Acceso usuarios
Adam Dodek
Some years ago, I was invited to give a presentation on judicial independence to a group of judges from Mexico. I struggled to figure out how to connect with these visitors to Canada. We lacked a common history, legal system, language, or religion. They spoke Spanish, and my remarks would be translated from English; they were educated and worked in a civil law system, while I was from a common law system; they came from a country where nearly three-quarters of the population are Catholic, while I am Jewish. I then realized that, perhaps—just perhaps—the Old Testament could bridge our differences.
I quoted this verse from Deuteronomy: “Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not take bribes, for bribes blind the eyes of the wise and subvert the cause of the just.”1 I realized I had the attention of the judges when I heard the translator say “Deuteronomio.” I saw sparks of recognition and familiarity on the faces of the Mexican judges. Recourse to the Bible had succeeded in traversing linguistic, cultural, legal, and religious differences.
