1,800 Churches Advised on Possible Ruling Against Prayers in Schools

The Massachusetts Council of Churches today advised its 1,800 member churches in this state to prepare their minds with “insight and understanding” for a possible ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court against compulsory worship of recitation of the Lord’s Prayer in public schools. The Council’s board of directors issued its statement in anticipation of an early ruling on the issue by the high tribunal.

Advising against being “overly concerned” if the Supreme Court should rule against public worship in schools, the Council stated: “Church and home should recognize their primary responsibility for religious nurture, and should strive constantly to increase their effectiveness in providing it for all their people.”

“We should all continue,” stated the board, “to seek for ways of relating religion and education in the life of the child, without doing it either through statutory religious observances in the public schools, or through widespread substitution of parochial schools for public schools.” The board gave a number of reasons for its conclusions. Among these were:

“1. Our religious concepts and motive should permeate the whole of our lives.”

“2. We deeply cherish American freedom and the privilege we have of worshiping God as we choose and of teaching our children whatever we believe to be true about Him–or even that He does not exist.”

“3. The opportunity for free education for all children, under the auspices of the community as a whole, and without discrimination, is a goal worthy of our fullest support.”

“4. Bible reading and prayers are of great value in an atmosphere of religious devotion and worship in home and church, but serious question has been raised about their value in the public schools, especially when the pupils are from varied religious backgrounds such as there are in most communities.”