Arizona City Council Abandons Effort to Institute Christian-only Prayer before Meetings
- Updated Sep 23, 2015
The Coolidge, Arizona City Council has voted unanimously to reject a proposal that would restrict prayer before government meetings to Christian-only prayer.
The Blaze reports that the Coolidge City Council previously voted 4-2 to allow Christian-only prayer before meetings, but was widely criticized for the decision.
Many critics of the decision said it violated last year’s Greece vs. Galloway Supreme Court decision which allowed prayer at public meetings as long as people of any and every faith could participate.
The Blaze reports that the city of Coolidge has faced legal threats from the American Civil Liberties Union and from Americans United for Separation of Church and State due to their initial vote.
The council has changed their decision, and in a recent vote, allowed people of any faith to participate in prayer before meetings.
“We want to move Coolidge forward,” Mayor Jon Thompson said. “Now we have a legally defensible position and everyone will have a seat at the table.”
Prayer had initially been instituted before council meetings due to an effort by Fairhaven Baptist Church Pastor Byron Sanders. Sanders stated his effort had been to allow prayer by people of any faith and said he supports the council’s current decision.
Publication date: September 23, 2015
