Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/16pdf/15-577_khlp.pdf
Page Number: 27

Cite as:  582 U. S. ____ (2017) 

1 

SOTOMAYOR, J., dissenting 

SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES 

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No. 15–577 
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TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH OF COLUMBIA, INC., 

PETITIONER v. CAROL S. COMER, DIRECTOR,
 
MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL 

RESOURCES 

ON WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF 

APPEALS FOR THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT
 

[June 26, 2017] 

JUSTICE  SOTOMAYOR,  with  whom  JUSTICE  GINSBURG 

joins, dissenting. 

To  hear  the  Court  tell  it,  this  is  a  simple  case  about 
recycling  tires  to  resurface  a  playground.    The  stakes  are 
higher.  This case is about nothing less than the relation-
ship  between  religious  institutions  and  the  civil  govern-
ment—that is, between church and state.  The Court today 
profoundly  changes  that  relationship  by  holding,  for  the 
first  time,  that  the  Constitution  requires  the  government
to  provide  public  funds  directly  to  a  church.   Its  decision 
slights  both  our  precedents  and  our  history,  and  its  rea-
soning  weakens  this  country’s  longstanding  commitment 
to a separation of church and state beneficial to both. 

I 
Founded  in  1922,  Trinity  Lutheran  Church  (Church)
“operates  . . .  for  the  express  purpose  of  carrying  out  the 
commission  of  . . .  Jesus  Christ  as  directed  to  His  church 
on  earth.”  Our  Story,  http://www.trinity-lcms.org/story
(all internet materials as last visited June 22, 2017).  The 
Church  uses  “preaching,  teaching,  worship,  witness,  ser-
vice,  and  fellowship  according  to  the  Word  of  God”  to 
carry  out  its  mission  “to  ‘make  disciples.’ ”    Mission,