Redeeming Law: Christian Calling and the Legal Profession

Are you a Christian Lawyer or a lawyer who just happens to be Christian? That's the central question behind 'Redeeming Law', and the answer is that the latter option is a non-starter. No serious lawyer, or any professional for that matter, can legitimately isolate his professional life from his faith without bordering on hypocrisy. As a law student, I found this book incredibly insightful and thought-provoking, because it sets both an intellectual and a pragmatic framework for slowly beginning to view every aspect of my life, particularly my future profession, through the lens of my faith. You might think that the basic message of this book is that we should all leave our law firms and become champions of "Christian causes" in the law, but this couldn't be further from the truth. Probably my favorite part is Schutt's discussion of how we've lost a biblical understanding of vocation, and how even the most mundane activities in our lives can be used for glorifying God and helping realize His kingdom. The tendency to separate life into "secular" and "religious" activities is a symptom of our culture's problems, not a solution. If I must offer a constructive criticism of the book, I'd say that it could've been a bit quicker to get to the lawyer-specific advice. The first half or so was more of a broad cultural critique of common attitudes toward work; a discussion which could really be addressed to anyone. That weakness, however, may end up a strength, because the broad treatment makes 'Redeeming Law' an excellent "first step" towards a lengthier life-long project of integrating faith and work. I'm grateful to Mr. Schutt for his writing and hope that he will bless us with future works on this subject.

Mike Schutt pulls no punches in this provocative and inspiring challenge to those of us lawyers who claim to be followers of Christ. While undergirded by faithful optimism, this isn't some shallow feel-good book offering easy answers. To the contrary, Schutt calls Christian attorneys to a comprehensive and thoroughly transformative model of redemptive legal thinking. To get a sense of how Mike cuts straight to the hearts of those who practice the profession of law, consider just one of the many blunt questions he asks: "How do we know that the lawyer's calling is - or can be - legitimate love of and service to neighbor rather than simply respectable prostitution?" Ouch. If you, like me, are a lawyer honestly seeking to serve and honor Jesus in and through your legal vocation, then you need to open this book, the sooner the better. You will be blessed in your ongoing struggle to genuinely integrate your faith and your career. While I might consider my own book, The Believer's Guide to Legal Issues, to be a "must read" for Christian laypersons facing common legal issues, "Redeeming Law" is absolutely a "must read" for Christian lawyers!