A Court Without Justice: A Call to Christian Witness

On Friday, the Supreme Court handed down the final decisions of its term then adjourned for summer recess. These decisions are not just legal outcomes; they are reflections of what kind of society we are becoming. As Christians called to love, justice, and mercy, the decisions made by this Court are a fundamental violation of our call to build a just world for ALL.  

The Court handed down the following decisions over the last few months: 

– In CASA v. Trump the Court did not directly address the Trump Administration’s authority to revoke the right to birthright citizenship, but restricted federal judges’ ability to block unlawful policies nationwide 

– In U.S. v. Skirmetti the Court upheld Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors 

– In Diamond Alternative Energy LLC v. EPA, the Court allowed fossil fuel companies to sue the Environmental Protection Agency for enforcing the Clean Air Act in California due to loss in revenue.

– In Department of Homeland Security v. D.V.D., the Court allowed the Trump administration to deport migrants to countries that are not their places of origin. 

– In Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, the Court allowed states to cut off Medicaid money to Planned Parenthood. 

– In Apache Stronghold v. U.S., the Court refused to protect a Western Apache sacred site, Oak Flat, from destruction by a copper mining giant. 

– In Mahmoud v. Taylor the Court allowed parents to opt their children out of public-school lessons involving LGBTQ+ themes, threatening the very essence of public education by constitutionalizing parental veto power over curricular choices long left to the democratic process and local administrators. 

If you’d like to see all decisions released by the Court, you can access them here. 

As people of faith in pursuit of a just world for all, these court decisions violate our call for justice, peace, and love. These decisions contradict the moral vision we hold as the United Church of Christ. Scripture reminds us in Micah 6:8 to “do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.” And in Matthew 25:40, Jesus tells us, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these… you did for me.” 

The Supreme Court is meant to be an institution of justice, led by these same principles of fairness and equality. Yet, over the last few years, we have seen Supreme Court Justices refuse to recuse themselves when cases present a conflict of interest, refute documented personal displays of political party, accepted financial assistance from billionaires, and other actions that have eroded the trust of the American public in the ability of the Supreme Court to make just decisions that uphold human rights and equity for all those who reside within the United States. 

Perhaps most concerningly, we are seeing the Court continue a trend of abdicating the power of the judicial branch to the executive. 

Our faith demands that we do everything in our power to shore up democracy in this nation. Part of that is ensuring each branch of government operates as it should, and neither oversteps nor resigns its power to another branch. In a time when Congress is struggling to stand up to executive overreach, the Court appears to Be matching this energy. The people of the United States rely on our Supreme Court Justices to place the law above their own personal feelings, politics, and biases. This responsibility is not one that is easy to uphold, but given the power they hold, it is incredibly important. 

It can feel as though we have no way to access, reform, or change the highest court in the land. But we must remember that our Constitution gives Congress the power to make sure that the Supreme Court serves the people and not themselves. And we, the people, elect Congress. Supreme Court Justices serve for life unless they decide to retire beforehand, are nominated by whichever President is in office when a vacancy occurs and are confirmed by the Senate. This system means that while the American voting public does not have a direct say in who becomes a Supreme Court Justice, we do get to choose those who hold the ‘highest court in the land’ in indirect but critically important ways. 
 
When we vote for a President or a senator, we are voting for someone that we trust to choose justices who will uphold the law. We must ask ourselves; will this person choose justice over order? Equity over power? 

As people of faith, we cannot be idle in the face of injustice. The Supreme Court’s recent decisions reveal a troubling departure from the values of compassion, equity, and dignity that lie at the heart of our faith and our democracy. But we are not powerless. We are called—by Scripture and by conscience—to act.  
 
Let us raise our voices, organize our communities, and hold our elected officials accountable. Let us vote not only with our ballots, but with our daily choices—to build a world where justice truly rolls down like water, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Helen Nwabara is the International Policy Advocate at the United Church of Christ Office of Public Policy and Advocacy in Washington D.C.