Council in S.C. town loses appeal on Christian prayer

RICHMOND, VA.–A federal appeals court on Thursday upheld a judge’s ruling that prohibits the Great Falls, S.C., Town Council from opening its meetings with a prayer that mentions Jesus Christ.

A three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously ruled that such prayers amount to an unconstitutional government advancement of one religion: Christianity.

Darla Kaye Wynne, a Wiccan high priestess, sued the town after its leaders refused to open meetings only with nonsectarian prayers or to allow members of different faiths to lead the prayers. Wynne said she was ostracized for refusing to stand and bow her head during the Christian prayers.

U.S. District Judge Cameron McGowan of Rock Hill, S.C., ruled in August that the prayers violated the First Amendment. The appeals court agreed, citing U.S. Supreme Court rulings that allow only generic prayers by government bodies.

“Public officials’ brief invocations of the Almighty before engaging in public business have always … been part of our nation’s history,” Judge Diana Gribbon Motz wrote. “The Town Council of Great Falls remains free to engage in such invocations prior to council meetings. The opportunity to do so may provide a source of strength to believers, and a time of quiet reflection for all.”

She continued, “This opportunity does not, however, provide the Town Council, or any other legislative body, license to advance its own religious views in preference to all others, as the Town Council did here.”

Judge Robert King and Judge David Hansen, a member of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals designated to hear the case, joined in the ruling.

Read Another Article

Arizona man sues church using racketeer statute
Sex abuse allegations spur probe by RCMP

Related News Articles Topic(s): Church and State Subscribe to Religion News Blog updates Subscribe to Religion News Blog [What is this?] Get Religion News Blog's headline by Email [What is this?] Follow Religion News Blog at Twitter Find Related Information Use our custom search engines to find additional research resources on religions and cults: ApologeticsSearch.com: Search for apologetics articles, books, videos, and other research resources across 135 Christian apologetics websites and blogs. CounterCultSearch.com: Search for information about (religious) cults, cult-like organizations, and cults experts -- as well as paranormal-, New Age, and pseudoscientific claims -- across 260+ websites, blogs and forums dedicated to cult research, spiritual abuse, ex-cult counseling & support. Find Related Religion & Spirituality Books at Amazon.com Church and State Possibly related... or Most Popular Religion News Articles Kent Hovind: Evangelist arrested on federal charges Beast’s real mark devalued to ’616′ Muslim Woman Gives Sex Advice on Arab TV Michael Jackson Confirms Conversion to Islam Kent Hovind, ‘Dr. Dino,’ guilty on all counts The fall and rise of Carlton Pearson Search False prophet Harold Camping sets another date for rapture: May 21, 2011 Watch the film Theo van Gogh was murdered for Kent Hovind — Dr. Dino — sentenced to 10 years in prison

Search Religion News Blog