Why Are There No Evangelical Protestants On The Supreme Court?

Say what you want to, but the Supreme Court of the United States of America is not demographically relevant. Nor, will it be in the near future, if President Obama’s nominee Solicitor General Elena Kagan, a Jewess, passes confirmation in the U.S. Senate. Currently the Supreme Court is composed of six Roman Catholics and two Jews.

For the record, I have no qualms with his desire to appoint another female to the court (personally, I think we need more); nor do I object to Jews or Catholics represented on the court.

For the record, my view reflects that of the U. S. Constitution, Article VI of which reads in part that "...no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States."

On the other hand, however, this leaves us with a court that reflects less than 25% of America when it comes to religious preference, and as mentioned absolutely no Protestant representation. To substantiate that claim here are the statistics according to the latest census information:

Religions: Protestant 51.3%, Roman Catholic 23.9%, Mormon 1.7%, other Christian 1.6%, Jewish 1.7%, Buddhist 0.7%, Muslim 0.6%, other or unspecified 2.5%, unaffiliated 12.1%, none 4% (2007 est.)

Ethnic groups: white 79.96%, black 12.85%, Asian 4.43%, Amerindian and Alaska native 0.97%, native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 0.18%, two or more races 1.61% (July 2007 estimate) about 15.1% of the total US population is Hispanic.

So, ‘What’s the beef?’ some may ask.  

Well, for one, the problem that I have with the President’s decision is that it is not fair and will effectively further strip our country of what little moral fiber it has left in years to come when important issues like abortion, religious and academic freedom, marriage contracts, and political expression come before the court.

We protestants—particularly, Evangelicals—however, are too disorganized, and, yes, I believe, too timid, to speak out. In contrast, when President Eisenhower had the opportunity to appoint a member to the Supreme Court  (which had no Roman Catholic member at the time) he was vigorously lobbied by New Year Cardinal Spellman to appoint a practicing Roman Catholic to the court, which resulted in the appointment of William J. Brennan (1956-90). We Evangelical Christians have every right and obligation to do the same.

Where will President Obama's decision lead us?

The Psalmist answers that when he asks, rhetorically, “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” Psalm 11:3 (KJV)

Yet, we as a nation seem willing to go willy-nilly down the road to destruction with blinders on and completely oblivious to the world crumbling in all around us; unwilling, it seems, to even consider the consequences.

Well, at least, this is one man's opinion.