After thirty years of being a prominent Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson had just begun to realize his mission in politics—establishing a Christian law school in the state of Louisiana. However, Johnson’s remarkable vision was quickly derailed by a number of obstacles, from sanitary and safety issues to ethical concerns. As these issues piled up, it became clear that Johnson’s plans for a Christian law school had unraveled.
The concept for the school was formed around the idea of endowing religious lawyers with the ability to “expand their legal education to include the Bible and issues of faith.” Speaker Johnson was an optimistic leader, believing that a Christian law school would be a benefit to both its students and the greater community. He was even willing to commit to investing $5million of his own money in the process of opening the law school.
Unfortunately, the roadblocks proved insurmountable. After numerous inspections, state health and safety regulators found that the facility set to house the school was not up to par. With movement around the school limited, people began to raise ethical questions about Johnson’s intentions. The school’s focus was heavily Christian-oriented, which some argued betrayed the American ideals of a “separation between church and state.”
Furthermore, those opposing the school argued that Johnson was pandering to emerging conservative powerhouses such as the Family Research Council and the Southern Baptist Convention. They viewed the school as a deliberate attempt to push religious topics into the higher education system—one which could be particularly damaging to the rights of LGBT individuals in the community.
It is a testament to Speaker Johnson’s ambition that he was willing to attempt such a daring endeavor. Though his plans have been met with criticism, his commitment to his cause remains undaunted. To this day, Johnson continues to fight to bring the Christian law school to fruition, while maintaining a healthy respect for the rights of all members of the local community.