“Benedict Options for Christian Legal Education in Africa” by Rev. Samson Maliisa and Brian Dennison
Christian law schools in Africa find themselves at a critical juncture. Faced with the rising tide of secularism and a sense of Christianity’s inevitable decline, these law schools must strategically assess their place and influence and relevance within legal theory, practice and development.
In 2017, the American cultural pundit Rod Dreher published The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation. This article takes its inspiration from Dreher’s book. It explores the potential of Benedictine practices for building and maintaining a Christian law school and equipping future Christian lawyers to impact legal culture and the wider social construct. It presents how various monastic disciplines and cultural structures can be applied to the mission and life of a Christian law school in Africa.