I’ve been writing several pieces over the years that derive from my progressive Christianity, and this is going to be one more.
On Facebook, you’ll find quite a few memes in which Supreme Court judicial nominee Amy Coney Barrett appears garbed as a Handmaid or as Aunt Lydia, both characters in Margaret Atwood’s prize-winning book The Handmaid’s Tale and its spinoff television series. The Gilead of the novel and television series was an evangelical theocracy, rather than a return to a Roman Catholic one, but that has not kept any right-wing evangelical Christians or Roman Catholics from labeling virtually any criticism of Barrett as an attack on her Catholic faith.
It is a mistake to bring up Barrett’s religion, giving a lifeline to the apologists who claim that the criticism is anti-Catholic. Instead, my fellow Christians should focus on our religion. As Christians, we cannot in good conscience support this woman.
Barrett has said that religion should have no place in legal decisions. But, just as she allows her Catholic religion to shape her position on abortion, we must support judicial candidates that support our own Christian values.
- As Christians and followers of the Great Healer, we cannot support someone who would rip health coverage from 20 million people.
- As Christians, we cannot support someone who throws widows and orphans into cages.
- As Christians, we must oppose a judge who does not believe that we should treat the Stranger as ourselves (Leviticus 19:33–34).
Barrett has shown herself to be a hypocrite, advocating one set of rules for Democrats and no rules at all for Republicans. Her rulings make her the epitome of the corrupt judge so often lambasted in the Bible.
As I’ve said previously, by their fruit, ye shall know them (Matthew 7:16). Barrett is not someone faithful, consistent Christians can support.
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