Following the first day of Supreme Court confirmation hearings for nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh, Rabbi Jack Moline, president of Interfaith Alliance, issued the following statement:

“After day one of Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court confirmation hearing, there are still a lot of unknowns, especially when it comes to the preservation of religious freedom. Kavanaugh described his time in the White House as “the most instructive” years in his professional development, including running point on faith-based initiatives and playing a role in negotiating a deal with the Salvation Army that would have allowed them to discriminate against LGBTQ workers while still receiving hundreds of thousands in taxpayer dollars.

“We are also deeply concerned that Judge Kavanaugh cited Christian Scripture in his opening statement as a description of his personal philosophy. The unreleased records, one senator’s stated belief that Congress is responsible for the spiritual well-being of this country and Kavanaugh’s reliance on scripture to formally introduce himself all make our questions more imperative: What role, if any, does his religious faith play in his judicial philosophy? How would he resolve a conflict between his faith and his obligations to the Constitution? What is his judicial philosophy concerning the Establishment Clause? Does he believe that the Free Exercise Clause supersedes other rights? What is his perspective on the current state of law concerning direct government funding of religious institutions? We urge the Judiciary Committee to ask these questions and to carefully consider his answers before making a decision on Judge’s Kavanaugh’s confirmation.”

Interfaith Alliance celebrates religious freedom by championing individual rights, promoting policies that protect both religion and democracy, and uniting diverse voices to challenge extremism. Founded in 1994, Interfaith Alliance brings together members from 75 faith traditions as well as those without a faith tradition to protect faith and freedom. For more information visit interfaithalliance.org.