NDR Media Coverage

Thousands in N.J. to bow their heads in a day of prayer

BY Jeff Diamant
Star-Ledger Staff

Whether at municipal flagpoles, war memorials, courthouse steps or in houses of worship, millions of Americans will bow their heads and publicly pray today in observance of the National Day of Prayer.

In New Jersey, thousands are expected to participate in more than 125 scheduled events. Observances, many of them beginning at noon, will range from 15 minutes to two hours.

President Harry Truman sanctioned a National Day of Prayer in 1952. President Ronald Reagan amended the law in 1988 to place it on the first Thursday of May.

"Last year, it got bigger because 9/11 was in the hearts of everyone," said Pat Wenzel, coordinator of New Jersey's chapter of the National Day of Prayer Task Force, which lists scheduled events at www.praynj.org/ndopnj2003.htm. "That momentum ... has not stopped. There's a consciousness in our nation of the need to pray, and that's a good thing."

For many, the tradition pre-dates Sept. 11, 2001.

"It really started out as a few families on our block," said Carrie Babcock of Lake Avenue in Boonton, who has observed National Day of Prayer for more than a decade. "Then, about 10 years ago we started meeting at the town hall. We'd go there and pray. The past three years, we've been making it more official and inviting all the churches in the area.

"We pray for our nation, which is a good thing, especially during this time," Babcock said. "We also pray for our community of Boonton, and our churches, and the schools, and our families."

In Newark, hundreds of residents are expected outside city hall, said the Rev. Bernard Wilks of Metropolitan Baptist Church.

"There will be a song between each prayer, and they're essentially prayer songs," he said. "'God Bless America' is really a prayer song. When you're making a request unto God, you're actually praying."

The nation's governors also participate. Gov. James E. McGreevey signed a proclamation in January saying, "(I)t is fitting and proper to give thanks to God by observing a day of prayer in New Jersey when all may acknowledge our blessings and express gratitude for them."

Not everyone likes the idea of a federally endorsed national day for prayer. Critics have called it exclusionary, noting that the National Day of Prayer Task Force Web site says "the efforts of the NDP Task Force are executed specifically in accordance with its Judeo-Christian beliefs."

About 50 groups, including the American Humanist Association, Minnesota Atheists, and Americans for Religious Liberty, wary of government participation in religious activity, have banded around a counter-effort called National Day of Reason, which also is scheduled for today.

Events will include discussions of philosophy and science, said Roy Speckhardt of the American Humanist Association.

"We've found the National Day of Prayer is becoming more and more a government-sanctioned, sectarian event," Speckhardt said. "Having an event like this is inherently exclusionary. We thought the idea of celebrating a National Day of Reason would be universal. All religious and nonreligious people recognize the value of reason."

Jeff Diamant covers religion. He can be reached at jdiamant@starledger.com or (973) 392-1547.

Copyright 2003 The Star-Ledger

This page contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of Humanist issues. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.