Ms. Colby has prepared several CLS publications addressing issues about religious expression in public schools, including released time programs, implementation of the Equal Access Act, and teachers’ religious expression.

Kim graduated summa cum laude from the University of Illinois with a major in American History and a particular interest in slavery in colonial North America.

Cross and Gavel is a project of Regent University School of Law and Christian Legal Society. We value your comments. And if you enjoy the show, please rate us on iTunes.  

It may be commonplace to say that God has instituted various governments and has delegated His authority to them in various ways, but speaking, for example, about the "government" of a family seems strange today. And even a bit scary.

Mark Bertrand says that we in the Church are pretty good at targeting failures of government when it comes to the state, but we need to do a much better job of thinking about governing well in the church and the family. What might that look like? How to think well about it? And who says, anyway? At one point, Mark suggests that listeners might be shouting "Hey, these guys are advocating theocracy! Or a bunch of little theocracies within a theocracy!" Are they? 

Listen in and find out. Join Mark and C&G host Mike Schutt as they talk at length about the authority and roles of various governments in today's world and the resources available to help them govern well. Would the state be changed if other institutions-- family, church, state, corporations, universities-- were governed well? Are these governments dependent on one another?

Walk through the discussion with them as they suggest that what the Bible envisions is "a community of governments with overlapping authority . . . all backstopped by divine revelation."

We think you'll find this an encouraging and informative discussion. 

J. Mark Bertrand is a novelist and pastor living in South Dakota. His crime noir works are Back on Murder, Pattern of Wounds, and Nothing to Hide. His book [Re]Thinking Worldview:Learning to Think, Live, and Speak in this World (Crossway 2007) is a great primer on Christian thought and action, and he serves on the faculty of Worldview Academy. He blogs at the world-renowned Bible Design Blog, sharing thoughts and photos on a multitude of design issues. His initial claim to fame was that he was interviewed by Ken Myers on Mars Hill Audio Journal, volume 90, which also features Mike Schutt talking about Redeeming Law. 

Mark was also a guest on Episode 46 of Cross & Gavel, the most downloaded episode in the podcast's history. More recently, he joined Mike to discuss the "New Moralism" in Episode 70. 

Cross and Gavel is a project of Regent University School of Law and Christian Legal Society. We value your comments. And if you enjoy the show, please rate us on iTunes.  

There is a higher law than human law, one from which the authority and justice of man’s law flows into bountiful life. Accordingly, we often see Christian legal theories in terms of knowledge about law, so that what we know of the higher law informs what we should affirm or deny about human law. But Dean Eric Enlow says that another important kind of Christian knowledge about law is how to praise God in relation to it. This praise stirs up and responds to the joy which Christians experience in law, just as praise does when it recognizes and replies to God’s presence in other parts of creation.

Dean Enlow gave two addresses on this topic at the 2017 Christian Legal Society national conference in Newport Beach, encouraging those in attendance to learn to praise God in law. 

His first presentation was Joyful Jurisprudence: God's Presence in Law and Man's Praise of God, the keynote for the annual Christian Legal Scholars' Symposium, sponsored by CLS friend and partner Trinity Law School. It was an inspiring presentation and discussion, and the conversation spilled over into the conference bookstore afterwards. 

This episode of Cross & Gavel allows listeners to sit in on that conversation, with host Mike Schutt, Dean Eric Enlow, and our friend Byron Borger, owner of Hearts and Minds Bookstore. 

Enjoy the conversation!

Dean Enlow graduated from Yale University and Washington University School of Law. During law school, Professor Enlow served on the editorial boards of the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy and the Washington University Law Quarterly.

He has clerked in the United States Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, and he was in private practice in intellectual-property, international, and appellate law. In addition to being dean of the Handong International Law School, Enlow teaches Christianity and Law, International Intellectual Property, Patents, Private International Law, and Torts. 

Byron Borger has been talking books almost his whole life, and doing it well and for the good of Christ's kingdom. Since the early 80's, he and his wife Beth have, through Hearts and Minds Books in Dallastown, PA, lived out a mission to see the body of Christ encouraged and the world around them flourish. They believe that ideas matter and that books are an important part of Christian discipleship-- "a disciple is learner, after all," says Byron. Whether you're in his store, on the phone with him, or at one of the many conferences at which he and Beth serve, it is always a treat to talk books with Byron. Subscribe to his amazing Booknotes here. (He mentions this podcast in the latest edition). 

Cross & Gavel Audio is a project of the Institute for Christian Legal Studies, a cooperative ministry of Regent University School of Law and Christian Legal Society.

Mike Schutt is associate professor at Regent and director of ICLS and Law Student Ministries for CLS. 

Mark Bertrand says that the world he "had been led to fear growing up in the Church is not actually the world we live in." It turns out that the moral relativism that we feared would turn the world to anarchy and chaos never materialized. Much of what we feared actually came to pass, just not in the way we thought it would.

The new world has turned out to be a world that loves "the social gospel, but without the gospel," to paraphrase Joseph Bottum. 

Mark talks with host Mike Schutt about this strange turn of events. We now live in the midst of "an irreligious culture" that still "behaves in fundamentally religious ways." As Mark says, "The moralist of today is the irreligious offspring of the mainline Protestants who dominated the society of yesteryear."

How did we get here, and what are thoughtful Christians to make of this state of affairs? It seems the best way to respond to the New Moralism is likely not to return to the Old Moralism. But what role does the Church have to play in all of this?  

J. Mark Bertrand is a novelist and pastor living in South Dakota. His crime noir works are Back on Murder, Pattern of Wounds, and Nothing to Hide. His book [Re]Thinking Worldview:Learning to Think, Live, and Speak in this World (Crossway 2007) is a great primer on Christian thought and action, and he serves on the faculty of Worldview Academy. He blogs at the world-renowned Bible Design Blog, sharing thoughts and photos on a multitude of design issues. His initial claim to fame was that he was interviewed by Ken Myers on Mars Hill Audio Journal, volume 90, which also features Mike Schutt talking about Redeeming Law. 

Mark was also a guest on Episode 46 of Cross & Gavel, the most downloaded episode in the podcast's history. 

Cross and Gavel is a project of Regent University School of Law and Christian Legal Society. We value your comments. And if you enjoy the show, please rate us on iTunes. 

In our first fall episode of Cross & Gavel, Worldview at the Abbey Provost Jeff Baldwin discusses the duty of the Church and Christian families with respect to education.

The conversation ranges from the role of the family to the religious nature of education itself, and then on to some of the problems inherent in state-sponsored education. Jeff tells host Mike Schutt that he thinks this may be "the most inflammatory episode of C&G to date," and he then sets the tone by suggesting that Christian parents should not think of their children as "salt and light" in the public schools until they are at least sixteen.

Listen in as Mike and Jeff discuss education, worldview, and the Christian family. 

Jeff Baldwin is the author of The Deadliest Monster, founding faculty at Worldview Academy, and provost of the Worldview Academy bridge year program, Worldview at the Abbey in Canon City, CO. 

Cross & Gavel is a project of Regent University School of Law and the Christian Legal Society. Host Mike Schutt is Associate Professor at Regent Law and director of Law Student Ministries for CLS. 

On this episode of Cross & Gavel, host Mike Schutt talks with Christian Legal Society's new director of Attorney Ministries, Connie Bourne. Connie comes to CLS from a private law practice, with experience in the corporate world, as a judicial clerk, and working with attorneys in a local bar association. She loves Jesus and she loves lawyers!

Listen in to get acquainted with Connie!

Connie Bourne received her undergraduate and legal training at Rutgers University, worked as Assistant County Counsel in Bergen County, New Jersey, and worked in the business, government, and public interest arenas before opening her own law firm. She joined the CLS staff on July 10, 2017. 

Cross & Gavel Audio is a project of the Institute for Christian Legal Studies, a cooperative ministry of Regent University School of Law and Christian Legal Society.

Mike Schutt is associate professor at Regent and director of ICLS and Law Student Ministries for CLS. 

In early April, nearly 150 lawyers, judges, law students, and law professors from the eastern Congo gathered at the Fifth International Christian Lawyers Conference in Beni, North Kivu, DRC. It was an amazing time of fellowship, discussion, prayer, and planning.   

The lawyers gathered on the campus of Université Chrétienne Bilingue du Congo ("UCBC"), the only bilingual Christian University in the DRC. UCBC was founded by Congo Initiative under the guiding vision of Dr. David Kasali. This year, UCBC admitted its first class of law students to its new law school, founded in part on the inspiration and work of the lawyers gathered on campus. 

Ben Chappell, a practicing lawyer in San Antonio, has been involved with these gatherings from the beginning, when Dr. Kasali asked if he would be willing to come to the Congo to spend time with Christian lawyers in Beni. The conferences have grown, in large part, due to Ben's work in recruiting teams from the West to participate, funding the events, and organizing them until they could be passed on to a Congolese steering team. In April, 2017, Ben's team included Cross & Gavel host Mike Schutt, who travelled to the DRC as a representative of Regent Law School's Center for Global Justice, Human Rights, & the Rule of Law. 

Ben Chappell is Mike's guest on this episode of Cross & Gavel. Listen in as they talk about God's work in and through Congolese lawyers in this seemingly remote part of the world. You will be inspired by the vision of Dr. Kasali, the dedication of the Congo Initiative staff, and the faithfulness of Ben Chappell and his family. 

Dr. David Kasali

For more information on the amazing ministry of Congo Initiative, visit the CI website and read about their initiatives that are bringing change to the region. 

Ben Chappell is a board certified family practice lawyer in San Antonio, TX at Bray, Chappell, Patterson, & Olsen. He is a graduate of the University of Texas School of Law and Southern Methodist University. He and his wife JoAnne have been married for 47 years, and they have three children and numerous grandchildren. They worship and serve at Covenant Baptist Church. He is on the board of Congo Initiative-USA and serves as coordinator for its Justice Initiatives. 

Mike Schutt is associate professor and global recruiter for Regent University School of Law. He travelled to the Congo on behalf of Regent's Center for Global Justice, Human Rights, and the Rule of Law. He also directs Attorney Ministries and Law Student Ministries for the Christian Legal Society. 

Cross & Gavel podcasts are a project of Regent University School of Law and CLS.

In Part 2 of our discussion with Dr. Christopher McMillion, host Mike Schutt asks him to elaborate on the joys of federalism. Dr. McMillion begins by explaining why now-- the age of Trump-- might be an opportunity for those on both the left and the right to recognize its benefits and jump on board. He explains the 10th amendment, offers a brief definition of what we mean by "federalism," and then outlines some specific examples in which federalism would operate in a way that is appealing to the goals of those on both ends of the political spectrum. 

Topics range from "the Imperial Presidency" to marijuana laws, and the discussion closes with some practical suggestions for recovering this lost ideal. 

Dr. Christopher McMillion is a graduate of Baylor University. He did his master's and doctoral work at the University of Notre Dame, earning an M.A. in Political Science and his PhD in the field of Constitutional Studies and Political Theory. In his scholarship, he focuses on constitutional law, federalism, and American political thought. He is particularly interested in the connections between political theory and the American constitutional and political experience. He also serves as a manuscript referee for American Political Thought. Chris and his wife Heather have three children. 

Cross & Gavel Audio is a project of the Christian Legal Society and Regent University School of Law. Mike Schutt is host of Cross & Gavel. He is Associate Professor of Law at Regent University, and he directs both Attorney Ministries and Law Student Ministries for the Christian Legal Society. Email him at mschutt@clsnet.org.

The confirmation hearings begin Monday, March 20, for Judge Neil Gorsuch, President Trump's nominee to the US Supreme Court. On this episode of Cross & Gavel, Mike Schutt talks with Oklahoma Baptist University professor Christopher McMillion about the process and the politics of the hearings and the future of the Court with a Justice Gorsuch in the place of Justice Scalia, who passed away last year.

This is Part One of two episodes featuring Dr. McMillion, and Part Two, "The Joys of Federalism," will upload March 28.

Dr. Christopher McMillion is a graduate of Baylor University. He did his master's and doctoral work at the University of Notre Dame, earning an M.A. in Political Science and his PhD in the field of Constitutional Studies and Political Theory. In his scholarship, he focuses on constitutional law, federalism, and American political thought. He is particularly interested in the connections between political theory and the American constitutional and political experience. He also serves as a manuscript referee for American Political Thought. Chris and his wife Heather have three children. 

Mike Schutt is host of Cross & Gavel. He is Associate Professor of Law at Regent University, and he directs both Attorney Ministries and Law Student Ministries for the Christian Legal Society. Email him at mschutt@clsnet.org.

Okay, so it's not "live"-- BUT: Mike Schutt recorded this podcast with Byron Borger, Rockstar Bookman, live and in person at the famous Hearts & Minds Bookstore in Dallastown, PA. Anyone who has ever been to a Christian conference that is serious about readers knows Byron and Beth Borger, owners of Hearts & Minds. The Borgers are particular heroes of the Christian Legal Society and the Coalition for Christian Outreach (CCO), because Hearts & Minds has been serving their conference participants for years-- and decades, respectively.  

Mike and Byron begin by discussing this year's Jubilee conference and what he saw as he discussed books with college students. From there, they range to their personal favorites, important new releases, and other great stuff. If you love books, you'll enjoy this conversation!

Jump in and listen!

The books they touch on (or ramble over, depending) include:

Tish Harrison Warren, Liturgy of the Ordinary
James K. A. Smith, You are What You Love
Andy Crouch, Culture Making and Strong and Weak
Bob Robinson, ReIntegrate
John Mark Comer, Garden City
Kinnaman and Lyon, Good Faith
Sarah Arthur and Erin Wasinger, The Year of Small Things
Michael Wear, Reclaiming Hope 

And BTW, Michael Wear will be live and in person at Hearts & Minds on March 10. 

Byron will be announcing a discount on any book mentioned in the podcast, if you order within ten days of this podcast!

To subscribe to Byron's Booknotes Blog, click here.

Mike Schutt is the host of Cross & Gavel, and he directs both Law Student Ministries and Attorney Ministries for the Christian Legal Society. He is an Associate Professor at Regent University School of Law.

As Charlie Clauss reminds us in this podcast, the Book of Common Prayer offers a beautiful invitation (voiced by the minister at the Ash Wednesday service) to enter into Lent:

I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the
observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance;
by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and
meditating on God's holy Word. And, to make a right beginning 
of repentance, and as a mark of our mortal nature, let us now 
kneel before the Lord, our maker and redeemer.

In that spirit, Charlie and host Mike Schutt discuss the whats and whys of this important season of the church year. What is Lent? What practices are usually associated with Lent? Why might Christians considering this season, and what tips might we give to those entering into these practices for the first time? 

Join Charlie and Mike as they consider these questions and more. 

As you think about pushing into this season with new practices, remember to take Charlie's advice: this can't be about you-- it's not a legalistic obligation, nor is it a challenge to conquer for your "spiritual checklist." This is the road to guilt or to pride. Rather, Lent is a time to consider the love of God manifested on the Cross and displayed in the power of the resurrection!

Among other things, Lent is a season that helps us to celebrate Holy Week and Easter more fully. And don't forget, as Charlie reminds us: Easter is a fifty-day party! Please celebrate fully!

After you listen, consider some of the books suggested by our friend Byron Borger at Hearts & Minds Books in his Booknotes Blog: 2017 Books for Lent.

Charlie Clauss is married to Nancy and they live in Minneapolis, MN with their two daughters. He says he is a curmudgeon, but his friends and family know otherwise. Mostly.

Cross & Gavel is a project of the Institute for Christian Legal Studies, a cooperative ministry of Regent University School of Law and the Christian Legal Society. Host Mike Schutt is Associate Professor of Law at Regent and directs Attorney Ministries and Law Student Ministries for CLS. 

Join host Mike Schutt as he talks with Natt Gantt, co-founder of the Center for Ethical Formation & Legal Education Reform (CEFLER) at Regent University School of Law, about producing law school graduates who have an understanding of the nature and purpose of the legal profession and who are committed to the ethical practice of law. Professor Gantt discusses the goals of legal education and how those goals shape students. Because the shaping influence of law school is never neutral, Professor Gantt suggests habits that counter some of the unwelcome consequences of that "shaping." 

CEFLER was founded by Regent University School of Law in 2012 to coordinate the programs and resources that the law school has committed to developing professional identity in students.  

L.O. Natt Gantt, II, is a professor, the associate dean of instructional & curricular affairs and co-director of the Center for Ethical Formation and Legal Education Reform at Regent University school of law. Before joining Regent in 2000, he served as a law clerk to the late Honorable Donald S. Russell of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit; as an associate at Wiley, Rein & Fielding in Washington, D.C.; and as a Proxy Analyst at Fidelity Investments in Boston, Massachusetts. Professor Gantt teaches Professional Responsibility.

Professor Benjamin Madison —along with Natt Gantt—led the formation of the Center for Ethical Formation and Legal Education Reform.  Professor Madison teaches Civil Procedure and Pretrial Practice and Procedure. His pretrial practice casebook, Civil Procedure for All States: A Context and Practice Casebook (2012), has drawn praise as one of the first casebooks designed according to the recommendations of the Carnegie Institute in its groundbreaking work Educating Lawyers (2007). 

Mike Schutt is the host of Cross & Gavel Audio, a project of the Institute for Christian Legal Studies, which is a cooperative ministry of Regent Law and the Christian Legal Society. Schutt is associate professor at Regent University School of Law and Director of Law Student Ministries and Attorney Ministries for CLS.

The Center for Global Justice, Human Rights, and the Rule of Law was founded by Regent University School of Law in 2010 to equip Christian advocates to (1) promote the rule of law and seek justice for the oppressed and (2) serve and support those already engaged in such advocacy. 

In this episode, host Mike Schutt interviews CGJ directors Ernie Walton and Jeff Brauch to discuss how the CGJ fulfills its dual mission. Hear about the CGJ’s programs for Regent law students and its philosophy of how to effectively engage in human rights advocacy. The discussion ranges from practical ways this generation of law students are working for justice to the connection between the rule of law, human rights, and moral anthropology. It's great fun! Listen in. 

Ernie Walton serves as the Academic and Administrative director of Regent Law's Center for Global Justice, Human Rights, and the Rule of Law. He also serves as a lecturer on the Regent Law faculty.  Outside of his work at Regent, Ernie served as a law clerk to the Honorable D. Arthur Kelsey of the Virginia Supreme Court, practiced law in southern California, and served as an associate attorney for a non-profit law firm that specializes in protecting religious freedom.

Professor Jeffrey A. Brauch joined the Regent Law faculty in 1994. He served as the school's interim dean from 1999-2000 and as dean from 2000-2015. Professor Brauch has taught numerous courses, including International Human Rights; Foundations of Law; Torts; International Criminal Law; Negotiations; and Human Rights, Civil Liberties, & National Security. In 2010, he helped found the Center for Global Justice, Human Rights, and the Rule of Law, and he now serves as its Executive Director.

Host Mike Schutt is director of Attorney Ministries & Law Student Ministries for Christian Legal Society and Associate Professor & Global Recruiter at Regent University School of Law. 

The Christian Legal Society is an organization dedicated to helping lawyers think biblically and missionally about their work. Through its Law Student Ministries, Legal Aid Ministries, Attorney Ministries, and the Center for Law & Religious Freedom, CLS serves lawyers and law students as they seek to serve Christ in their law practice and study. As we think through these issues, we focus on how we steward our gifts in the law and how we love our neighbors through law practice and study.

Yet what about the shaping influences on lawyers themselves? How do our professional practices and particulars of legal training influence us as human beings Surely the law school experience, our training, billing time, and the adversary system work to influence us in specific ways.

Dave Nammo, CLS's Executive Director and CEO, has been working in law-focused ministry since 1999, and he spends much of his time on the road talking with Christian lawyers and law students. In this episode (#60), host Mike Schutt talks with Dave about the influences that shape us as lawyers and law students-- for good or ill-- and what countercultural practices might be called for in response.

Recent books, like Jamie Smith's You are What You Love and Tish Warren's Liturgy of the Ordinary, raise issues of the habits and practices necessary to "aim our loves," in the words of Smith. 

Listen in as Mike and Dave get the discussion started on how we can be more intentional in resisting the profession's shaping power, and how lawyers' habits can help "aim us" in the right direction as well. 

David Nammo is Executive Director and CEO of the Christian Legal Society in Springfield, VA. 

Host Mike Schutt is Director of CLS Law Student Ministries and Attorney Ministries. He is Associate Professor of Law at Regent University, CLS' ministry partner in the Institue for Christian Legal Studies.  

Sunday, November 27, 2016 marks the beginning of the Christian year-- the first Sunday in Advent. Charlie Clauss, curator of the Keeping Advent Facebook page, joins us again this year to talk about how Advent serves to center us during what we've taken to calling "the holidays." 

What is so great about Advent? What is it? Why observe it? 

Listen in as Charlie and Mike discuss these questions as they explore a Christian vision of time, the nature of the human person, and the deep significance of the feast of Christmas. Along the way, Charlie offers advice on observing Advent, some refections on why we should make the effort, and how it is connected to our celebration of Christmas. 

After you listen, go check in at the Keeping Advent Facebook group and listen to our conversation from last year, Cross & Gavel episode 43. Also consider some of the books suggested by our friend Byron Borger at Hearts & Minds book in his Advent "Booknotes."

Charlie Clauss is married to Nancy and lives in Minneapolis, MN. He says he is a
curmudgeon, but his friends and family know otherwise. Mostly.

Cross & Gavel is a project of the Institute for Christian Legal Studies, a cooperative ministry of Regent University School of Law and the Christian Legal Society. Host Mike Schutt is Associate Professor of Law at Regent and directs Attorney Ministries and Law Student Ministries for CLS.  

"Serious Christians seem to be homeless politically," says Hunter Baker, a political science professor at Union University. In the wake of the Obergefell decision and the rise of Donald Trump, it is appearing less and less likely, accruing to Baker, that the Republican party will stand as barrier to a rapidly advancing secularist agenda. 

Join Dr. Baker and host Mike Schutt as they ponder whether it might be time for serious Christians to explore a third party option along the lines of a European-style Christian Democratic Party. "It might be good to have a political party with an understanding of human solidarity that is a Christian understanding of human solidarity," suggests Baker. 

Would it be possible to import such a concept to this country? What might it involve? What are some objections? Listen in and find out!

Hunter Baker, J.D., Ph.D. serves as a university fellow and and associate professor of political science at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee. He is the author of three books (The End of Secularism, Political Thought: A Student's Guide, and The System Has a Soul), has contributed chapters to several others, and has written for a wide variety of print and digital publications. He is the winner of the 2011 Michael Novak Award conferred by the Acton Institute and has lectured widely on religion and liberty. 

Mike Schutt, the founder and host of Cross & Gavel Audio, serves as Associate Professor of Law at Regent University and as director of Attorney Ministries for the Christian Legal Society. 

On August 9, 1979, Paul Buzzi became a Christian by the grace of God and through the gentle teaching and evangelism of his friend Fred. Less than a week later, Jesus literally told Paul that he needed to walk over to the jail to tell his client about Him. Little did Paul know then that his client Steven would be the first of nearly three thousand clients, friends, family members, and strangers that he would lead to Christ.

In this podcast, Paul tells some of those stories, revealing a heart of compassion and humility-- rare in a lawyer-- that drives him to share the love of Christ with nearly everyone he meets. "No person has ever come to my law office without getting the opportunity to meet Jesus," says Paul. He takes seriously the apostle Paul's questions: "And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?" Paul Buzzi's vision is that all Christians would cultivate Christ's love for those that are blind to the good news. 

As you listen to Paul talk about people coming to Christ in his office, in jail cells, on the golf course, and in restaurants, you'll be encouraged and inspired to look for opportunities to share the love of Christ as you see opportunities. Paul says that he continuously "looks for the opportunity" to tell people that Jesus loves them and to ask them if they would like Jesus to forgive their sins. This is the message a hurting world needs, and Paul's story will encourage listeners to spread that story. You'll be inspired by Paul's boldness, his simple message, his humility, and his compassion. Listen in to be encouraged!

"Before I came to Christ," Paul says, "I separated my business life and my religious life. There is no separation. It's your life. And without Jesus, it's meaningless."

Paul Buzzi is an Akron, OH attorney, the principal of Buzzi Legal Services. 

Mike Schutt is the host of Cross & Gavel, and he directs both Law Student Ministries and Attorney Ministries for the Christian Legal Society. He is an Associate Professor at Regent University School of Law, where he teaches American Legal Thought. 

If you love books, there is nothing better than talking books with Byron Borger.

Byron has been talking books almost his whole life, and doing it well and for the good of Christ's kingdom. Since the early 80's, he and his wife Beth have, through Hearts and Minds Books in Dallastown, PA, lived out a mission to see the body of Christ encouraged and the world around them flourish. They believe that ideas matter and that books are an important part of Christian discipleship-- "a disciple is learner, after all," says Byron. Whether you're in his store, on the phone with him, or at one of the many conferences at which he and Beth serve, it is always a treat to talk books with Byron.

We hope that this podcast gives you at least a taste of what that's like. Cross & Gavel host Mike Schutt wondered what books Byron would recommend during this crazy political season, and he and Byron spend some time talking about Byron's work, books in general, and books on politics. As usual, Byron is knowledgable, helpful, and light-hearted as he tosses out nearly 30 great recommendations on the topics of politics, vocation, leadership, and more. The conversation ranges widely, from Jamie Smith to CS Lewis; from Os Guinness to Katelyn Beaty; from James Skillen to Yuval Levin. 

Join Mike and Byron as they talk books and books on politics. Then order a few of them from Hearts & Minds! 

To subscribe to Byron's Booknotes Blog, click here.

Mike Schutt is the host of Cross & Gavel, and he directs both Law Student Ministries and Attorney Ministries for the Christian Legal Society. He is an Associate Professor at Regent University School of Law.

Meet Byron and Beth in person (and Mike, too!) at the Christian Legal Society National Conference, October 20-23 in Washington, DC. 

John Inazu's book, Confident Pluralism: Surviving and Thriving Through Deep Difference (Univ Chicago 2016), "is an argument for mutual respect and coexistence" as we live, work, and speak in the world. In Inazu's words, "shared existence is not only possible, but also necessary." 

Right now, our country seems to be more polarized than ever. Whether in debates over homosexual rights, in challenges to religious liberty, or in recent tensions between law enforcement and minority communities, we live in deep disagreement on fundamental issues. Confident Pluralism, in Inazu's words, "suggests a modest possibility: that we can live together in our 'many-ness.'"

Join host Mike Schutt and Dr. Inazu as they discuss Confident Pluralism and its two-fold prescription for a robust and hopeful shared existence. The book is divided into two main parts: Constitutional Commitments (the "legal dimension") and Civic Practices (the "personal dimesion").

First, the "legal dimension" of Confident Pluralism focuses on: (1) protecting the voluntary groups of civil society through the rights of assembly and association; (2) facilitating dissent and disagreement in public forums; and (3) ensuring that generally available government funding is not limited by government orthodoxy.

Second, the "personal dimension" of Confident Pluralism aspires toward tolerance, humility, and patience in three civic practices: (1) our speech; (2) our collective action (including protests, strikes, and boycotts); and (3) our relationships across difference.

Listen in for some conversation around these issues and a taste of Professor Inazu's hopeful vision. 

John Inazu is the Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law and Religion at Washington University in St. Louis and a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture at the University of Virginia. He teaches courses in criminal law, law and religion, and the First Amendment. His scholarship focuses on the First Amendment freedoms of speech, assembly, and religion, and related issues of political and legal theory. John’s first book is Liberty's Refuge: The Forgotten Freedom of Assembly (Yale 2012). He has written broadly for mainstream audiences in publications including USA Today, CNN, The Hedgehog Review, The Los Angeles Times, and The Washington Post. He received his academic training at Duke (BSE and JD) and UNC-Chapel Hill (PhD), but he remains an avid Duke fan. 

Watch Dr. Inazu's Q Talk here.

Browse of list of his shorter pieces on pluralism here.

Visit JohnInazu.com for more information and links to his scholarly work. 

Pick up a copy of Confident Pluralism from Hearts & Minds Books.

Mike Schutt is the host of Cross & Gavel audio, and an Associate Professor at Regent University School of Law, where he has taught Professional Responsibility and Torts, among other things. He is a graduate of the University of Texas School of Law. He currently teaches American Legal Thought in the Regent MA program and directs Attorney Ministries for the Christian Legal Society. Contact him at mschutt@clsnet.org.

In early August, the American Bar Association's House of Delegates will vote on a proposed amendment to Rule 8.4 of the Model Rules of Professional Responsibility. The amendment would subject lawyers to professional discipline for "harassment" or "discrimination," even if the conduct was unintentional or committed unknowingly, and even if the harassment or discrimination is not prejudicial to he administration of justice. 

The rule proposes that any conduct "related to the practice of law," including running a law firm, representing a client, or engaging in social conduct as a lawyer, would fall under the rule. The rule also expands the classes against which unknowing "discrimination" is prohibited to include "socioeconomic status," "gender identity," and "sexual orientation." Given the current cultural winds, this rule is a dangerous minefield for lawyers, particularly those who don't see "gender identity" or "sexual orientation" as cultural "causes" to be celebrated.

Brad Abramson, Senior Counsel with the Alliance Defending Freedom, has been following this issue for several years. About three years ago, a handful of states moved to enact similar changes, and Brad has been on top of the issue ever since. Now that the ABA is following suit, there is a danger that many more states will jump on the bandwagon. 

Join host Mike Schutt as he and Brad discuss the proposed rule and its specific dangers to practicing lawyers. They discuss the proposal's break with the tradition of lawyer autonomy, its Constitutional difficulties, and the specific changes the new rule would make. They also speculate as to why the ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility would ignore 477 lawyers' comments opposing the rule (in contrast to the 17-- just 17!-- in favor of the rule) when revising it. In closing, Schutt and Abramson suggest that attorneys everywhere contact their delegates and urge a "NO" vote on the proposed amendment, Resolution 109, at the ABA House of Delegates meeting August 8 and 9. A list of delegates is available here.

Both Christian Legal Society and ADF submitted detailed comments opposing the rule. Read them here (CLS) and here (ADF). 

Mike Schutt is the host of Cross & Gavel audio, and Associate Professor at Regent University School of Law, where he has taught Professional Responsibility and Torts, among other things. He is a graduate of the University of Texas School of Law. He currently teaches American Legal Thought in the Regent MA program and directs Attorney Ministries for the Christian Legal Society. Contact him at mschutt@clsnet.org.

Bradley Abramson serves as senior counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom, where he plays an integral role on the Alliance Coordination Team. He also directs the Bar Association Project, which focuses on encouraging allied attorneys to participate in and influence bar associations to advance religious freedom. He earned his J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School. Contact him at babramson@adflegal.org.

Kim Colby, Director of the Center for Law and Religious Freedom, is Mike Schutt's guest on this episode of Cross & Gavel. Kim and Mike discuss why religious liberty is a hot topic, what's up with the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFFA), and whether religious liberty is simply a license to discriminate. 

Kim Colby has been involved in religious freedom advocacy for more than 30 years and is one of the most thoughtful voices on the topic in the country. 

More resources referred to in the podcast:

Michael McConnell, Why Protect Religious Freedom? (Review of Brian Leiter's Why Tolerate Religion?)

Religious Liberty News from the Christian Legal Society

Mike Schutt is the Director of CLS's Law Student Ministries and Attorney Ministries. He'll be re-joining the faculty of Regent University School of Law this week. Regent and CLS are founders of the Institute for Christian Legal Studies, the sponsor of Cross & Gavel Audio.

Millions of Americans-- especially young Americans-- seem to be enamored of Bernie Sanders and his socialist promises. August Huckabee, Dean of Students at Worldview at the Abbey, wonders what the allure might be. Listen to August and host Mike Schutt as they "feel the Bern." 

Worldview at the Abbey is a bridge-year program for high school graduates in Canon City, CO. For more information on Worldview at the Abbey, visit www.worldviewbridgeyear.com.

The Cross & Gavel podcast is a project of the Christian Legal Society's Institute for Christian Legal Studies. Host Mike Schutt directs Attorney Ministries and Law Student Ministries for CLS. 

Law Student Ministries Director Mike Schutt lists five simple things for law students to consider as they start their summer. His five areas of suggested focus:

1. Devotional Habits

2. Leisure

3. Read [some law stuff]

4. Talk to Your Family

5. Think about the Fall Semester [sorry]

Mike Schutt is the host of Cross & Gavel audio and the director of LSM, Attorney Ministries, and the Institute for Christian Legal Studies. Find out more about these ministries of the Christian Legal Society at ChristianLawyer.org.

Wendy L. Patrick is a San Diego County Deputy District Attorney in the Special Operations Division. She previously served in the Sex Crimes and Human Trafficking Division of the San Diego DA's office, where she prosecutor predators, human traffickers, stalkers, rapists, and child molesters. She has completed over 160 trails from first degree murder, to sex crimes, to domestic violence. 

She also co-chairs both the California DA's Association Sexually Violent Predator Committee and its Human Trafficking Committee.

So Wendy Patrick knows what she's talking about when it comes to crimes related to human trafficking. Join Wendy and host Mike Schutt (sitting on the rooftop of the clubhouse at the Legend Safari Resort a few hours north of Pretoria South Africa, I kid you not) as they discuss current trends in human trafficking, suggestion for action, and how we might help survivors. 

What can we do to move beyond awareness? Can prosecutorial work be ministry? Is human trafficking a symptom of something else? Think about these and other questions with Mike and Wendy as they take a break at the FLAG ("Faith and Law Around the Globe") International conference, sponsored by Cru.

Wendy is also the president of the Christian Legal Society's New York City attorney chapter (!), and you may contact her with questions on fighting human trafficking or about gatherings of Christian lawyers in the City! You can find her at jstcesq@live.com.

Cross & Gavel is hosted by Mike Schutt, director of both Attorney Ministries and Law Student Ministries for the Christian Legal Society. C&G Audio is a ministry of CLS.