The Naked Public Square A recent sermon generated conversation concerning the removal of religion from the 'public square'. John Neuhaus (The Naked Public Square, 1984) argues that politics is a function of culture and at the heart of culture is religion ('the queen of sciences') - Neuhaus further makes the case that religion serves as a public source of transcendent meaning. Not only is it unfair to dismiss the values of a majority of citizens from policy decisions, but excluding God from our common life diminishes us all. In my sermon, I trumpeted the 'non-establishment clause'; while the state should not determine our specific faith or establish a state church, for the state to act antagonistically toward religion is a serious mistake. Further, our Courts seem confused as they continue to set the establishment and free exercise provisions at odds. Harvard's Mary Ann Glendon notes that in the 2004 case of Locke v. Davey, the Supreme Court actually gave its blessing to religious discrimination by allowing the state of Washington to single out the study of theology for exclusion from a public scholarship program. No wonder we seem so confused about allowing a moment of silent prayer at High School Graduation or placing a manger-scene in the town-square. Non-establishment-yes; we live in a religiously pluralistic country. Free exercise - absolutely; we must be free to exercise our Faith seven days a week. Banning God from the public square... flat out wrong!
In Faith,
Pastor Tim
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