National Day of Prayer Challenged

We received word today of a troubling lawsuit filed by the Freedom From Religion Foundation in Wisconsin challenging the National Day of Prayer. This is another example of the ongoing effort to remove prayer from public life.

As many of you know, the National Day of Prayer takes place every year on the first Thursday in May. A federal law passed in 1988 states that [t]he President shall issue each year a proclamation designating the first Thursday in May as a National Day of Prayer on which the people of the United States may turn to God in prayer and meditation at churches, in groups, and as individuals. 36 U.S.C. Section 119. The President and the Governors of all 50 states have issued proclamations designating the first Thursday of May as a day for voluntary prayer and reflection. Many of you regularly participate in National Day of Prayer events in your communities.

While the lawsuit discusses specific prayer declarations and the efforts of the National Day of Prayer Task Force (headed by Shirley Dobson), it presents a broad attack on the National Day of Prayer itself. The lawsuit claims that official prayer proclamations convey to non-religious Americans that they are expected to believe in God and send a message that believers in religion are political insiders and non-believers are political outsiders. The lawsuit argues that [t]he designation of a National Day of Prayer has the intent and the effect of giving official recognition to the endorsement of religion; a National Day of Prayer has no secular rationale. The lawsuit seeks a court declaration that the federal statute recognizing the National Day of Prayer is unconstitutional and that specific prayer proclamations issued by President Bush and the Governor of Wisconsin are unconstitutional.

We have already put a research team together to prepare an amicus curiae brief in defense of the National Day of Prayer. We will keep you updated as this case develops.