Throughout American legal history, biblical texts and themes have populated the nation’s legal and political discourse. Many of the country’s most divisive issues - such as gender, sexuality, and race - are deeply intertwined with people’s religious beliefs. As a result, the moral reasoning embedded in certain legal discussions often reflects the intersection of biblically based ideas and public policy.
In this lecture, Dr. Joel Kemp examines how the 2023 SFFA decision continues this trend of drawing on biblical concepts to articulate legal conclusions. He focuses particularly on the majority and concurring opinions’ invocation of Ezekiel 18 and their treatment of vicarious punishment. Dr. Kemp highlights how both the biblical text and the Supreme Court’s decision engage with questions of intergenerational punishment within broader debates about national identity and history.
More details at: https://events.unl.edu/2026/03/10/198046/