A day of Prayer for Judicial Common Sense (231 hits)
The news came as a bit of a shock last week: According to a federal judge in Wisconsin, the National Day of Prayer is unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb ruled that a federal endorsement of the day somehow violates the "Establishment Clause" of the First Amendment.
To even the casual observer, Judge Crabbs's decision was a curious and perplexing one. After all, there have been federally recognized days of prayer in America for as long as there have been stars on the flag.
In fact, to review the history of sanctioned and recognized prayer in the United States is to study the history of the country itself. Dating back to 1775, the Continental Congress designated a time for prayer in forming a new nation.
President George Washington called for a "Day of Public Thanksgiving and Prayer" in 1795. President James Madison followed suit, as did President Abraham Lincoln during the darkest days of the Civil War...
