(1) Academic and Professional Journals, Including Law Reviews, Published in a Series (in Volumes, Issues)
These are specifically-named Journals in a continuous, multivolume series, with public submissions sent to an editorial board for acceptance (after some editing). Submissions usually require rigorous, separate citations to supporting authorities in an approved format. Law Reviews and Law Journals exemplify this, but we include several other academic and professional journals serving our interests. Journals here can touch on general worldview subjects, as well as very specific issues, including many controversial ones. They may also cover practical issues for lawyers, and other professionals or advocates. Some journals are online but have hard copy options, or they may offer pdf downloads of articles. Some require subscriptions.
American Journal of Jurisprudence (Notre Dame Law School, Oxford University Press)
“The American Journal of Jurisprudence is an international journal publishing critical discussions of the moral foundations of law and legal systems, exploring current and historical issues in ethics, philosophy of law or jurisprudence, and legal (including constitutional) theory.” (from its website) Not all of it is explicitly Christian, but there are many good pieces; it has connections to lead thinkers at Notre Dame Law School in the US.
Cambridge Papers
This is a fine collection of cited research papers expressing Christian worldview on a variety of social issues, including those impacting public policy, and spanning several decades. It’s a unique group. (Jubilee Center, UK, below is closely associated with them).
The Christian Lawyer (Christian Legal Society, USA)
This fine, magazine-styled professional publication is issued twice a year (Spring and Fall), and has a variety of interesting topics for practitioners and other advocates, including religious liberty, anti-human trafficking, right-to-life, and serving the poor; articles tend to be shorter and may have international applications, although catering in the first instance to the CLS, USA. See also their law journal, Journal of Christian Legal Thought (more an academic journal), below.
Christian Legal Journal (Christian Legal Fellowship, Canada)
“The Christian Legal Journal is the periodic publication of the Christian Legal Fellowship (CLF). The Journal addresses relevant legal issues from a Christian perspective. Its articles are designed to encourage members . . . keeping them informed of current legal issues impacting the Christian community . . .” (from its website). Issues covered include Church & State, Religious Liberty, Life, basic Freedoms, Career, Courage, and many more. It’s hard to view this Journal’s content, while CLF members automatically get a free subscription.
First Things (Institute on Religion and Public Life)
This is “A Journal of Religion, Culture, and Public Life . . . The Institute on Religion and Public Life, [is] an interreligious, nonpartisan research and education institute whose purpose is to advance a religiously informed public philosophy for the ordering of society.” (old and new sites). It has distinctly Catholic perspectives, but also includes Evangelical and Protestant writers, and is considered one of the premiere journals on Christian social, and political thought (highly read and acclaimed for its content). Subscriptions are required but some recent issues and content are free. It also has Podcasts, Videos, and other programs on its site.
International Journal for Religious Freedom (IJRF) (International Institute for Religious Freedom (IIRF), of the WEA)
This Journal includes some Religious Liberty Reports. (The IIRF also issues an entire, separate series of Reports on Religious Liberty and other Human Rights [see Subset (2) below, Research Studies, Reports].)
Journal of Catholic Legal Studies (St. John’s University, School of Law, USA)
The Journal of Catholic Legal Studies is a scholarly journal devoted to the study of law and religion in general, and law and Catholicism in particular. Known for fifty years as The Catholic Lawyer, the journal was rechristened the Journal of Catholic Legal Studies in the spring of 2005, beginning with Issue 44, Vol. 1.
Journal of Catholic Social Thought (Villanova University, Office for Mission and Ministry and the School of Law, USA)
“The Journal of Catholic Social Thought is a peer-reviewed interdisciplinary publication that brings together authors from the fields of law, theology, philosophy and political theory. Its focus is Catholic social teaching and the implications for both theory and practice. It was founded in support of a call by the Conference of Catholic Bishops to ‘integrate and to share the riches of the Church’s social teaching in Catholic education and formation at every level.’” (from website)
Journal of Christian Legal Thought (2011 – Current) (CLS, USA)
“The mission of the Journal of Christian Legal Thought is to equip and encourage legal professionals to seek and study biblical truth as it relates to law, the practice of law, and legal institutions. . . The Journal seeks, first, to provide practitioners and students a vehicle through which to engage Christian legal scholarship that will enhance this reflection as it relates to their daily work, and, second, to provide legal scholars a peer-reviewed medium through which to explore the law in light of Scripture, under the broad influence of the doctrines and creeds of the Christian faith, and on the shoulders of the communion of saints across the ages.” (from its Statement of Purpose)
Journal of Church and State (Oxford Academic, in connection with the J.M. Dawson Institute of Church-State Studies, Baylor University, USA)
“The Journal of Church and State is concerned with what has been called the ‘greatest subject in the history of the West.’ It seeks to stimulate interest, dialogue, research, and publication in the broad area of religion and the state. JCS publishes constitutional, historical, philosophical, theological, and sociological studies on religion and the body politic in various countries and cultures of the world . . . “ (from the website). With over 50 years and running, this is a good resource on this issue, going obviously beyond Western concerns, and even Christian ones, to issues in all nations. A variety of religious persuasions (or none at all) can be presented here.
Journal of Global Justice and Public Policy (JGJPP) (Regent University, School of Law, USA)
This Journal focuses on International Human Rights, Global Development, and the Rule of Law; it operates in connection with Regent’s Center for Global Justice (it is student run and edited).
Journal of Law and Religion (Emory University, Center for the Study of Law and Religion, with Cambridge Core, Cambridge Univ. Press)
“The Journal of Law and Religion publishes cutting-edge interdisciplinary, interreligious, and international research on critical issues of law and religion.” (from the website). Interreligious means this Journal provides a dialogue among Buddhist, Confucian, Christian, Hindu, Indigenous, Jewish, Muslim, and other faith traditions about fundamental questions of law, society, and politics.
Lausanne Global Analysis (Lausanne Movement)
It sometimes includes several fine articles on law, government, justice and on specific social issues of interest; e.g., Separation of Church and State, Economic Development, Governmental Authority, and so on; 40 years of content in this academic-styled journal, with a very searchable format; See also their other publications: Lausanne Occasional Papers (Subset (2)), and News & Stories (a Scholarly Blog).
Law and Justice, The Christian Law Review (UK)
“Law & Justice is a peer reviewed journal published by the Edmund Plowden Trust for the purpose of assisting and promoting the study and understanding of [UK] . . . legal systems in themselves and by comparing them with the laws and systems of other countries and by considering them in the light of Christian sources such as The Declaration of Religious Freedom (of the Second Vatican Council), International Law, Canon Law and the Law of Nature.” (from its website)
Liberty University Law Review (USA)
“The Liberty University Law Review strives to cultivate a forum of intellectually rigorous thought and debate regarding contemporary legal issues, gleaning insight from the Western legal tradition and remaining faithful to the Christian worldview. Through its publication, the Law Review endeavors to further the mission of the Liberty University School of Law, as well as to bring honor to the God of all Truth. Soli Deo Gloria.” (from its website; f/k/a Liberty Legal Journal)
The Natural Family: An International Journal of Research and Policy (TNF) (International Organization for the Family (IOF))
This is “a quarterly academic publication [promoting the natural family] and . . . protecting the sanctity and dignity of all human life.” It is geared specifically to international issues. “The International Organization for the Family (IOF) unites and equips leaders worldwide to promote the natural family.” (all quotes from the website)
Oxford Journal of Law and Religion (Oxford University Press)
“The Oxford Journal of Law and Religion (OJLR) publishes a range of articles drawn from various sectors of the law and religion field, including: social, legal and political issues involving the relationship between law and religion in society; comparative law perspectives on the relationship between religion and state institutions; developments regarding human and constitutional rights to freedom of religion or belief; considerations of the relationship between religious and secular legal systems; and other salient areas where law and religion interact (e.g., theology, legal and political theory, legal history, philosophy, etc.).”
(from its website)
Providence (Institute on Religion and Democracy (IRD))
This is a journal (magazine-styled), of “Christianity and American foreign policy” (from its past website). It’s actually a lot more than that: Providence is a full online library and resource center in itself, with podcasts, interviews, and videos built into this online journal (it even links to a fine International Religious Liberty section associated with IRD’s Blog, Juicy Ecuemenism). The journal’s emphasis on foreign policy, and not just American, makes it easy for anyone to get up to speed on almost any current political topic, even internationally, while in the same space diving into big theological issues surrounding society and government. (Citations to authority, if given, seem ‘in the text’ of articles, and not separately footnoted.) See also IRD’s Faith & Freedom publication, in our News Journal Articles Square.
Public Discourse (Witherspoon Institute (WI))
This is WI’s primary, online journal that “ seeks to enhance the public understanding of the moral foundations of free societies. . . ” (from its website). Public Discourse is also magazine styled, having several other multimedia features built into its pages, such as Videos and webinars on its topics. It’s a high caliber journal covering and organizing its articles and related resources into 5 main subject areas. It calls these the five pillars of society (the Human Person, Sexuality & Family, Politics & Law, Education & Culture, and Business & Economics). This 5-subject-system makes it easy to hone in on what you are looking for. The journal has a strong cadre of featured contributing authors (citations to authority, if any, are in text and not separate; see this also in our News Journals Articles Square).
See more scholarly WI publications, including Article/Essay compilations on Natural Law (NL), and Research Studies, Reports, on marriage and family issues, in Subsets (2), (3) below.
Regent University Law Review (USA)
Regent University Law Review seeks to present academically excellent scholarship on relevant issues facing the legal community today from the perspective of a historic Christian worldview.
Religion & Liberty (Acton Institute)
“A quarterly journal of religion, economics & culture,” that contains “essays, book reviews, and interviews with those working for a free and virtuous society.” (quotes from its website). This journal is similar to a scholarly periodical in its style. Available by subscription, but recent issues are available free, online.
Trinity Law Review (Trinity Law School, USA)
The Law Review is a student-led publication on a variety of topics, adhering to a Christian and Western legal tradition, including the natural law, since the school’s, and Law Review’s founding in 1980.
World Justice Project | Publications, Articles (in assoc. w/ the American Bar Association (ABA))
[See instead Subset (3), Research Studies, Reports, for its relevant Articles]