Originalism's Promise A Natural Law Account of the American Constitution

The foundation of the American legal system and democratic culture is its longstanding written Constitution. However, a contentious debate now exists between originalists, who employ the Constitution's original meaning, and Nonoriginalists, who argue for a living constitution interpretation. The first natural law justification for an originalist interpretation of the American Constitution, Originalism's Promise presents an innovative foundation for originalism and a novel description of its character. The book provides a deep, rich, and practical explanation of originalism, including the most-detailed originalist theory of precedent in the literature. Of interest to judges, scholars, and lawyers, it will help all Americans better understand their own Constitution and shows why their reverence for it, its Framers, and its legal system, is supported by sound reasons. Originalism's Promise is a powerful contribution to the most important theory in constitutional interpretation.

Introduction; Part I. A Description of Originalism: 1. A brief history of originalism in American constitutional interpretation; 2. The constitutional communication model of originalism; Part II. Originalism is the Best Explanation of our Existing Constitutional Practice and the Most Normatively Attractive Theory of Constitutional Interpretation: 3. Originalism is the best explanation for our existing constitutional practice; 4. Originalism best advances Americans' human flourishing: the law-as-coordination account of originalism; 5. Conclusion; Index.

Originalism's Promise helps Americans know their own Constitution and shows why their reverence for it, its Framers, and its legal system, is sound and valuable. The book offers a way out of the bitter fights represented by the Kavanaugh hearings, and marries the Constitution to natural law.

Lee J. Strang is John W. Stoepler Professor of Law and Values at the College of Law, University of Toledo, Ohio. In 2015, Professor Strang was a visiting scholar at the Georgetown Center for the Constitution, and in 2016 he was appointed to the Ohio Advisory Committee of the US Commission on Civil Rights. The University of Toledo, Ohio awarded Professor Strang its Outstanding Faculty Research and Scholarship Award in 2017. During the 2018–19 academic year, Professor Strang was a visiting fellow at the James Madison Program at Princeton University, New Jersey.