Amy Coney Barrett's Catholicism Is Controversial But May Not Be Confirmation Issue
Democrats are unhappy over Barrett's nomination and object to her conservative legal views, but they are unlikely to question her Catholic beliefs.
If Amy Coney Barrett is confirmed as the new Supreme Court justice, she will be one of six Catholics on the bench. She would be joined by an Episcopalian who was raised as a Catholic. and two Jewish justices.
Never before has the Court been so dominated by one religious denomination, a fact that could conceivably be raised during Barrett's confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, scheduled to begin on Oct. 12.
"It's legitimate for senators to be concerned about whether the court is reflecting the diversity of faith in the United States," says Marci Hamilton, an expert on religion and law at the University of Pennsylvania.
Whether such a concern will be discussed, however, is another matter entirely.
Not all Catholic
