The Art of Christian Advocacy

The purpose of this book is to explain that the art of advocacy and persuasion, when tied to the “ many convincing proofs” (Acts 1:3) of the factual resurrection of Jesus Christ, is deeply Biblical and is best seen as “ logic supplemented” and not “ logic supplanted.” With examples, both good and bad, from our profession, the reader will learn how to “ think like a lawyer” when engaged in “ giving a reason for the hope that is within” them. We have all heard it said of someone: “ He thinks like a lawyer.” In spite of the generally negative public image of lawyers in our day, this characterization is usually a high compliment: It suggests clarity and precision of thought, coupled with a particular persuasive ability not shared by those outside the legal profession. In this book, we shall examine the reasoning process in general, together with those special styles of reasoning and presentation that lawyers and judges employ professionally to get to the truth in the best of cases. This book combines the “ is” and the “ ought” : we wish to offer a clear description of legal reasoning and also provide some normative guidelines to assist in the improvement of your reasoning faculties.