CEPS5002 - Faith, Values, and the Rule of Law
Course Description
Overview:
Faith, Values, and the Rule of Law is a year-long, interdisciplinary hybrid course that focuses on the intersection of moral and spiritual frameworks with legal systems, public service and social impact. The course explores how the world's great religious and theological traditions have all contributed to the understanding of justice and human dignity that underpins modern rule of law principles and what virtuous commonalities we can find that will help us promote a better society and better understanding of the rule of law. The course focuses on significant texts that have informed the Western legal tradition, as well as legal traditions outside the Latin West. By emphasizing the contributions of religious thought from Jewish, Christian, Islamic, Hindu, Native / Indigenous, and other sources, students will examine the interplay of those religious ideas with themes from the broader ancient near east, Greece, and Rome; the challenges and responses to religious legal thought and practice in modernity; and contemporary thinkers who are seeking to retrieve ancient wisdom to address contemporary problems in fresh ways. Rooted in Seton Hall’s Catholic mission and open to students of all faith backgrounds, this program seeks to cultivate a reflective, ethically grounded approach to leadership and justice.
Program Format:
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Hybrid Delivery: Combines asynchronous online 4-week modules with three required in-person sessions per semester. The three in-person “Convivium” — gatherings per semester include dinner meals, guest speakers, interactive conversations, small group discussions, and lectures. The Convivium dinner dates are as follows from 4:30 – 7:15 PM in-person at either Seton Hall University School of Law (Newark, NJ), Seton Hall University (South Orange, NJ) or local restaurants: September 23, 2026; October 28, 2026; December 2, 2026; February 3, 2027; March 16, 2027; April 14, 2027.
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Community Learning Model: Emphasizes interdisciplinary dialogue across student populations and encourages ongoing engagement through symposia, public lectures, and service learning. Community format encourages students from all academic backgrounds and faith perspectives to engage with foundational texts and traditions that have influenced legal and ethical thinking across time and cultures to cultivate an ethical, reflective and civil approach to justice and the rule of law.
- Asynchronous Time Requirements: 5-10 hours per week of reading and online interaction.
- NB: This program is tailored for adult learners