SHOULD TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE MEETING HAVE INCLUDED RELIGIOUS PRAYER?

Rabbi Rebecca Gould

It has become something of a tradition at the first meeting of the Township Committee each year to have several religious leaders speak, and at least some of them offer faith-based prayer or other blessings.

This would appear to fly in the face of the doctrine that separates church and state, a doctrine Maplewood has followed very strictly.

Pastor Durwin Johnson

This most recent New Year's Day reorganization meeting had three religious leaders speak, each of whom offered at least some kind of religious message and/or prayer or blessing.

Those were Rabbi Rebecca Gould of Congregation Beth El; Pastor Durwin F. Johnson of First Baptist Church of Vaux Hall; and Rev. Rick Boyer of Prospect Presbyterian Church.

Admittedly having these leaders speak at the celebratory first meeting of the year is not the same as holding religious services during such meetings or forcing faith-based activities on the public. But it is still an awkward situation for at least some of us.

While many of us are religious folks ourselves (Maplewoodian.com Editor Joe Strupp is an ordained minister as many know), the appearance of endorsed religious displays during a government meeting is at least questionable.

Especially in Maplewood where a famous and controversial court ruling has barred religious songs from all school-related holiday concerts. 

This Township Committee has a long record of positive and accepting practices that have never sought to impose religous views on anything. The TC's support for gay rights and other progressive issues clearly flies in the face of many religious views.

But even this small display of such mixing of religion and government practice should be reconsidered for such future events.