Christianity & Natural Law & Rights Theory Outline copy PDF

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This assignment was for an in-person JUS-104 class with Professor Kevin Walling....

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JUS-104: Christianity and Natural Law & Rights Theory - Essay Instructions Instructions 1) Write an essay of 500 to 750 words, 2) Explain how Christianity influenced the creation of the American justice system. Provide specific examples of elements of Christianity that informed its creation (Content 1), 3) Define Natural Law & Rights theory and provide examples of how this concept influenced the creation of the American justice system (Content 2). 4) Compare Natural Law & Rights Theory and Christian concepts. Explain whether these concepts are the same, similar or different (Content 3). 5) Utilize the GCU library to locate a minimum of three to five scholarly, relevant sources to support your content. 6) Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the GCU Style Guide, 7) You are required to submit this assignment to Lopeswrite. Required Sub-Headings Christianity’s Influence on the Creation of the American Justice System Natural Law and Rights Theory and the Creation of the American Justice System A Comparison of Christianity and Natural Law and Rights Theory [Recommended} Potential Citations Davis, D. H. (1994). Religious dimensions of the Declaration of Independence: fact and fiction. Journal of Church and State, (3). https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx? direct=true&db=edsgsr&AN=edsgcl.15799723&site=eds-live&scope=site Gish, D. A., & Klinghard, D. P. (2013). Redeeming Adam’s Curse: The Bible and Enlightenment Science in Thomas Jefferson’s Notes on the State of Virginia. Perspectives on Political Science, 42(2), 103–110. https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx? direct=true&db=ehh&AN=86994899&site=eds-live&scope=site Hamburger, P. A. (1993). Natural rights, natural law, and American constitutions. Yale Law Journal, (4), 907. https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx? direct=true&db=edsgao&AN=edsgcl.13352584&site=eds-live&scope=site Loconte, J. (2003). Faith and the founding: the influence of religion on the politics of James Madison. Journal of Church and State, (4), 699. https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx? direct=true&db=edsgao&AN=edsgcl.113646393&site=eds-live&scope=site Novak, M. (2003). How Did the Virginians Ground Religious Rights? Human Rights Review, 4(3), 17–33. https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx? direct=true&db=a9h&AN=12549662&site=eds-live&scope=site Wurman, I. (2015). The Original Understanding of Constitutional Legitimacy. Brigham Young University Law Review, 2014(4), 819–867. https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx? direct=true&db=a9h&AN=109329911&site=eds-live&scope=site

1) Write an essay of 500 to 750 words, Required Sub-Headings Christianity’s Influence on the Creation of the American Justice System 1) Explain how Christianity influenced the creation of the American justice system. Provide specific examples of elements of Christianity that informed its creation (Content 1)

“It is important to realize that most Americans would never have endorsed a colonial separation from the mother country unless they believed that it had God's sanction” (Davis, 1994). This is because God’s word was so important to the people coming over to America at that time, they would never do anything that they thought was against what He wanted. As they moved over here, they brought their Christian ideas and started to set up their own country. Christianity’s influence is “evident in broad principles, such as the separation of powers needed to check the abuse of government powers vested in human actors marred by original sin (Genesis 3), as well as in specific provisions such as setting standards of weights and measurements; requiring “the testimony of two witnesses” for convictions for treason; and prohibiting double jeopardy, cruel and unusual punishment, and corruption of blood” (Hall, 2020). They continued incorporating Him into their justice system by stating in the Declaration of Independence that “all people are endowed by God with natural rights that are unalienable, and when a government acts to destroy such rights, its subjects are entitled to revolt and establish a new government” (Davis, 1994).

Natural Law and Rights Theory and the Creation of the American Justice System 1) Define Natural Law & Rights theory and provide examples of how this concept influenced the creation of the American justice system (Content 2).

“Natural law is the philosophy that certain rights, moral values, and responsibilities are inherent in human nature, and that those rights can be understood through simple reasoning,” (Team, 2019). These are believed to be given by God and were so important that they were written in the Declaration and into our Constitution so they couldn’t be taken away from us or tampered with. “Natural law in the American legal system is centered on the belief that everything in life has a purpose, and that humans’ main purpose is to strive to live a life that is both “good” and happy. Any behaviors or actions that deliberately obstruct that one simple goal are considered to be “unnatural” or immoral” (Team, 2019). By having natural law in the American justice system, it helps us to maintain peace and achieve justice. It keeps our God given rights from being taken away and allows us to all be treated equally.

A Comparison of Christianity and Natural Law and Rights Theory 1) Compare Natural Law & Rights Theory and Christian concepts. Explain whether these concepts are the same, similar, or different (Content 3). The concept of Christianity is that God is the maker of all things. He gave us the natural rights consisting of “life, liberty and property, or life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” (Hamburger, 1993). In the eighteenth-century people firmly believed in the natural rights philosophy listed in the Declaration, which was the belief “that there is a "natural order" of things in the universe, expertly designed by God for the guidance of mankind” (Davis, 1994). Seeing that the natural rights and laws were believed to be given by God, they would fall under Christianity and become a part of it. Therefore, these concepts would be the same or similar.

Davis, D. H. (1994). Religious dimensions of the Declaration of Independence: fact and fiction. Journal of Church and State, 36(3). Hall, M. D. (2020, December 17). Christianity matters in American law and Jurisprudence: Fifteeneightyfour: Cambridge University Press. FifteenEightyFour | Cambridge University Press. Retrieved September 19, 2021, from http://www.cambridgeblog.org/2020/12/christianity-matters-in-american-law-and-jurisprudence/. Hamburger, P. A. (1993). Natural rights, natural law, and American constitutions. Yale Law Journal, 102(4), 907. Team, by: C. (2019, February 14). Natural law - definition, meaning, examples, and theory. Legal Dictionary. Retrieved September 19, 2021, from https://legaldictionary.net/natural-law/....