Written by Don Byrd
Mike Huckabee’s recent claim that the removal of prayer from public schools is responsible for the Newtown, Connecticut shootings is bad theology, misstates the Constitution, and is just plain wrong. That is the conclusion of the Baptist Joint Committee’s Brent Walker in a new must-read column. Here is a snippet:
It is impossible for anyone to remove Almighty God from anywhere, including the public schools. God is never truant. He was there on Friday morning suffering with those killed and injured, embolding the many acts of heroism, rejoicing with the lives that were saved.
As far as I’m concerned, Huckabee joined the ranks of the Westboro Baptist Church protestors in explaining a horrible tragedy as God’s response to the sin of the nation. But Rev. Walker rightly takes on the meat of Huckabee’s argument. God has not been removed from public schools or the public square. Indeed, the separation of church and state is the best way to make sure faith has a chance to flourish out of freedom and not coercion.
Regardless of one’s policy beliefs, though, can there be any doubt that where children are gathered, and in distress, that God is there with them and for them? Shame on Mike Huckabee for suggesting otherwise, just to push his own misguided, unconstitutional policy preferences.
