Commencement Address presented at Spring Arbor University 2026 A.D. by the Hon. William Wagner (Ret), WFFC Distinguished Chair for Faith & Freedom (SAU); Distinguished Professor Emeritus Listen Watch President Ellis, members of the Board of Trustees, distinguished faculty and staff, families and friends—and most especially, graduates: Congratulations. You have earned this moment. You survived examinations, clinics, research papers, presentations, deadlines, group projects— An

The Rule of Law. The phrase is familiar. Its meaning is revolutionary. The Rule of Law does not mean that society has laws. Every tyranny has laws. The Rule of Law means that those who exercise power remain subject to law. Under the Rule of Law, the central question for a public official is not what result do I desire? It is what authority has lawfully been entrusted to me? That question has guided much of my own thinking about constitutional interpretation. I believe deeply

DETROIT, MI — October 28, 2026 — What does it mean to be faithful to the Constitution when personal convictions, political pressures, or desired outcomes point in another direction? That question stood at the center of a keynote address delivered by former federal judge William Wagner at a Federalist Society event hosted by Wayne State University Law School. Wagner, Distinguished Chair for Faith & Freedom at Spring Arbor University's Wagner Faith & Freedom Center, challenged

Judicial Independence, Political Pressure, and the Rule of Law Presented by the Hon. William Wagner (Ret.), WFFC Distinguished Chair for Faith & Freedom at Michigan State University College of Law — Federalist Society Event - October 21, 2026 I. INTRODUCTION: THE QUESTION BEHIND THE QUESTION Good afternoon. It is a pleasure to be here at Michigan State University College of Law. I am grateful to the Federalist Society for inviting us to consider a question that reaches the ve

EAST LANSING, Mich. — The Honorable William Wagner (Ret.), Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Constitutional Law and Distinguished Chair of the Wagner Faith & Freedom Center at Spring Arbor University, participated in a Federalist Society debate at Michigan State University College of Law examining judicial independence, political pressure, and the rule of law. The debate addressed whether America's judiciary remains genuinely independent of political influence and whether p

Michigan voters will decide this November whether to convene a constitutional convention to consider rewriting the state's Constitution. For citizens committed to the sanctity of human life, religious liberty, parental rights, and limited government, the question presents both an extraordinary opportunity and a substantial risk. Proposal 1 appears on the ballot not because of a petition drive or legislative initiative, but because Michigan's Constitution expressly requires it

An Update to “Life Holds Value at Every Stage – A Canadian Horror Story” In our September 25 Waypoint article, “Life Holds Value at Every Stage – A Canadian Horror Story,” we examined the troubling consequences of Canada's expanding euthanasia regime. Through the heartbreaking account of Brigitte Stegemann, an elderly Canadian woman whose family raised serious questions about the circumstances surrounding her medically administered death, we called for a return to a fundament

The Department of Justice's newly released report provides a documentary account of federal investigations involving parents who challenged public school policies. Its findings invite a deeper examination of governmental authority, constitutional liberty, and the fundamental rights of parents. A government that fears the voices of parents has forgotten whom it serves. During my years serving as a federal prosecutor and later as a federal judge, I learned the indispensable imp

I lived much of my life in the great Commonwealth of Virginia, and all my children were born there. That is why Question 1, the constitutional abortion amendment on November 3’s ballot, concerns me as both a father and a constitutional scholar. Beneath its language of freedom lies a threat to children before and after birth. My children’s birth certificates recorded their arrival, not the beginning of their humanity. Their worth did not depend on being wanted. Every human bei

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Wagner Faith & Freedom Center, in partnership with Spring Arbor University, recently helped host an educational excursion to Washington, D.C., bringing together SAU faculty, staff, and friends for an immersive experience exploring American history, constitutional government, and the nation’s Christian heritage. A highlight of the trip came when the group welcomed U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg (MI-05) for a special visit and conversation. Congressman Walberg par