Photo by Patrick McKay '12 |
Keynote speakers included the Honorable Michael McConnell, Stanford Law School professor, constitutional law scholar and former federal judge on the US Court of Appeals Tenth Circuit; Dr. Don Davis, Founder and Director of World Impact’s Urban Ministry Institute; and Dr. David Butler, Lead Pastor of CenterPoint Church in Concord, NH.
Break-out sessions were led by notable Christians such as theologian Dr. Wayne Grudem, Alliance Defense Fund senior vice-president Jeffrey Ventrella, and Stanley Carlson-Theis, president of the Institutional Religious Freedom Alliance.
Regent Law Professor C. Scott Pryor co-presented a break-out session entitled, "Current Developments in Christian Political Theory.” “My experience at the CLS Conference was first-rate,” said Pryor. “Members of the audience asked lots of perceptive questions, and many conversations about the topic continued after the presentation ended.”
Students participated in the National Law Student Convention component organized by CLS Director of Student Ministries and Regent Law professor Michael Schutt, who also served as Conference Emcee.
Regent Law professors David Velloney and Bradley Jacob participated in separate panel discussions with students on Law Professorship and Career Options as part of the Student Convention.
Regent Law 1L student Christine File was awarded a scholarship to the Convention and said of her experience, “Throughout our time there we participated in workshops, large group sessions, dessert bars at night, a law student day on Saturday, and meals out with many newly-made friends. I learned a lot!”
Conference participants also had the opportunity to visit the headquarters of Wycliffe and Campus Crusade for Christ, two missions organizations headquartered in the Orlando area.
The closing banquet featured an address by the Honorable Michael McConnell. Regent Law professor Scott Pryor said, “McDonnell gave a great explanation of the social and legal trends that have led to the narrowing scope of religious freedom in America.”
The annual CLS National Conference offers Christians involved in the legal profession a chance to network, find encouragement, and learn about issues facing the Christian legal community. Topics in areas of international religious liberty, Christian Legal Aid, and the impact of current legal trends on religious freedom, giving the Regent Law community a broader perspective on their legal calling.
Regent Law Professor Brad Jacob commended the conference saying, “Being part of a nationwide – and worldwide – community of Christian lawyers can change your life. My life was changed forever at a CLS national conference more than 20 years ago, which inspired me to make Christ Lord of my career. The same thing happens to lawyers and law students every year.”
Consider joining hundreds of attorneys, law students, other law professionals and their families next year as CLS hosts its 50th Anniversary Celebration in Chicago.
- By Kristy Morris