FAQ
Frequently asked questions (FAQ) about the John Jay Institute follow:
Q: Who is John Jay?
A: The Institute's namesake was an American founder and provides an excellent model of principled public leadership. John Jay (1745 - 1829) was arguably the most religious, social, and political conservative of America's principal founding fathers. He was eminent in several departments of public life including: President of the Continental Congress, diplomat, Chief Justice of the United States, and Governor of New York. Jay's selfless government service was continuous from eve of the American Revolution until his retirement in 1801. In retirement he labored until his death on behalf of several Christian philanthropic and humanitarian causes in his community, state, nation, and the world.
Q: Why is the Institute necessary?
A: The Institute addresses the dearth of leadership development for public vocations by providing a para-academic center for learning about the nature of law and society through theological, philosophical, and historical reflection. Graduates of the Institute are thus prepared to articulate and defend the "what" of law before learning the "how" of law practice. Sadly most law schools and public policy graduate programs offer very little, if any, studies on jurisprudence. It is the Institute's task to assist in recovering a theologically, philosophically, and historically informed understanding of law, jurisprudence, politics, and government.
Q: What distinguishes the Institute from other public leadership development programs?
A: The Institute is unique among other organizations dedicated to civic and cultural leadership development insomuch as it offers the only church-based residential and academic fellowship for post-undergraduate students aspiring to public life.
Q: Why is a residential fellows program necessary?
A: Learning is a community task that is done in personal relationship with teachers, mentors, and other students. This model was demonstrated by the master teacher, Jesus Christ, and other great teachers like Socrates. The Institute's commitment to the ancient pedagogy of Jesus and Socrates is rooted in the nature of human life and learning. There is no short-cut to the crucial tasks of spiritual, moral, and intellectual formation. Even with all the benefits provided by modern technology in our so-called information age, virtual community is not community.
Q: Why recruit rising law, government, and divinity students?
A: Some social observers have likened Western Civilization's cultural malaise to an "identity crisis." This crisis is especially manifest in the "professions" of law and divinity where an increasing dichotomy of faith and reason, theology and law, piety and politics is far too evident. By recruiting rising law, government, and divinity students the Institute is able to provide them with an integrated foundation and worldview for ordering their respective disciplines, personal and professional lives, and public vocations.
Q: Why use a "fellowship" model?
A: A fellowship program that provides stipend and housing allows the Institute to be highly selective in its enrollment management. Merit-based fellowships leverage the Institute's strategic ability to attract the best and brightest students in a highly competitive environment for developing promising young leaders.
Q: How cost-effective is the Institute's strategy?
A: The Institute's strategy for forming public leaders is very cost-effective when compared to addressing the crises of legal, political, and theological education by other means. Rather than establish new law schools and schools of government, the Institute's approach is to form the mind and soul of rising law, government, and divinity students prior to their entry into top tier graduate and professional schools. In this way future "men of affairs" will be better prepared with the appropriate study of theology, philosophy, political theory, and jurisprudence necessary for principled public leadership.
Q: How can I make a donation to the John Jay Institute?
A: Click here to learn more about how you can support the John Jay Institute.
Q: When I go to the online donations page I get a different URL. Why is this?
A: When you make a donation online using the John Jay Institute website you are directed to the following URL: https://www1024.ssldomain.com/johnjayinstitute/index.cfmget=get.donate.
Some extraneous values may be appended to this URL but the base URL should always be https://www1024.ssldomain.com/johnjayinstitute/index.cfm.
This occurs because our webiste makes use of a free security certificate provided by our website hosting company. This security certificate ensures industry standard data encryption for secure and safe transactions and yet keeps our operating costs low because it is shared with our hosting company. If you have any concerns regarding this please do not hesitate to contact us or to use the alternate donation methods articulated here.
