Melissa Ross
Arguing that Jacksonville is becoming an increasingly diverse community, city activists who’ve long pushed for “inclusive prayer” to open city council meetings say they’ll make their voices heard again at Tuesday night’s session.
Under the leadership of outgoing Council President Clay Yarborough, a Christian invocation typically has been recited to open the government meetings.
That hasn’t sat well with non-Christian faith leaders, and agnostic or atheist groups such as the First Coast Free Thought Society, which argues that sectarian prayer is unconstitutional.
However, a divided U.S. Supreme Court ruled last year that local legislative bodies can begin meetings with prayer, even if the prayer favors a specific religion.
“The practice of the city council seems to be an egregious violation of the intent of the Founders, particularly Jefferson and Madison, to separate church and state,” said Rabbi Merrill Shapiro, a Deltona rabbi who’s board president of Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
Shapiro made his remarks during an appearance on WJCT’s First Coast Connect. He said AU may take legal action in the matter.
Past Jacksonville City Council presidents have handled the invocation issue in different ways. For example, during his leadership tenure, former Council President Jack Webb invited a rotation of faith leaders to give the opening remarks.
Incoming president Greg Anderson will determine the invocation protocol for his term.
“Our great hope is that the Council comply with the Supreme Court decision on Greece v. Galloway, that the person offering the prayer not be a paid employee or part of the government, but rather as in the city of Greece, New York, an outside chaplain on a rotating basis giving every faith an equal opportunity,” Shapiro said.
