The U.S. Supreme Court has experienced a notable nine-point surge in its approval rating, a significant shift that reflects evolving public sentiment. This increase comes during a particularly active and contentious term, with several landmark decisions resonating strongly with Christians, conservatives, and other groups who view these rulings as victories for their values.

According to a recent Fox News survey, “the high court currently holds its highest approval rating since 2020.” Just a year ago, in July 2024, the Supreme Court’s approval rating hit a historic low of 38%. Now, with a nine-point increase, it stands at 47%. While this figure remains below the court’s 2020 high of 54% and its 2017 peak of 58%, the uptick suggests a potential turning point in public trust. The survey highlights that Independents, women, Republicans, and voters under 30 are driving much of this newfound favor, signaling a broad and diverse base of support.

However, the poll also reveals a persistent political divide. As Fox News reported, “50% of voters disapprove of the court’s performance, down from 60% last year.” Disapproval remains highest among Democrats (78%), liberals (75%), and black voters (61%). In contrast, approval is strongest among Republicans (76%), conservatives (74%), and white evangelical Christians (66%).

Republican pollster Daron Shaw offered insight into the trend, telling Fox News, “Over the past decade, public confidence in our major institutions has declined.” He suggested that “The Court’s rebound could reflect its attempts to steer a middle course on politically polarizing questions or indicate an uptick in positive attitudes toward our more venerable institutions.” Yet, for some — particularly Democrats — the court’s recent decisions signal a pronounced conservative tilt, and it’s not hard to see why.

The Supreme Court’s recent term has been marked by a flurry of high-profile decisions, many of which have been hailed as triumphs by conservative and Christian communities. Perhaps one of the most prominent cases was United States v. Skrmetti, which debated whether to uphold a Tennessee law that protected minors from so-called gender-affirming care. On June 18, the court ruled 6-3 to uphold the law banning such procedures.

Additionally, in what some have called “a historic week at the Supreme Court,” three major rulings in June 2025 stood out for their cultural and legal significance.

In its June 27 ruling in Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, the court upheld South Carolina’s right to exclude Planned Parenthood from its Medicaid program. The decision was a blow to the organization, which, as noted, “performed a record 402,230 abortions and received a record $792.2 million in taxpayer funding during the 2023 fiscal year.” For many conservatives, this ruling represented a significant step in curbing public funding for abortion providers.

That same day, the court delivered a landmark decision in Mahmoud v. Taylor, affirming parents’ rights to opt their children out of school curricula promoting LGBT ideologies. David Closson of Family Research Council described the ruling as a milestone, stating, “Mahmoud v. Taylor will likely be remembered as one of the most significant cases regarding parental rights in recent history.” He emphasized that the decision not only shields families from “ideological overreach in the classroom” but also upholds “the biblical principle that parents are the primary disciple makers in the home” while safeguarding “the religious liberty of the parents who filed suit.”

The third major ruling, Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, upheld a Texas law mandating age verification for accessing pornography websites. Critics had argued that such measures infringed on free speech, but Justice Clarence Thomas clarified the court’s stance, writing, “H.B. 1181 … does not directly regulate adults’ protected speech. Adults have the right to access speech obscene only to minors, and submitting to age verification burdens the exercise of that right. … But adults have no First Amendment right to avoid age verification. Any burden on adults is therefore incidental to regulating activity not protected by the First Amendment.” This decision was widely celebrated by advocates for protecting minors from explicit content online.

Beyond these rulings, the Supreme Court has agreed to hear additional cases that promise to shape the national conversation. One case will address efforts to protect women’s sports from participation by biological males, a contentious issue at the intersection of fairness, biology, and identity. Another case will examine the free speech rights of an evangelical Christian, further testing the court’s approach to religious liberty and expression.

Joseph Backholm, a senior fellow at Family Research Council, emphasized the constitutional grounding of these rulings, stating, “Their decisions aren’t conservative, per se, [SCOTUS is] just interpreting the Constitution.” He argued that labeling decisions like those affirming parental rights as “conservative” reflects the Left’s ideological shift, noting, “The fact that it is seen as conservative is simply an indication of where the Left is today.” Backholm added that these rulings align with “a biblical understanding of the world,” where government protects God-given rights, including the “fundamental right to raise our children in the way we think is best.”

He urged Christians to remain vigilant, saying, “This should be encouraging to Christians who take the role seriously, but the fact that people want government to have the final say in how children are raised should remind us that eternal vigilance is called for.” Backholm emphasized, “Christians can be grateful we have a court that believes government exists to protect God-given rights rather than impose their preferences on the world.”

With these rulings and a rising approval rating for SCOTUS, Backholm encouraged gratitude and action. “The right response for Christians is to be grateful for a system that protects our fundamental rights, albeit imperfectly, acknowledge the risks of losing that, and make sure we are stewarding the system that makes it possible. Success can make you either complacent and lazy or grateful and motivated. Hopefully, we choose the latter.”