Bachelor of Science, Psychology, 2003, ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ
Litigation Counsel, Alliance Defense Fund
Kansas City, Mo.
The excellent training I received at ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ has been an invaluable aid as I serve as a lawyer with Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), a legal alliance of Christian attorneys and like-minded organizations defending the right of people to freely live out their faith. I specialize in constitutional law, with a focus on freedom of religion.Ìý
My focus is on defending religious freedom cases because religious freedom is both a natural right – true faith cannot be compelled by the state, one’s standing before God being a matter between the man and his Creator – and an essential ingredient of a successful and free civil society. Hearts have to be changed before hands will truly turn from evil to good, and only God’s grace can change hearts.Ìý If our country becomes hostile to that grace, we’ll all suffer in a variety of ways. Thus, keeping the door open for the spread of the gospel is key to protecting our families and our fellow citizens.
A lot of legal work, and especially constitutional law, is basically hermeneutics. I spend a lot of time analyzing what a text means and what its authors intended. Unlike the Bible, the American legal system is faulty and subject to changes, but I still have to understand it in order to help my clients. Thus, CIU’s outstanding teaching on how to interpret Scripture has been a tremendous help as I interpret human laws.
Over the years, God has allowed me to serve some great clients. Serving the body of Christ in a meaningful way has been a rewarding experience for me. I work hard to serve my clients and advance ADF’s mission to protect life, family, and religious liberty. And I think that has borne fruit, albeit not in a way most of the world will ever notice. Thankfully, though, the world’s recognition or lack thereof isn’t an important measure.