A Tide Reversed

CHURCH & STATE

Millions of U.S. Christians emotionally reject the Supreme Court's successive decisions against prayer in schools; in fact, as this month's hymn-laden commencement ceremonies show, prayer is still very much in schools, regardless of the court. But church leaders, at first often prone to echo their congregations in opposing the court, have thought through the legal implications of attempting to overrule the court by constitutional amendment. They now overwhelmingly agree that the court has affirmed the essential meaning of the First Amendment: it protects all religions by establishing none.

On the Record. Almost every Protestant denomination--ranging from the Seventh-day Adventists to the Episcopal National Council--has gone on record endorsing the decisions. The National Council of Churches, representing 31 Protestant and Orthodox groups with more than 40 million members, approved the rulings last June. The three major Lutheran bodies--the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, Lutheran Church in America, and American Lutheran Church--side with the court.

Last month additional endorsements came from the American Baptists, Southern Baptists, United Presbyterians and Unitarian Universalists.

Virtually every Jewish organization in the U.S. applauded the initial court decision on school prayer, while Roman Catholic opinion has shifted from open opposition to guarded approval. A new survey of diocesan papers by the Catholic weekly Ave Maria revealed that 35 have gone on record opposing any congressional action to overturn the court decisions, while only eight favor it; two years ago, a big majority of the same papers attacked the Supreme Court's ruling on the New York State Board of Regents' prayer. Meanwhile, the church leaders who oppose the court decisions are fewer, although they still include Billy Graham, Fundamentalist Radio Preacher Carl Mclntire, James Francis Cardinal Mclntyre of Los Angeles*and New York's Auxiliary Bishop Fulton J. Sheen.

Doubtful Layman. Says the United Presbyterian Stated Clerk, Dr. Eugene Carson Blake: "My experience is uniformly that where there is careful study of the issues involved--in contrast to an initial and unconsidered emotional reaction--a substantial body of thoughtful church-member opinion sees the dangers inherent in the practice of devotions in the public schools." Yet so far, laymen have not been convinced of the court's wisdom to the degree that clergymen are. The Rev. Shrum Burton, president of the Kansas City Council of Churches, explains that "some laymen have a vague feeling that we are losing all religion in public life and that something ought to be done, but they don't know what." At the recent Methodist General Conference, a resolution approving the prayer rulings was tabled by a vote of 341 to 339. Many school districts have not yet complied with the court decisions, and there are plenty of public schools where the class day begins with a moment of silent meditation.

The degree of church-leader opposition to school prayer has not been lost on the House Judiciary Committee, which recently concluded hearings on constitutional amendments--principally one proposed by New York Republican Frank Becker--that would allow vol untary prayer and Bible reading in the public schools. When the hearings began, some Congressmen reported that their mail was running 20 to 1 in favor of Congressman Becker's amendment; it now appears to run almost as heavily against. At least 20 of the committee's 35 members, according to one informal poll, will vote down Becker's resolution. Says Committee Chairman Emanuel Celler: "The effect of the churches has been to reverse the tide. In the beginning there was a wave of patriotic piety and religious fervor in support of the Becker amendment. But the churches pointed out the thicket of embarrassments the committee would enter upon if it attempted any change in the Constitution."

*Who last week was chided by one of his priests for taking a conservative stand on another political issue: civil rights. The Rev. William Du Bay, 29, petitioned Pope Paul VI to remove Mclntyre on the ground of "gross malfeasance in office" for failure to exercise moral leadership on the racial issue and for refusing to let his clergy take part in any civil rights campaigns. At week's end the cardinal replied by removing Father Du Bay from his administrative duties.

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