A Law Professor’s
Perspective on Faith
11:00 AM • Rosenwald Classroom
The complex and often tenuous relationship between church and state is a driving force in our society. Over the centuries, many different legal philosophies have developed, some incorporating faith more directly than others. From a Christian perspective, what grounds the practice of law in a liberal democracy? How should Christians relate to the ideas of justice, mercy, and punishment? Is the notion of defendants’ rights and criminals’ rights distinctly Christian?
In this session, Charles Clark D’11 will interview law professor and Dartmouth Trustee Stephen Smith D’88 about his perspective on these and other questions about the relationship of faith and legal theory.
Interviewer
Charles Clark D’11
Former Editor-in-Chief, The Dartmouth Apologia
Charles Clark is a member of the class of 2011 at Dartmouth College. He studies Classical Archaeology and English. He is also the former editor-in-chief of the Dartmouth Apologia. This fall, he will be attending law school.
Guest
Stephen Smith, JD D’88
Professor of Law, University of Notre Dame Law School
Trustee of Dartmouth College
Stephen F. Smith, J.D. earned his bachelor's degree from Dartmouth College and his Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law. As a student at the law school, he served as articles editor for the Virginia Law Review and was inducted into the Order of the Coif and the Raven Society. Upon graduation, he clerked for Judge David B. Sentelle of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and for Justice Clarence Thomas of the Supreme Court of the United States.
Before returning to the law school, Mr. Smith served in the Supreme Court and appellate practice group of Sidley & Austin in Washington, D.C. He also served as associate majority counsel to a 1996 House of Representatives select subcommittee investigating U.S. involvement in Iranian arms transfers to Bosnia and as an adjunct professor at George Mason University School of Law. He is actively involved in a number of community service organizations and civic projects.
Mr. Smith's area of research is criminal law and criminal procedure. He teaches courses on criminal law, criminal adjudication and federal criminal law.
While at Dartmouth, Mr. Smith played tight end on the Freshman Football team and was a member of Sigma Nu fraternity. Mr. Smith was elected to a variety of posts in his fraternity, including Vice President.
