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SCOTUS Watch | Aug 31, 2018
On July 9, 2018, President Donald Trump nominated Brett Kavanaugh to succeed Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy on the U.S. Supreme Court, and on Tuesday, September 4, his confirmation hearings will begin. It’s been reported Senator Rob Portman, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and attorney Lisa Blatt will introduce Judge Kavanaugh at his hearings.
If confirmed, Judge Kavanaugh would shift the balance of constitutional jurisprudence to the right, creating a solid conservative majority on the court possibly until the second half of the 21st century.
Even before President Trump made his nomination, the war of opinions had already been waged. Reminiscent of Super Bowl memorabilia prepped for both teams before game night, liberal activists planned protests, signs, chants, and headlines for the President’s top three potential nominees—all identifying as people of faith.
Many on the left instantly criticized Kavanaugh’s faith and expressed concern about the implications of his religious beliefs and conservative views could have on the court. Partisans on the left in Congress and the mainstream media have weaponized his faith as a threat to democracy—bemoaning his “religious privilege” will not just “stop time” but “turn back the clock.”
- Fortune—“Why Brett Kavanaugh is a huge threat to Minority Rights”
- The Hill—”American women need to see the full paper trail of Brett Kavanaugh”
- San Francisco Chronicle—“Kavanaugh is not good for the country”
Progressive groups, like Indivisible, are urging their followers to oppose Kavanaugh, saying, “Just by the fact that Donald Trump chose Brett Kavanaugh, we already know two things about him: he is willing to gut reproductive rights, and is hostile to the Affordable Care Act.”
I think we can agree on one thing, issues of life and religious liberty are at stake in America. This should make all of us pay attention to Kavanaugh’s confirmation and take a stand, and not just evangelicals. In fact, a majority of Americans think religious liberty is on the decline according to a 2013 LifeWay Research study.
Furthermore, the United States is not in good company with its approach to abortion. Some estimate that roughly 3,000 babies are aborted every day in the U.S. In fact, we are in a group of seven countries (including North Korea and China) that have some of the most permissive abortion laws in the world. Whether or not we overturn Roe v. Wade, we have the potential to make good strides in stronger laws protecting the sanctity of life.
But the political and cultural divide in America will not make Kavanaugh’s confirmation easy.
Vice President Pence tweeted this week, “Justice Antonin Scalia was confirmed 98-0 and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg received the support of 96 Senators. If we lived in a more respectful time, Judge Brett Kavanaugh would be overwhelmingly confirmed by the United States Senate.”
This Tuesday, as we begin to see the ideological zealots interrogate a person of faith who just happens to be a nominee for the Supreme Court, remember this:
Authentic people of faith succeed by being faithful to the interpretation of Scripture. In the same way, the best jurists will achieve generational results by remaining steadfast to the interpretation of the Constitution.
Brett Kavanaugh’s record leads us to believe he will be this kind of Supreme Court Justice.
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My Faith Votes—is a nonpartisan movement that motivates, equips and activates Christians in America to vote in every election, transforming our communities and influencing our nation with biblical truth. By partnering with national faith leaders, My Faith Votes provides resources to help Christians Pray, Think, and Act to create an America where God is honored in the public square.
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