Washington, DC – Interfaith Alliance President, Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy, issued the following statement today following President Barack Obama’s nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the United States Supreme Court:

President Obama exercised one of his most important responsibilities today in nominating Judge Sonia Sotomayor to be appointed a justice on the United States Supreme Court.

The president’s choice of a Hispanic woman as his nominee moves the nation closer to a court that represents the grand diversity of America. Far more important than the nominee’s gender and ethnicity, however, is her commitment to the Constitution and determination to respect the inherent rights of every citizen.

The U.S. Senate must now examine Judge Sotomayor and ensure she is up to the challenge the president has asked her to assume. Given the tenuous nature of the public’s continued support for the religious liberty clauses in the Constitution and constant assaults on the separation of church and state from both government and religion, I will be particularly attentive to the nominee’s views on the importance of preventing any entanglement between the institutions of religion and government in our nation. Though this is not the only concern that merits attention and examination, support for religious freedom is crucial to maintaining the foundation on which our system of government has been constructed and sustained

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.