Written by Don Byrd
Legislative prayer may be the most controversial church-state issue today. Supporters of unchecked government prayers opening public meetings argue government invocations are free speech and free religious exercise protected by the First Amendment. They reject any solution that would place any limitation on government prayers as in improper intrusion of government into religious matters. Opponents of such a practice – like the Baptist Joint Committee, which filed a brief in the case – argue government prayers improperly promote and endorse religious views and potentially coerce or chill the First Amendment freedoms of citizens, in violation of the Establishment Clause. (you can listen to a BJC podcast detailing their views on the case here.)
As you probably are aware by now, the U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear a legislative prayer case next month to weigh in on this issue for the first time in 30 years. Town of Greece v. Galloway is a case challenging the prayer policy of a city council in New York. What you may not be aware of is the content of the prayers in question in the case. It’s one thing to talk abstractly about this issue: about the constitutional and religious dangers of government prayer, whether they should be non-sectarian, whether the participating clergy should rotate, and what safeguards local governments should put in place to protect from coercion or the appearance of endorsement the citizens who have business at the meeting. It’s another thing altogether to actually observe some of the prayers that precipitated this lawsuit. I highly recommend it.
If you care about religious liberty issues, whether or not you have a firm opinion either way on the question of legislative prayer, take the time to watch and listen to these prayers at issue before the media storm sure to surround this case gets underway. Specifically, take a look at plaintiff’s exhibit no. 734, at the end of which a priest leads the audience in a recitation of The Lord’s Prayer. In no. 783, a Baptist minister uses the podium not just to pray but to read Scripture.
As I listen to these exhibits, I try putting myself in the position of a Jewish or a Muslim resident, or an atheist, attending the meeting because it is the only way to be heard on an issue directly impacting your family. What would they think? Of course, Christians have plenty of reasons to be troubled by this practice as well. As a soul-freedom Baptist, I believe such a use of government to promote Christianity undermines the sanctity of prayer and is harmful to the faith. How could that be an inappropriate expression of government?
Amid all the religious liberty hype and extreme views we will surely hear on both sides as this Supreme Court debate nears, remember that what’s at stake is the right of citizens of all faiths to enjoy equal access to their local government, which is funded by their taxes and acts on their behalf. Should we be subject to prayers just to participate in our government?
