Monica Sandu ‘24
Staff Editor
This past Thursday, I attended Religion at UVA Law, a roundtable discussion event and mixer with students, faculty, and alumni from diverse religious and cultural backgrounds. Sponsored by the Rex E. Lee Law Society, the Jewish Law Students Association, the Law Christian Fellowship, the Muslim Law Students Association, and the St. Thomas More Society, Religion at UVA Law sought to foster interfaith dialogue about what it’s like to be religious at UVA.
Upon arrival at Caplin Pavilion, name tag stickers were provided for us to fill out. Each sticker in turn had a colored dot that would correspond to the table we would be sitting at.[1] On the table were cards with printed questions designed to start a conversation. What unique experiences or challenges do students of different religions go through? How can the Law School be more accommodating to religious observance, especially with regards to minority religions? What were the core tenants of our religions? How did our faith influence our decision to come to law school in the first place, and what role does it currently play in the way that we think about and understand the law?
This dialogue was inherently difficult. Student religious organizations play a major role in creating a supportive community for those at the Law School seeking peers who understand their struggles, at both an academic and a personal level. Isolation from others outside of the community, however, can be an unintended consequence. Deeply spiritual worries can be hard to communicate to others who, in not holding the same beliefs, lack the same framework upon which all other parts of one’s worldview are built. To speak about one’s most deeply held beliefs necessarily puts one in a position of vulnerability, especially when in the presence of others who do not hold the same beliefs, and can have the tendency to put people on the defensive.[2] Even coming up with an answer to some of the more philosophical questions about morality, justice, and truth required a great deal of introspection that got to the heart of why we want to become lawyers in the first place. What good do we seek to bring to the world?
Overall, the discussion was rich and respectful. It wasn’t dominated by a single person or faith, nor were anyone’s beliefs dismissed or negatively debated. Instead, the conversation was reflective of the trust that we as UVA students have in one another, that our beliefs and ideas will be respected, and that we can teach others about who we are while showing that same dignity to them so that we may all reach a better understanding about our community.
Though religion is typically a taboo topic when it comes to conversations with strangers, I came to realize through my discussion with others how much I didn’t know about faiths outside of my own. When someone teaches you about their religion, from theological to philosophical and cultural elements, you learn so much about them in a way that you otherwise wouldn’t get. Religion is rather unique in that regard, because it weaves together history and tradition as well as morality and beliefs about life and community.
All these elements play a key role in the way that we understand the law as well. To be a good lawyer, to have a good relationship with your client, your peers, and your community, I believe you cannot shut yourself off from these considerations. Thus, it’s impossible to get the complete picture of how one approaches the legal world without understanding what someone believes and why. Understanding fosters empathy; empathy fosters acceptance; and acceptance fosters diversity and cooperation. The ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and see the world from their point of view is more important now than ever before.
Religion at UVA Law was an incredible experience to connect with other students and to learn about parts of their lives and identities that can otherwise go unmentioned. I ended the night far more educated about others’ faiths than I had previously imagined I could learn over the course of just two hours. From the ways in which people learn, to the analytical approach they take to the law, to their beliefs about justice, truth, retribution, and the purpose of the law, discussion was peaceful and fruitful. The genuine desire that students had to understand and to be understood, to live their faith in the service of others through law, was both humbling and inspiring.