LAW3255 : Public Theology and the Law: A Global Perspective on Justice, Ethics and Governance
- Offered for Year: 2025/26
- Module Leader(s): Reverend Keith Magee
- Owning School: Newcastle Law School
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
- Capacity limit: 60 student places
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
This module explores how public theology engages with legal systems, ethics, and global governance. Students will investigate the ways in which faith-based narratives have historically shaped and continue to influence legal frameworks, civic institutions, and public policy at both national and international levels.
Through the writings of global voices in law, governance, and public theology, students will critically engage with pressing questions of justice, race, reparations, decolonisation, and moral leadership in law.
The module will draw on interdisciplinary readings and interactive global seminars with distinguished international guest speakers, enabling students to navigate real-world legal and ethical challenges facing today’s global public square.
Outline Of Syllabus
Public Theology: Law, Ethics, and the Global Commons
Law, Covenant and Justice: Theological Foundations
Baldwin’s Theological Imagination: Race and Faith
Real world case studies on law, ethics and global governance
Race, Religion & Decolonial Legal Thought
Restorative Justice and Theologies of Repair
Reparations, Truth Commissions and Transitional Justice
Future of Public Theology in Global Governance
The Role of Faith in Civil Rights and Reparatory Justice
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 8 | 1:00 | 8:00 | N/A |
| Structured Guided Learning | Lecture materials | 1 | 1:00 | 1:00 | Pre-recorded lecture on assessment guidance/feedforward |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 166:00 | 166:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Practical | 1 | 4:00 | 4:00 | Group Presentations |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 4 | 2:00 | 8:00 | Seminars – with up to 25 students in each group |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 1 | 2:00 | 2:00 | Guest Lecture/Seminar- Whole cohort session |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Fieldwork | 1 | 5:00 | 5:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 2 | 1:00 | 2:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Scheduled on-line contact time | 2 | 2:00 | 4:00 | 2 x 2 hour Online whole cohort seminar - – guest speaker session |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Lectures will:
Provide foundational knowledge: present core concepts, historical developments, and key theorists in public theology, legal history, and global governance to align with learning outcomes on knowledge and critical understanding.
Model interdisciplinary analysis: demonstrate how theological, ethical, and legal frameworks intersect through case studies and comparative examples, supporting outcomes on analytical skills and synthesis across disciplines.
Introduce applied themes and guest perspectives: outline major module topics (justice, race, reparations, decolonisation, moral leadership) and integrate international guest contributions to prepare students for seminars, fieldwork, and assessed tasks.
Seminars will:
Facilitate critical engagement and discussion: enable students to debate readings, interrogate assumptions, and apply theoretical frameworks to contemporary legal and policy dilemmas, meeting outcomes on critical reflection and argumentation.
Develop practical analytical skills: run small-group activities, case-based problem solving, and policy brief exercises to build skills in legal interpretation, ethical reasoning, and communication required by assessed outputs.
Foster collaborative and intercultural learning: use interactive global seminar sessions and peer-led presentations to cultivate leadership, teamwork, and sensitivity to diverse theological and legal perspectives, supporting outcomes on leadership and global awareness.
Fieldwork will:
Focus on the topic of Reparations and Restorative Justice – A Comparative Case Study to:
Facilitate comparative analysis: students will critically compare theological, moral, and legal dimensions of South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation process and CARICOM reparations claims, developing abilities to synthesise interdisciplinary evidence and evaluate effectiveness—aligning with outcomes on analysis and comparative reasoning.
Support applied ethical reasoning and stakeholder engagement: online sessions with CARICOM materials and representatives (and optional High Commission visit) will enable students to practice ethical argumentation, contextual analysis, and professional communication required for policy-relevant leadership.
Promote reflective and collaborative learning: the group presentation and individual 1,000-word reflection consolidate teamwork, critical reflection on theological influences in law, and independent scholarly writing, reinforcing outcomes in reflective practice, leadership, and academic communication.
The combination of lectures, seminars, fieldwork, and one-to-one tutorials sequentially builds foundational knowledge, critical and interdisciplinary analysis, practical application, and personalised feedback to ensure students meet learning outcomes in substantive understanding, ethical reasoning, leadership, and applied scholarship.
A pre-recorded lecture detailing guidance and expectations on the assessments for this module will be made available. This will be followed up by an online drop-in so as to be able to answer any questions.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reflective log | 2 | M | 25 | Individual Reflection from case study 1000 words – must align with formative group presentations |
| Research paper | 2 | A | 75 | Research essay (3000 words max) |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oral Presentation | 2 | M | Group Presentation |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
Research Essay (3,000 words, summative)
An extended, evidence‑based essay requiring sustained, original argument on a topic connecting public theology and law, using interdisciplinary literature and primary sources.
Rationale: measures depth of knowledge, methodological rigour, and independent research capacity.
Outcomes tested: substantive understanding, critical synthesis, research skills, and ability to produce policy‑relevant recommendations.
Reflective Essay (1,000 words, individual)
Students reflect on learning from fieldwork and seminars, critically linking experience to theory and assessing positionality and ethical implications.
Rationale: promotes metacognition and professional formation, evidencing how experiential learning shapes understanding and practice.
Outcomes tested: reflective practice, integration of theological and legal analysis, and clarity in academic writing.
Formative Group Presentation (fieldwork)
Students work in teams to evaluate whether theological frameworks (forgiveness, truth‑telling, repentance, justice) strengthened or weakened reparations and transitional‑justice mechanisms across the comparative cases.
Rationale: assesses oral communication, teamwork, and interdisciplinary synthesis; provides formative feedback to improve argumentation, evidence use, and professional presentation.
Outcomes tested: comparative analysis, applied ethical reasoning, intercultural engagement and leadership.
Overall alignment
Constructive alignment with teaching methods: formative tasks scaffold learning from lectures, seminars and fieldwork toward the summative essay.
Varied assessment modes (oral, reflective, written) capture a broad range of competencies and support accessibility and equity.
Clear criteria and timely feedback (including 1‑2‑1 tutorials) to ensure students can iterate and demonstrate achievement of the module’s intended outcomes.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- LAW3255's Timetable