Rachel Evans
The Supreme Court has gone from having a 'Catholic seat' to being characterized as a Catholic court, with six out of nine justices being Catholic. The six Catholic justices are Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett, and Neil Gorsuch. The court also has one Jewish justice, Elena Kagan, and one Protestant justice, Ketanji Brown Jackson. The religious makeup of the Supreme Court has sparked debate, with critics deriding it as a Catholic boys club.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Catholic justices | 6 |
| Names of Catholic justices | John Roberts, Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Sonia Sotomayor, Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett |
| Number of Protestant justices | 2 |
| Names of Protestant justices | Neil Gorsuch, Ketanji Brown Jackson |
| Number of Jewish justices | 1 |
| Names of Jewish justices | Elena Kagan |
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What You'll Learn
Six of the nine Supreme Court Justices are Catholic
The United States Supreme Court has a long history of religious diversity. However, in recent times, the court has been characterised as a "Catholic Court", with six of the nine Supreme Court Justices identifying as Catholic. This shift has been described as “stark” and “intentional”, with critics expressing concern about the potential influence of religious beliefs on judicial decision-making.
Historically, the Supreme Court was almost uniformly Protestant. Of the 116 justices appointed to the court since its establishment in 1789, 92 have been from various Protestant denominations, 15 have been Catholic, eight Jewish, and one had no known religious affiliation. The first Catholic justice was appointed in 1853, and since then, three of the 17 chief justices have been Catholic.
The current court's religious composition includes six Catholics, one Protestant, and one Jewish justice. The six Catholic justices are Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Sonia Sotomayor, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett. Roberts, Thomas, Alito, Kavanaugh, and Barrett are considered conservative Catholics, while Sotomayor is identified as a liberal Catholic.
The increase in Catholic representation on the Supreme Court has sparked commentary and concern. Some critics have derisively referred to the court as "a Catholic boys' club", highlighting the ideological conservatism of recent Catholic appointees. The religious composition of the court has also raised questions about the representation of the religious diversity of the United States population.
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The number of Catholics on the court has changed over time
The number of Catholics on the Supreme Court has indeed changed over time. The first members of the Supreme Court, established in 1789, were almost all Protestant. Of the 116 justices appointed to the court, 92 have been from various Protestant denominations, and 15 have been Catholic. Three of the 17 chief justices have been Catholic, and one Jewish justice, Abe Fortas, was nominated to be chief justice, but this nomination was withdrawn.
In 2009, President Barack Obama nominated a Catholic woman, Sonia Sotomayor, to the court. Her confirmation raised the number of Catholics to six, compared to three non-Catholics. With Antonin Scalia's death in 2016, the number of Catholic justices fell to five. Scalia's replacement, Neil Gorsuch, appointed in 2017, was raised Catholic but later attended an Episcopal church, though it is unclear if he identifies as Catholic. The appointment of Brett Kavanaugh in 2018 extended the Catholic majority on the court, and the appointment of Amy Coney Barrett in 2020 increased this majority to six Catholic members, or seven if Gorsuch is considered Catholic.
The current makeup of the court, with six Catholics, two Protestants, and one Jewish justice, has been characterized by some as a "Catholic court". This shift from a historically Protestant-dominated court to a Catholic majority has led to some concern about the court's religious diversity and potential ideological leanings. Professors Marci Hamilton and Leslie C. Griffin argue that the conservative Catholic majority on the court is making progress toward establishing a Catholic theocracy in the United States.
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The first Catholic justice was appointed in 1971
The Supreme Court has historically been predominantly Protestant. When the Supreme Court was established in 1789, the first members were almost all Protestant. Of the 116 justices appointed to the court, 92 have been from various Protestant denominations.
The religious makeup of the court has shifted in recent years. In 2010, following the retirement of Justice John Paul Stevens, the court had an entirely non-Protestant composition for the first time in its history. In 2017, President Donald Trump appointed Neil Gorsuch, who was raised Catholic but later attended an Episcopal church, to the court, ending a seven-year period with no Protestant justices. The appointment of Brett Kavanaugh, who was raised in an Irish Catholic family, extended the Catholic majority on the court. The appointment of Amy Coney Barrett, a Catholic, further increased the Catholic presence on the court. As of 2023, there are six Catholic justices on the Supreme Court: Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett. There is also one liberal Catholic, Sonia Sotomayor.
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The religious makeup of the court has been criticised
The religious makeup of the Supreme Court has been criticised for not reflecting the religious diversity of the United States. While the majority of Americans identify as Christian, with around 50% identifying as Protestant, and 20-25% as Catholic, the Supreme Court has been characterised as a "Catholic Court", with six Catholic justices out of nine. This shift has been described as moving from having a "Catholic seat" to a Catholic majority.
The religious composition of the court has been described as a "fascinating truth" by law professor Jeffrey Rosen, who notes that the court "religiously...by no means looks like America". This lack of religious diversity has been a concern for those who feel that the court should reflect the makeup of the nation. The court has never had an atheist member, and the appointment of Jewish justices has been controversial in the past.
The religious beliefs of the justices have also been criticised for influencing the court's rulings. A viewer wrote in to question why the media referred to the "conservative majority" when decisions were made by the "Catholic majority". The viewer was accused of "hate-on-Catholics", but they argued that there was a connection between the religion of the justices and the outcomes of the rulings. This criticism has been aimed at Justice Amy Coney Barrett, who was accused of having dogma that "lives loudly within" her. However, judges maintain that their rulings are based on the law and Supreme Court precedents, and not influenced by their personal views.
The lack of religious diversity on the Supreme Court has been a concern for some, who feel that the court should reflect the religious makeup of the nation. With the court's demographics changing to include more women and ethnic minorities, religious diversity is seen as another factor that could inspire public confidence in the court's rulings and legitimacy. The inclusion of religious "nones", or those without a formal religious identity, could also make the court more representative of the population, as around 21% of Americans identify as such.
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The religious makeup of the court has been defended
The religious makeup of the Supreme Court has been a topic of discussion and defence in recent years. The Court has been characterised as having a disproportionately high number of Catholic justices, with six out of nine justices being Catholic as of 2025. This shift from historically being a predominantly Protestant institution to a "Catholic Court" has been noted.
The religious composition of the Supreme Court does not reflect the religious demographics of the United States. While the Court is 67% Catholic, only about 22% of US adults identify as Catholic. Similarly, the Court has only one Jewish justice, representing 11% of the justices, while only 2% of the US population is Jewish. The biggest discrepancy is in terms of Protestants, with the Court at 22% Protestant representation, while about 45% of Americans are non-Catholic Christians or Protestants.
Additionally, the defence of the Court's religious composition may also be rooted in the assumption that justices do not rely on their religious beliefs when making judicial decisions. However, this assumption has been challenged, with a significant portion of Americans believing that Supreme Court justices have been relying too much on their religious beliefs in their recent decisions. This concern is particularly pronounced among Jews and religiously unaffiliated Americans.
The religious makeup of the Supreme Court has also been defended in the context of historical patterns and representation. The Court has historically been predominantly Protestant, with 92 out of 116 justices coming from various Protestant denominations. The shift towards a higher Catholic representation may be seen as a move towards diversity and inclusion. Additionally, the nomination of a Catholic woman, Sonia Sotomayor, by President Barack Obama in 2009, broke ideological conservative patterns associated with Catholic appointees.
In summary, while the religious composition of the Supreme Court deviates from the religious demographics of the US population, the makeup has been defended based on political affiliations, assumptions about justices' religious neutrality, and the pursuit of diverse representation.
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Frequently asked questions
Six members of the Supreme Court are Catholic.
The Catholic members of the Supreme Court are Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett, and Sonia Sotomayor.
The reason for the high number of Catholic members of the Supreme Court is a subject of debate. The fact that most recent Catholic appointees were also ideologically conservative has led some partisan critics to refer to the court derisively as "a Catholic boys club".
