New Course on Current Issues in Law, Faith, and Religion Invites Leading Scholars to the Pepperdine Caruso School of Law | Newsroom

Expanding on the Pepperdine Caruso School of Law’s many law, faith, and religion course
offerings, the Nootbaar Institute on Law, Religion, and Ethics launched a groundbreaking
new course in fall 2023 titled Current Issues in Law, Faith, and Religion. The course,
returning in fall 2024 in partnership with the recently launched Ken Starr Institute
for Faith, Law, and Public Service, features bi-weekly discussions by leading law
and religion scholars, enriching academic discourse by bringing diverse perspectives
on the intersection of law, faith, and religion directly into the classroom. Michael
Helfand, codirector of the Nootbaar Institute, taught the course in its first year
alongside fellow codirector Jennifer Koh, and notes that the guest speakers have been
key in expanding students’ understanding of complex and evolving issues.

“This unique and engaging course provides students with regular exposure to diverse
perspectives and specialized knowledge in law and religion while maintaining the continuity
of their ongoing coursework,” says Helfand. “We believe that incorporating speakers
on important law and religion topics in the classroom not only enriches the educational
experience but is also a testament to our commitment to fostering a culture of innovation,
diversity, and excellence within our academic community.”

The course is made possible by generous support from the Brenden Mann Foundation,
which has supported a wide-range of innovative and high-impact programs at the Caruso
School of Law. “Over the past decade,” Helfand noted, “the Brenden Mann Foundation
has been an incredible supporter and thought partner, enabling us to continuously
enhance the law and religion curriculum at the law school.”  

This fall the course will focus on topics such as religion in the workplace, religion
and family law, the Supreme Court’s historical and traditional approach to the Constitution’s
religion clauses, and new trends in Establishment Clause jurisprudence. Helfand and
Donald “Trey” Childress, professor of law at the Pepperdine Caruso School of Law,
will host this year’s colloquium, which will feature speakers Jessie Hill, associate
dean for research and faculty development at Case Western Reserve University’s School
of Law; James Nelson, Vinson & Elkins Professor at the University of Houston Law Center;
Stefan McDaniel, associate professor of law at the University of Notre Dame Law School;
Stephanie Barclay, professor of law at Georgetown Law; Marc DeGirolami, codirector
for the Center for Law and the Human Person at the Catholic University of America’s
Columbus School of Law; and Elizabeth Katz, professor of law at the University of
Florida Levin College of Law.

In developing the curriculum for this year’s course, Helfand and Childress surveyed
forthcoming law review articles on law, faith, and religion that explored a variety
of topics they believed would be of particular interest to students. Helfand explains
that the esteemed group of speakers were selected based on their distinct backgrounds
of study and by the academic contributions they have made in their respective fields.
Additionally, Childress shares that they “prioritized methodological and ideological
diversity when putting the speaker series together in order to provide students with
different examples of legal scholarship.”

While the course is only offered to law students, the Nootbaar Institute in partnership
with the Ken Starr Institute has elevated the academic experience by integrating large-scale
student events featuring the course’s speakers, attracting substantial attendance
by the broader campus community. 

Helfand and Childress are optimistic that this year’s lineup of speakers will provide
meaningful ideological diversity as well as contribute to students’ intellectual and
personal growth, and that the related public engagements will continue to expose the
Pepperdine community to exceptional scholars in the field of law and religion. 

On Thursday, August 29, 2024, the Nootbaar and Ken Starr Institutes will host a public
conversation with Professor Jessie Hill entitled “Can Abortion Restrictions Violate
Religious Liberty.” And on October 10, 2024, the Nootbaar and Ken Starr Institutes
will host a public conversation with Professor Stephanie Barclay entitled “The Future
of Church and State.” Visit Pepperdine University’s events website for additional details, as well as for more information on upcoming speaker events.