Who Are We?
The Harvard Law School Christian Fellowship (HLSCF) is a diverse community of students, scholars, and families united by our love for the person of Jesus Christ. Established in 1968, we are an official, independent, student-led group at HLS and benefit from historic partnerships with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and the Harvard Chaplains. Our vision is to build and foster Christian community at HLS and equip our fellowship to engage the legal community and bring the whole Gospel to HLS.
Our fellowship is composed primarily of JDs, LLMs, SJDs, and visiting scholars, as well as their significant others, spouses, and children. We welcome all who are interested in joining our community.
What Do We Do?
The vision of the Christian Fellowship is to foster campus community and build each other up in the Lord. We organize weekly large group meetings as well as small group bible studies, prayer groups, and triads. Additionally, we organize monthly outings and host academic lectures, service projects, retreats, dinners, coffees, dialogues, and more.
Christian Fellowship works with other Christian ministries to foster Christian community and service at HLS. In past years, we have also partnered with a number of other HLS groups—including the Catholic Law Students Association, the HLS Latter-day Saints Students Association, the Jewish Law Students Association, the Muslim Law Students Association, and the Black Law Students Association—as well as the Program on Biblical Law and Christian Legal Studies on academic events, interfaith dialogues, and service projects. We also collaborate with our sister fellowships at Harvard Business School, Harvard Divinity School, Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard Graduate School of Education, GSAS, and Harvard College to host speaker events (such as The Veritas Forum).
Finally, we would love to help you get connected to a local church. We have gathered a list of local area churches and would be happy to connect you with students who may be attending a church you are interested in visiting. Feel free to send us an email!
How Can I Get Involved?
Whether you are brand new to campus or about to graduate, we welcome you to join our fellowship! Our weekly large group meetings are a time for the entire fellowship to come together and build each other up. Each Friday evening we meet at 5:45pm for a time of fellowship, food (we serve a family-style dinner), testimony and prayer. We finish around 7pm, so you’ll still have plenty of time for the rest of the evening to make the most of the start of the weekend. Large group meetings are a great way to be refreshed after a long week and hang out with fellow believers.
Finally, we encourage everyone in the fellowship to get involved in a small group. We coordinate several prayers groups, bible studies, and fellowship groups. Look out for details in our email newsletter!
Can I Participate If I Am Not a Christian?
Definitely! While our student organization is explicitly Christian, we invite all members of the HLS community to our fellowship. Whether you are interested in learning more about Christianity, having a dialogue with Christian law students, or just being part of a campus community, we welcome you to join us.
We meet weekly on Fridays from 5:45pm-7pm. These large group meetings will typically involve a family-style meal and group discussion of various issues and challenges of being in law school and in the legal profession. During the meetings, we also encourage students to share needs and prayer requests. We would be honored to pray with you and for you! We’d also welcome you to consider joining a small group.
Leadership
Please feel free to contact anyone on our servant team if you have any questions or would like to get involved!
HLS Christian Fellowship Executive Board 2022–2023
President: Philip De Groot, 2L (pdegroot@jd25.law.harvard.edu)
Alumni Liaison: Kathryn Li, 3L
Treasurer: Chinaza Asiegbu, 2L
Secretary: Joel Erickson, 2L
Events Coordinator: Bianca Corgan, 2L
Other Community Team Members
Olivia Reichwald, 2L
David Marchese, 2L
Bennett Stehr, 3L
Campus Staff
Harvard Chaplain: Pete Williamson (pete.williamson@intervarsity.org)
Faculty Advisor: Prof. Ruth Okediji
Many people from many backgrounds and beliefs are members of our fellowship, and all people are welcome to all our events and activities. Historically, our leaders have affirmed this statement:
“We believe in
The only true God, the almighty Creator of all things,
existing eternally in three persons
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit full of love and glory.
The unique divine inspiration,
entire trustworthiness
and authority of the Bible.
The value and dignity of all people:
created in God’s image to live in love and holiness,
but alienated from God and each other because of our sin and guilt,
and justly subject to God’s wrath.
Jesus Christ, fully human and fully divine,
who lived as a perfect example,
who assumed the judgment due sinners by dying in our place,
and who was bodily raised from the dead and ascended as Savior and Lord.
Justification by God’s grace to all who repent
and put their faith in Jesus Christ alone for salvation.
The indwelling presence and transforming power of the Holy Spirit,
who gives to all believers a new life and a new calling to obedient service.
The unity of all believers in Jesus Christ,
manifest in worshiping and witnessing churches
making disciples throughout the world.
The victorious reign and future personal return of Jesus Christ,
who will judge all people with justice and mercy,
giving over the unrepentant to eternal condemnation
but receiving the redeemed into eternal life.
To God be glory forever.”