Heather Gerken on Micah 6:8 – “The Lawyer’s Calling: Justice, Mercy and Humility” - S1E77

Mark is delighted to welcome Heather Gerken, the Dean of Law at Yale Law School, to the podcast today. Hailed as an “intellectual guru” in the New York Times, Heather served as a senior advisor to the Obama campaign in 2008 and 2012, has been published extensively, has served as a commentator for a number of major media outlets, and is one of the country’s leading experts on constitutional law and election law. The passage she has chosen for today is Micah 6:8. Heather begins by discussing the vampire novels she has written, as well as sharing her summary of the passage and the meaning it holds for her. She and Mark then embark on an extensive discussion of the notions of justice, mercy, and humility, both in the passage and in society today. Heather also details the pastoral role that a Dean plays, the dangers of arguing through social media, and, as with all guests, she concludes the discussion by offering the lessons she has learned about humankind. In her conversation with Mark today, Heather brings her formidable experience in Law and Education to the analysis of this ‘truly awesome Biblical passage’, rendering its timeless lessons and application to modern times both fascinating and accessible to all. Episode Highlights: · Heather’s vampire novels · Her summary of the passage and the meaning it holds for her · Pulling mercy and justice closer together in our current legal system · Mark’s hypothetical case study · Knowing when to give justice and when to have mercy · Balancing humility and being a fierce advocate · The Dean’s pastoral role, particularly during the pandemic · Society’s education in humility · Arguing through social media · The lessons that Heather has learned about humankind Quotes: “It was the passage we read at our wedding.” “There is, I think, a question about hewing to the path that you must hew to in order to remain what you are.” “We should always try to not…judge people by their worst acts.” “I spent the entire semester telling students to be gentle with each other.” “But there’s also