Why Black Pentecostals and Orthodox Rabbis Alike Are Defending Barrett Against Attacks on Her Faith
ABOVE: Dan Andros, managing editor of Faithwire.com appeared on the Monday morning edition of CBN's Newswatch to further discuss the attacks on Amy Coney Barrett's faith. Newswatch is seen weekdays on the CBN News Channel.
The new Supreme Court term is underway with the court split four-to-four as the Senate moves ahead with plans to start its confirmation hearings a week from today on President Trump's nominee, Amy Coney Barrett.
Barrett has been the target for Democrats and liberal media figures as they relentlessly criticize her religious convictions. But others are rushing to her defense.
A group of black Pentecostal and Christian leaders has condemned the attacks on Barrett's charismatic Catholic faith.
They wrote in a letter:
"If Judge Barrett's belief in the baptism of the Holy Spirit and in the moral convictions associated with the historic Christian faith disqualifies her for an office of public trust, then our American values of individual freedom and the right to follow one's conscience are simply hypocrisy."
"As Christians, when we see others being abused and mistreated, we must speak out in defense of their rights. We must defend the rights of our fellow Christians, of people of other faiths and of those who hold no faith."
Catholic News Agency reported on the letter which was written on Sep. 25, even before President Trump nominated Barrett to the high court.
The letter, published by the Seymour Institute for Black Church and Policy Studies, emphasized the injustice in discrimination on the basis of religious beliefs.
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"We must trust that all Americans, on the right and the left, will accord Judge Barrett fair treatment, evaluating her judicial record and not discriminating against her religious beliefs," the letter states. "This is what individual freedom, freedom from conscience, demands."
And late last week, Vice President Mike Pence also went after Democrats for criticizing Barrett's faith.
"The American people cherish the freedom of religion of every American and every faith and these attacks on Judge Barrett's faith must stop!" Pence said.
Meanwhile, an Orthodox rabbinic group is also condemning the attacks against Barrett's beliefs.
On Friday, Rabbi Avrohom Gordimer, chair of the rabbinic circle of the Coalition for Jewish Values (CJV), condemned such attacks against Barrett as "simply reprehensible."
"Invasion into a person's family choices, including adoption, is simply reprehensible, while questions about her religious views violate the separation of church and state required by the U.S. Constitution," the rabbi added.
Rabbi Yoel Schonfeld, vice president of the CJV, argued that if Barrett was Jewish - as the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was - those attacking her faith would be denounced.
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