I appreciate the article about Christian gatherings in public schools. It is a travesty of history to consider public worship of God unconstitutional. Separation of Church and State was not meant to leave God out. Writers of the constitution had seen the devastation of religious coercion and wanted to protect us from it. Judeo-Christian scripture supports voluntary yielding of a clear mind and a loving heart while coercion smacks of ignorance and pride.

      A call to public worship was commonly woven into presidential speeches. To quote a few: John Adams 3/23/1798: "I do hereby recommend that Wednesday, the 9th day of May next, be observed throughout the United States as a day of solemn humiliation, fasting, and prayer." James Madison 11/16/1814: "The two Houses of the National Legislature having by a joint resolution expressed their desire that in the present time of public calamity and war a day may be recommended to be observed by the people of the United States as a day of public humiliation and fasting and of prayer to Almighty God for the safety and welfare of these states." Abraham Lincoln 3/30/1863: "I appoint the last Thursday in September next as a day of humiliation, prayer and fasting for all the people of the nation".

      Public worship promotes the primacy of God in our lives, and our nation is rooted in it. Overt disregard of God has similarities to human pride disguised in religion. Both have tragic consequences of epic proportions. It is a recurrent biblical theme that God's work can be done in us and through us in proportion to our humility and love. Given the severe limitations of even the most gifted humans and given our tendency toward the pitfalls of pride, it is urgent that we encourage prayer individually, congregationally, publically, and every chance we get--if we wish to optimize the quality of our world.

Annie Bukacek MD