[Statements] Evangelicals React to President Trump’s Supreme Court Nominee

WASHINGTON D.C. — Please find below statements from Evangelical leaders in response to President Trump and Vice President Pence’s nominee for the Supreme Court of the United States:

“I want to congratulate Judge Neil Gorsuch on his nomination to the Supreme Court in the spirit of Justice Antonin Scalia. Serving in the Highest Court of the Land is not only one of the highest honors in our country’s government, but also one of its most important responsibilities. As such, my prayers are wholeheartedly for Judge Gorsuch. May he, if confirmed, lead a long and successful career as a Supreme Court Justice, upholding our Constitution with firmness and righteousness.

“I pray that these next years will turn out to be America’s best. But this will only happen if we stay true to who we are. May our next Supreme Court Justice honor our Constitution as it was originally intended.”

— Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the Senior Pastor of Cross Church and the Immediate Past
President of the Southern Baptist Convention, the nation’s largest protestant denomination. He serves on the board of directors of the Family Research Council.  Follow him on Twitter @ronniefloyd.

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“For many Evangelicals, Trump’s campaign promise to appoint a Supreme Court Justice in the mold of Antonin Scalia — an originalist who would uphold the Constitution — was the single most important issue facing the American people this past election. I am greatly encouraged by the nomination of Judge Gorsuch as he represents a clear and definitive fulfillment of President Trump’s promise.”

“Judge Gorsuch has proven himself to be a reliable conservative who Americans can trust to uphold the Constitution of the United States, without legislating from the bench.

“The Supreme Court represents the bedrock of our republic, and it has safeguarded the American people from executive overreach, by both presidents on the left and the right, for hundreds of years.  I pray for our leaders that they would have the wisdom and the political courage to swiftly confirm Judge Gorsuch to the highest court in the land. I thank God that President Trump and Vice President Pence have selected a judge who will carry on the legacy of the late Justice Antonin Scalia.”

— Dr. David Jeremiah is among the best known Christian leaders in the world. He serves as senior pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church in El Cajon, California and is the founder and host of Turning Point. Turning Point‘s 30-minute radio program is heard on more than 2,200 radio stations daily.  He has written more than fifty books.

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“Last week, I stood in support of the thousands upon thousands of people meeting and standing for life in Washington as I wrote these words on Facebook alongside a picture of myself and my mom:

“Life begins at conception,and every unborn baby has a right to live. I myself was conceived out of wedlock, so this is personal for me. I am thankful that my mom carried me to term and that I was allowed to live.  If you are a woman who is pregnant, and you do not want to raise a child, have the baby and put it up for adoption. God has a plan for each life. Scripture says, ‘We are fearfully and wonderfully made’ (Ps.139:14).

“This week, I commend our President for nominating a Judge to the Supreme Court who appears to be someone who will protect the right to life.

“Judge Gorsuch will have big shoes to fill in replacing the late and revered Justice Antonin Scalia.  As Jefferson so eloquently reminded us, the God who gave us life gave us liberty, so I pray Judge Gorsuch never forgets to value each and every American as our Maker does.  

“To that end, should he be confirmed, I would urge Judge Gorsuch to speak up for the rights of all those who are oppressed and marginalized, including the lives of the unborn.  May he and his colleagues also be faithful voices for the fundamental right to the free exercise of religion, as we have seen such privileges become threatened by judicial overreach. With the immense power bestowed upon the Supreme Court, may our judges ensure that America will remain a beacon of hope in a world where so many are robbed of the freedom and dignity they deserve.”

— Greg Laurie is an evangelist and senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship® in Riverside and Irvine, California. He will host the national Harvest America Crusade live from University of Phoenix Stadium in Phoenix, AZ on June 11th 2017.

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“As our nation’s political divide has seemed more like a chasm in recent weeks, I urge our politicians on both sides of the aisle to give an honest confirmation hearing to President Trump’s nominee to the Supreme Court, Judge Neil Gorsuch. It has long been the case that presidents are given deferential treatment when it comes to their nominees for Cabinet positions and for the Supreme Court. The recent trend of blocking such nominees by both Republicans and Democrats must stop. Their political games are not in the best interest of the security and prosperity of the United States.

“I pray for our political leaders that they would have wisdom and political courage to act fairly and to do right by the American people. I pray also for Judge Gorsuch, that, should he ultimately be confirmed, he would be a blessing to this country, upholding the Constitution of the United States with virtue and justice for all.

“I commend President Donald J. Trump and Vice President Mike Pence for selecting a judge with such a commendable track record on issues important to the Evangelical community.”  

— Rev. Samuel Rodriguez is president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference. He has been named by CNN and Fox News as “the leader of the Hispanic Evangelical movement” and TIME Magazine nominated him among the 100 most influential leaders in America.

NHCLC/CONEL is the world’s largest Hispanic Christian organization. It serves as a representative voice for the more than 100 million Hispanic Evangelicals assembled in over 40,000 U.S. churches and another 500,000 congregations spread throughout the Spanish-speaking diaspora.

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“I was thrilled to hear that Judge Gorsuch has been nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court. He has already led an impressive career as a champion of the originalist interpretation of the Constitution. In an era of justices legislating from the bench and attempting to re-shape our basic laws and rights, I hope and pray that Judge Gorsuch will rule in a fashion that applies our Constitution and the Bill of Rights as our founders intended.”

“In the coming months, many pressing issues will be left in the hands of our country’s Supreme Court Justices, and this nomination gives me great peace of mind.”

— Dr. Michael D. Evans is a #1 New York Times Bestselling author, award-winning journalist, commentator, minister, and head of several prominent international non-profit organizations in the U.S., Netherlands, and Israel, including the Friends of Zion Heritage Center and Museum. He is considered one of the world’s leading experts on Israel and the Middle East, and is one of the most sought after speakers on the subject.

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