AU denounces National Prayer Breakfast as Christian Nationalism that undermines religious freedom

February marked the return of the annual National Prayer Breakfast, an alliance between the federal government and Christian Nationalists.

As Church & State Editor Bruce Gourley noted in AU’s “Wall of Separation” blog, the event has also returned to its roots by once again being organized by The Family, a Christian Nationalist organization that loves to work in the shadows and is once again actively coordinating with members of Congress to host the event. 

President Trump was invited to speak and, during one of his announcements, stated that the Department of Education would be issuing new guidance on prayer in public schools. In comments to the media, Americans United President and CEO Rachel Laser stated, “The guidance goes so far as to say that teachers can pray with students, which is unconstitutional. It misrepresents and downplays key Supreme Court cases that make it clear that public school officials cannot pray with students, just as they cannot pressure students to pray.”

Americans United sent out a statement denouncing the National Prayer Breakfast, stating how it overwhelmingly favors one narrow version of Christianity and has been habitually used by Trump to launch partisan attacks on all those who oppose him. Additionally, the National Prayer Breakfast has flouted America’s promise of church-state separation and religious freedom since the event began during the last big wave of Christian Nationalism in the 1950s. As for the Department of Education’s new guidance on prayer in public schools, Laser stated, “Americans United will monitor how the Trump administration, state legislators, and public schools use the new guidance, which is clearly aimed at promoting Christian Nationalism.”