Supreme Court "No Prayer Zone" Lifted On National Day Of Prayer

Teresa Neumann : May 6, 2005
Christian Wire Service

Christian Wire Service reports that in past years anyone who dared to bow their head in prayer in or around the United States Supreme Court in Washington, DC, would be ordered to cease immediately or suffer arrest. But after the Reverend Rob Schenck (pronounced Shank) of Faith and Action in the Nation's Capital teamed up with the Reverend Patrick Mahoney of the Christian Defense Coalition to challenge the High Court's "No Prayer Zone" things began to change.

"Rev. Mahoney was arrested twice in the past and over years countless others had been threatened with prosecution for simply praying to God while on the Court's property," said Mr. Schenck. "But after our organizations joined in filing a legal complaint with the justices and recruited thousands of petitions that were sent to the Court, that policy seems to have changed."

Special ceremonies are held each year at the White House and in the Congress, the report notes, but no recognition is given by the Supreme Court to the need for the country to pray.

On May 5 this year they read a prayer from the Book of Daniel. They also read a prayer by the first chief justice of the United States, John Jay, that says, "Unto Him who is the author and giver of all good, I render sincere and humble thanks for his manifold and unmerited blessings, and especially for our redemption and salvation by his beloved son." They ended their observance by praying the Lord's Prayer and singing a hymn.

"This is an important breakthrough," said Mr. Schenck. "Until these last three years, no one was safe talking to God on the property of the Supreme Court, but as the old adage says, 'God is still on His throne and prayer changes things!'"