The faith of Ketanji Brown Jackson: 5 quotes
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson is not only the first Black woman on the Supreme Court or the fourth woman serving on the current court, (which would make history as the most women on the Supreme Court at once), but also the first Protestant on the bench since 1990.
Nominated by President Joe Biden, Jackson has frequently expressed the immense role her faith has had in her life.
Here’s how she describes her religious beliefs:
- Jackson began her first day of confirmation hearings with the statement, “I must also pause to reaffirm my thanks to God, for it is faith that sustains me at this moment.”
- As a nondenominational Protestant, Jackson says her faith keeps her resilient in difficult moments. During her confirmation hearing Jackson said, “I focus at times on my faith when I am going through hard times.”
- Although religion plays a major role in her life, Jackson insists that it does not influence her work. She states, “Personally my faith is very important to me, but… it’s very important to set aside one’s personal views about things in the role of a judge.”
- Jackson has expressed that her reliance on her faith is purely personal. She frequently calls on it in moments of gratitude. When she was first nominated she said, “My life has been blessed beyond measure, and I do know that one can only come this far by faith.”
- She also believes her faith tradition sees giving–especially giving back–as a duty. During her attendance as an honoree at an award dinner at the University of Chicago’s Black Law Student Association, she shared, “In my faith tradition, it is said that to whom much is given, much is expected. I take that to mean that we who have benefited have a responsibility to give back to our community in whatever way we can, and I feel very strongly about that obligation.”