I read that President Obama eliminated the National Day of Prayer. How should we react to this? Wasn't prayer one of the good things our country still endorsed?

Since the National Day of Prayer is fast approaching—it's May 5 this year—your question and concern are timely. Here are some clarifications and an encouragement.

SOME PERTINENT HISTORY

The United States has long embraced diversity of specific religious views but mostly enjoyed unity of conviction that we are creatures accountable to a Creator to whom we should pray. In 1952 President Truman signed a bill proclaiming a National Day of Prayer "on which the people of the United States may turn to God in prayer and meditation." This bill left it up to each president to designate a date of his choosing. In 1988 President Reagan fixed the date as the first Thursday of May. Each year the president in office is expected to proclaim this prearranged custom.

The claim that President Obama canceled or eliminated this observance is false. This is an urban legend perpetuated by volleys of e-mails shared by undiscerning Internet users. Last year Obama issued the traditional proclamation but elected not to schedule a public ceremony to accompany it, saying he would mark the occasion with private prayer.

The long-term status of the National Day of Prayer is somewhat uncertain, however. A year ago a federal judge in Wisconsin ruled the custom is unconstitutional, a violation of the First Amendment separation of church and state. While many contend that the annual presidential proclamation is simply an "acknowledgment of the role of religion in American life," others see it as active governmental encouragement that all citizens participate in an "inherently religious exercise," an "endorsement of religion over non-religion," and therefore unconstitutional. This lawsuit is currently tied up in federal appeals court and will likely end up before the United States Supreme Court. Stay tuned.

BAD NEWS?

I suspect the majority of Christians in America lament that this observance is being contested and might be ruled unconstitutional. What this means more than anything else is that the secularization of the United States continues and the boldness of atheists and the irreligious grows stronger. Since this marks a denial of the natural knowledge of God given through creation and the conscience (Romans 1:20; 2:15), we also grieve for our backsliding nation.

On the other hand, this issue should have little direct impact on Christianity among us. The National Day of Prayer is not about the Lord Jesus and the Christian faith. This is an expression of generic American civil religion. We can all live without that.

GOOD NEWS!