Public Prayer

I've been asked to take part in a community discussion that will soon be taking place around the issue of public prayer before Forsyth County's Board of Commissioners.  Though a judge has already ruled that the Commissioners should end this practice of beginning with prayer, the board voted to appeal the decision to the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.

As a Baptist minister, I am surprised at how many of my Baptist ministerial colleagues ignore our history. Baptists in colonial America faced persecution for their beliefs at the hands of early theocratic establishments of religion. Baptists and other religious minorities were sometimes imprisoned for their dissenting religious views and practices.

Weighing in on the formation of the U. S. Constitution, Baptists like John Leland pressed for a declaration of religious freedom. The idea that the government would not do anything to establish religion or obstruct an individual's religious practice was a new, radical thought, built on the understanding that when the government claims partiality for one religion, bad things happen. As Leland commented, "The notion of a Christian commonwealth should be exploded forever. ... Government should protect every man in thinking and speaking freely, and see that one does not abuse another. The liberty I contend for is more than toleration. The very idea of toleration is despicable; it supposes that some have a pre-eminence above the rest to grant indulgence, whereas all should be equally free, Jews, Turks, Pagans and Christians." (From "A Chronicle of His Time in Virginia," as cited in Forrest Church, The Separation of Church and State, 92, 2004.)

Now that Baptists are thick on the ground, many seem to have forgotten the thoughts -- and real persecution -- of their foreparents, claiming discrimination against Christians in a county where there seems to be a church on almost every corner.

Because I think my parents in faith had valid points, I have declined invitations to offer prayer before the meetings. I do so because it seems that most of those clamoring for this public prayer are focused more on power than prayer, using their prayers to remind any other non-Christians/non-religious present that they are in the minority in this community.

Jesus never advocated for public prayer, indeed, in teaching Christians the model of prayer, he suggested it be done in private.  Public praying encourages the speaker to focus on things other than God, just as this whole subject focuses our attention away from God.  People are more intent on winning their right to impose prayers on others than on whether what they are doing is pleasing to God.

For those who say, "Yes, but I think it's wise to pray over my public officials" I would say yes, that's a wonderful thing to do.  But do it on your own time.  Or, let's have a time of silence before each meeting so that citizens could, if they chose to, offer a silent prayer for the officials.

Finally, I know the imams and rabbis in our local community.  I have worked with them in local organizations, and respect them tremendously.  I do not want to be a party to a process that seems to be focused on further marginalizing them.

Oh, and if you wish to come to the event, here's a link.