JUSTICE

The political drama has begun as a candidate has been nominated to replace Justice David Souter on the Supreme Court. That nominee is Judge Sonya Sotomayor, a Hispanic women, who will indeed make history if confirmed--even before she rules on her first case as a Justice. Few institutions have affected the direction of America as the United States Supreme Court. We would have not begun the true integration of our schools and cultural life if the Court had not ruled in Brown vs. Board of Education, striking down an earlier court's unusual reading of the Constitution that "separate but equal" was an acceptable measure for justice in the United States. Roe v Wade created an abortion right in our body politic, a right that is still hotly contested by those who believe life begins at conception and life is sacred. Her previous rulings, legal and political statements; just about anything she has ever said, will now be scrutinized to see if people can figure out how she might rule on future cases. People will want to know if this Justice can be counted on to rule justly according to the Constitution of the United States.

In Christianity, justice is clearly connected to the person and character of God. Justice is tied intimately into His love for humankind. "Shall not the God of all the universe do right?" Justice is also tied to the character of the persons created in God's image. For particularly in a democracy, men and women are called upon to "love mercy, do justly, and walk humbly with our God."

In the book of Acts we read of Peter and John being brought before the Council. One of the teachers, Rabbi Gamaliel, insisted that this sometimes rubber-stamp court not act unjustly towards the apostles. Gamaliel was noted as a force for godly justice in his time. In fact, his death later was greatly lamented as people commented, "There is no justice in the land since Rabbi Gamaliel died."

As the Senate now goes through its confirmation hearings, we will pray that ultimately who is chosen will be a person whose character is not defined by politics, but by godly justice.