Can a Good Christian Be a Good Lawyer?

Law professors Thomas E. Baker and Timothy W. Floyd asked some of their legal colleagues to respond to this provocative question: "Can a good Christian be a good lawyer?" Here are twenty-one highly personal narratives that answer the question of how each writer tries, sometimes but not always successfully, to be both a good Christian and a good lawyer.How does a lawyer called to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ reconcile his or her faith with the secular calling to the legal profession? The editors did not set out to provide some kind of final resolution or unified consensus. Instead, they have compiled a remarkable collection of reflections by lawyers, judges, and academics who represent many different branches of Christianity.The reader is likely to find many role models to emulate and the inspiration to continue to fight the good fight in these accounts grounded in legal and Christian thought. Reading about these real-life ethical dilemmas, conflicting loyalties, and personal difficulties offers the reassurance that others have shared their ongoing struggle to rhyme their career with their faith. Although every lawyer will find Can a Good Christian Be a Good Lawyer? especially meaningful, these essays speak to all persons of faith who strive to practice their beliefs in their work.

“Arguing that ‘the practice of law for too many lawyers presents either a Faustian bargain or a Godfather's offer,’ the editors present an alternative by way of meditations, case histories, and exhortations on the integration of one’s family and legal practice. While the primary intended audience is clearly lawyers, the lessons taught, experiences shared, and questions raised offer much insight to all those seeking to make their occupation a bona fide calling of the Lord.” —Books & Culture, “[A]n admirable effort at answering a hard question. Ultimately, the essayists reach the same conclusion as the editors: Yes, a good Christian can be a good lawyer, but only with two indispensable aids—divine grace and the good example of others. Even the lawyer with an ordinary practice can be a practitioner of holiness. The many lawyers whose practices are relatively ordinary may take comfort in this conclusion and in the reminder from William Bentley Ball that usually lawyers serve God best by accepting the place where they are.” —Crisis, “Thomas Baker and Timothy Floyd, with this charming and inspiring book, have found a way to cut through the “separation” of church and state, of law and morality, of faith and knowledge. They have done so in a very simple and direct way. On reading these essays, we remain painfully aware of the divisions of Christians themselves, but we also realize how much they have in common, of how much their lives of faith penetrate through to make them not merely lawyers, but yes, ‘good’ lawyers, and how much the law, ‘good’ law, incites them to deepen their own faith. No lawyer will want to miss it. And those who sometimes despair at the legal field, will find here an encouraging account of good and faithful men and women in the law.” —Homiletic and Pastoral Review, "Thomas E. Baker and Timothy W. Floyd have compiled 21 deeply insightful essays addressing the spiritual elements of legal practice and the faith implications of a vocation in the law. Responding to the widespread cultural perception that the legal profession and its practitioners are spiritually bankrupt, the contributors explore integrating personal convictions with everyday life, discuss why and how a lawyer's career choices impact his or her spiritual life and demonstrate how faith shapes legal practice." —Report from the Capital

Thomas E. Baker is professor of law in the College of Law at Florida International University. He is a nationally prominent constitution law scholar who has received numerous awards for his teaching, including the first-ever Pioneer Award in Appreciation for Guidance and Dedication to the College of Law from the Florida International University Student Bar Association in 2004. He is the author or co-author of ten books, including Constitutional Analysis in a Nutshell (2003); and First Amendment Law: Freedom of Expression and Freedom of Religion (2006).Timothy Floyd is the Distinguished Chair in Trial Advocacy and Director of Experiential Education at Mercer University School of Law. He is currently a member of the National Advisory Committee, Equal Justice Works, and the Supreme Court of Georgia Equal Justice Commission, Civil Justice Committee. He is co-author of The Lawyer as a Professional (1991).