Preliminary Analyses of SCOTUS Nominee Brett Kavanaugh's Religious Liberty Positions

President Trump last night announced that he will nominate D.C. Circuit Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh to Justice Anthony Kennedy's seat on the U.S. Supreme Court.  Last week, National Review ran this analysis of Judge Kavanaugh's record on religious liberty and church-state issues. The Federalist also ran an analysis, more critical of Kavanaugh's record in this regard.

The Washington Post last night ran an article titled: Judge Brett Kavanaugh — a Catholic — faces a historical struggle between canon and constitutional law

Also last week, Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops sent a letter (full text) decrying attempts to generate opposition of any Supreme Court nominee based on his or her views on Roe v. Wade. The letter reads in part:

There is no doubt that the Catholic Church stands out for its commitment to the right to life from conception until natural death.  This ethic has profound consequences not only for abortion, but for many other areas of life, including the death penalty, the application of scientific research to human subjects, the right to adequate health care, and the role of the state in promoting the common good.  Our civil society will be all the poorer if Senators, as a matter of practice, reject well-qualified judicial nominees whose consciences have been formed in this ethic.

UPDATE: Americans United has also prepared a report (full text) on Kavanaugh's church-state and religious liberty record. In addition to opinions, the report identifies relevant briefs and a lecture.