Atheists, humanists and other nontheists can be barred from giving opening invocations before the Pennsylvania House, an appeals court has decided.
A federal appeals court ruling on legislative prayer has alarmed secular activists who say the decision privileges people who believe in God and treats nontheists like “second-class citizens.”
“As a matter of traditional practice, a petition to human wisdom and the power of science does not capture the full sense of ‘prayer,’ historically understood,” Ambro wrote. “Because [nontheists] do not proclaim the existence of a higher power, they cannot offer religious prayer in the historical sense.”
Between 2008 and 2016, over 85% of the Pennsylvania House’s legislative sessions began with a prayer, according to the 3rd Circuit majority opinion. About 90% of the 265 guest chaplains who delivered prayers were Christian. A few of the chaplains were Jewish, Muslim or Sikh. Americans United told HuffPost it is still reviewing the court’s decision with its clients and has not yet made a decision about whether to appeal.
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