Historical and Theological Foundations of Law by John Eidsmoe

Laws are everywhere. Every society has law in some form. Where did law come from? Is there something innate in man or is their a higher source of law? Eidsmoe answers these kinds of questions as a result of his investigating the legal systems of ancient and modern societies.

This is a three volume set. The first volume looks at ancient legal systems such as Egypt, India, China, etc. He investigates how their legal systems came to be, whether there are common aspects, and the possible source. He then focuses on the ancient Hebrew system of law and why it is frequently ignored today. He pays particular attention to Greek and Roman law and the Sharia law of Islam in the second volume. He also investigates the rise of the Common Law of the West and its roots. He explores the Reformation in the third volume and how legal philosophers wrote of law in a modern way. He then shows how the Common Law traveled to the Americas and provided the background for the founding documents of the United States.

This is an amazingly comprehensive work of 1,500 pages. It is a tremendous resource for anyone interested in the nature, purpose and source of law. It is not the kind of collection one would read quickly. It may take months to work through the information it contains. A comprehensive index is included at the end of each volume.

Readers may find a few surprises, such as Eidsmoe pointing out the fallacy of having an evolutionary concept of the development of law. He offers proof that the United States is unique in its Judeo-Christian heritage, especially in the influence of the ancient law systems, including the Hebrew laws of the Old Testament.

I recommend this comprehensive investigation to those readers interested in the origin of our laws and how they developed. Questions for reflection and discussion are included at the end of each chapter.

You can download an excerpt here.

My rating: 5/5 stars.

John Eidsmoe is a retired Lt. Colonel in the Air Force and serves as Professor of Constitutional Law and related subjects for the Oak Brook College of Law & Government Policy. He is also an Adjunct Professor for Handong International Law School in South Korea and for the Institute of Lutheran Theology. He has received Outstanding Professor Award or Prof of the Year Award five times. He holds seven academic degrees and currently serves as Senior Counsel and Resident Scholar for the Foundation for Moral Law. He has written 14 books and produced numerous lecture albums and is a popular speaker for churches and civic organizations. He and his wife have three children, three grandchildren, and live in rural Pike Road, Alabama.

Nordskog Publishing, 1500 pages.

I received a complimentary copy of this three volume set through The Book Club Network. My comments are an independent and honest review.