Pigskin Piety: Grandstanding for Jesus

September 5, 2020

Last June, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a Texas school district policy which permitted “student led” prayer at high school athletic events. The justices found that the practice violated the separation of church and state, since school resources and policies facilitated sectarian religious ritual.

Prayer advocates have now called for “spontaneous prayer.” Groups like “We Still Pray!” and “NO PRAY! NO PLAY!” are urging supporters to recite the Lord’s prayer immediately following the National Anthem. While many of these protests have fallen short of expectations, it may be premature to suggest that the “spontaneous prayer” tactic has failed. One possibility is that supporters may use this as an organizing tool to resurrect the failed Religious Freedom Amendment, which would alter the U.S. Constitution to allow a greater latitude for religious expression in public schools and other venues.

What do you think of “spontaneous prayer” and other public religiosity?

Get the background on this story by checking out our latest news articles, and Mr. G’s latest ON TARGET column, “PIGSKIN PIETY AND THE PASSION OF ST. MATTHEW.”

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