How Should Protestants Engage With Natural Law Theory?

Natural law theory is known to be more emphasized among Catholics than Protestants. Why is that the case, and should it be? Do Protestants need to focus more on philosophy? Today's guest, Andrew T. Walker of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, discusses why Protestants need natural law too, and specifically the work of the Madison Program’s founder and Director, Professor Robert P. George. We discuss Dr. Walker's book, Social Conservatism for the Common Good: A Protestant Engagement with Robert P. George, which features essays from a variety of Protestant scholars on Professor George and the importance of his contributions to the field of natural law.

Andrew T. Walker is associate professor of Christian Ethics at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and an associate dean in their School of Theology. He also serves as the executive director of the Carl F. H. Henry Institute for Evangelical Engagement, as Managing Editor of WORLD opinions, and as a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center.

• More on Natural Law, from a former JMP fellow here.
• A little bit on New Natural Law here.
• An overview of John Rawls here.
• Rawls' "original position," where he advocates for his famous "veil of ignorance" here.
• His recent article, "True conservatism is not mere progressivism in slow motion" in WORLD Opinions here.
• His recent book review, "Were problems baked into the American cake?" in WORLD Opinions here.
• "The Baby and the Bathwater," an essay co-authored by Professor George mentioned during the interview here.

Annika Nordquist is the Communications Coordinator of Princeton University’s James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions and host of the Program’s podcast, Madison’s Notes.