Thought and Culture

Christian Legal Organizations

Christian legal organizations are groups of lawyers and advocates who bring the faith to bear on the law, most visibly on religious liberty, life, marriage, and conscience. This is contested ground. Some are openly conservative advocacy organizations whose positions many people, including many Christians, oppose; others frame themselves as nonpartisan defenders of religious freedom for people of every faith. Naming them honestly means naming those differences, and the controversy, plainly.

What these organizations do

They litigate cases, file briefs, defend clients, and advocate on questions where law and faith meet: the free exercise of religion, conscience protections, the sanctity of life, marriage, and speech. Some are professional fellowships for Christian lawyers; others are advocacy litigation groups with a clear agenda.

Real organizations, distinctions kept explicit

The organizations below are named for information, not endorsement. The Living Bread is not affiliated with them, does not vouch for every view they hold, and encourages you to verify anything that matters directly with the source.

• Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) is a large conservative Christian legal advocacy organization. It has won cases at the U.S. Supreme Court and is, at the same time, sharply contested: on questions of marriage and sexuality in particular, many people and organizations, including some Christians, oppose its positions. Both facts belong on the page.
• The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), associated with Jay Sekulow, is likewise a conservative advocacy organization.
• First Liberty Institute focuses on religious liberty litigation.
• Becket (the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty) defends religious freedom for clients of many faiths, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and others, and presents itself as nonpartisan on that principle, a notably different posture from the broader conservative advocacy groups.
• The Christian Legal Society (CLS) is a fellowship of Christian lawyers and law students, more a professional and devotional community than a litigation shop.

These are not interchangeable. An openly conservative advocacy group, a multi-faith religious-liberty firm, and a lawyers' fellowship do different work, and Christians themselves disagree about several of the legal positions involved.

How this connects to Christ

Scripture ties justice to the heart of God, to do justly, to plead for the voiceless, to walk humbly. Christians will not always agree on how law should embody that, and this page does not pretend the arguments are settled. What the faith asks of everyone in the profession is the same: justice pursued with mercy, and humility before God, whatever side of a case one stands on.

Frequently asked questions

What is a Christian legal organization?

A group of lawyers and legal advocates who bring Christian conviction to the law, whether through litigation, advocacy, or professional fellowship, often on religious liberty, life, marriage, and conscience.

Is Alliance Defending Freedom controversial?

Yes. ADF is a large conservative Christian legal advocacy group that has won Supreme Court cases and is, at the same time, sharply contested. On marriage and sexuality especially, many people and organizations, including some Christians, oppose its positions. Both are stated here plainly.

How is Becket different from ADF?

Becket, the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, defends religious freedom for clients of many faiths and presents itself as nonpartisan on that principle. ADF is an openly conservative Christian advocacy organization with a broader agenda. They are distinct in mission and posture.