Image Credit: Union University, Karley Hathcock
The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –
Jonathan Skrmetti, Attorney General (AG) for the state of Tennessee, holds a deep conviction to objective truth which helps to guide his decisions and reasonings while championing the legal interests of the Volunteer State and her citizenry, especially the current Supreme Court case defending Tennessee’s right to protect children.
During a recent interview with the President of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC), the public policy and culture wing of the Southern Baptist Convention, Skrmetti dove deeper into the tenants of his faith and what grounds and drives him during fights like the one against gender ideology.
Skrmetti visited Union University, a Christian college in Jackson, TN on April 28 for a “discussion about his life, faith, and the recent Supreme Court case bearing his name.”
According to an article written by the college’s communications specialist, the AG began by reiterating his commitment to his faith and the Christian principles that shape American law. “Our system is predicated on a very Christian idea, which is that everybody is equal before the law,” he said. “That comes from the idea that everybody is made in the image of God, and everybody has fallen short of the glory of God. And we are similarly situated in that respect.”
Skrmetti also said he takes great inspiration from the apostle Paul’s visit to the Areopagus where, “He showed that you can evangelize by engaging in debate with people, by articulating your positions clearly. He was able to win over some hearts when he did that. And he was able to bring people to the Lord, but he was also able to set an example.”
“I aspire to engage in that way,” the AG said of Paul’s thoughtful, patient persistence in modeling Christ with clarity, humility, and love in the face of great opposition.
The discussion then turned towards U.S. v Skrmetti, wherein the AG is defending Tennessee’s SB1/HB1 of 2023 which prohibits healthcare providers from performing procedures or administering treatments, including hormones or puberty blockers, for the purpose of gender transition for minors.
The case was brought by several challengers, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), who claim the law discriminates based on sex and transgender status and is therefore a violation of the U.S. Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause. Skrmetti has maintained the law is about constitutional clarity and common sense as it presents an “across-the board” rule representing the state’s established authority to regulate the practice of medicine within its borders.
But Skrmetti believes the case is about more than supposed constitutional violations and is even beyond a cultural issue. “It goes to a fundamental question about humanity and reality,” he said. “The gender ideology we’re dealing with is basically a modern form of Gnosticism. It’s the idea that the self and the subjective view of the world controls everything. It is rabidly hostile toward any contravention from an objective reality. It’s a philosophical issue. It’s a theological issue. But right now, the point of the spear and confrontation with this ideology is the courtroom.”
The AG concluded by stating it is his belief that winning in court is the way to winning the culture as the nation is at a “pivotal moment” in dealing with gender ideology.
After hearing oral arguments on December 4, 2024, the Supreme Court is expected to render a decision on U.S. v Skrmetti in June of this year.
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
