Evening star., 1962-07-02
C|ergymen Divided
On Prayer Ruling
Many in Areu
Back Decision
Of High Court.

Washington area clergymen
have sharply divergent views
on the Supreme Court decision
barring the saying of prayers
in New York schools.
But q surprising number Of
those contacted by The Star
over the week end said they
favored the decision.
Thirty-one clergymen were
contacted and Of these, II de-
clined to comment.
Many Back Court
But of those who did COM
ment, the number who sup
ported the Courts decision out
weighed the number opposed
by nearly 2 to /. Comment from
the public, as expressed in let
ters to the editor, seems to be
running sharply in the other
direction both in Washington
and in other parts of the coun-
try. -..
Indicative Of the interest in
the ruling was that it was the
sermon subject in the vast ma
jority of the areas churches
yesterday.
Typical Of the opinions ex-
pressed by those in favor Of the
court ruling was a statement
by Rabbi A. Nathan Abramo-
witz Of Tifereth Israel Congre-
cation, who said:
ANY prayer phrased by an
individual human being must
represent some particular re-
ligious viewpoint. Therefore,
any specific prayer recited be-
fore q large group Of Ameri-
cans is more likely to be devil
sive rather than unifying."
Kennedy Stand Approved
Rabbi Abramowitz also
praised President Kennedy's
suggestion for more prayer at
home and added that prayer
should never have been rele-
gated in the first place to q
sentence or two in a public
school class"
Some other clergymen took
the middle ground. Among
these was the Rev. Charles D.
Dean, DID,, rector Of the
Church Of the Epiphany and
president Of the Council of
Churches, National Capital
Area. Rev. Dean said:
i ut is most important to re-
member what is actually at is
sue rather than to become ex-
cited over matters which either
were not considered by the
Court or could not be consid-
cred by 1t.
Follow Kennedy's Advice
"The decision did not deal
with the issue of whether pray
er is to be permitted or for
hidden in any and all circum-
stances. Neither did the deci-
sion deal with the religious
value Of devotional exercises at
the beginning of the school
day." he said.
DR.. Dean suggested, as did
other ministers, following "the
wise counsel of President Ken
nedy. If we really care
about God, we (should) pray
more at home and in church"
He said religion is hung upon
"a weak thread" If the only
spiritual experience children
received was through the pub
lie schools.
Catholics Opposed
Among those definitely op-
posed to the Supreme Court
decision was the Roman Cath
olic Archdiocese Of Washington.
The Archdiocese strongly de-
nounced the prayer ruling Fri
day in a front page editorial in
the Catholic Standard. its Of
ficial weekly newspaper. The
Standard accused the Court Of
committing lone Of the most
comprehensive brush-offs Of
American history" in ignoring
all past permission for reeiting
non -denominational prayer in
public school.
Expressing a different view
than DR.. Dean were the Rev.
DR.. Henry B. Luffberry and
the Rev. Paul G. Disbro.
DR.. Luffberry, in a sermon
to his congregation at st. PauPs
Lutheran Church, Connecticut
avenue and Everett street NV.
expressed his feeling that re-
ligious freedom had been dealt
a serious blow by the Supreme
Court decision.
Political Aspect
Mr.. Disbro, pastor of Mes
siah Lutheran Church, Alexan-
dria, disagreed also, saying the
prayer was "for all people, and
simply teaches children a de-
pendence Of Almighty God"
IF it was a case of forcing
people to pray in the Christian
way, I'd be against it," he said
The one thing that most Of
the ministers agreed upon was
a strong need to provide a
greater spiritual background in
the church and in the home.
for both children and adults,
OF 81 clergymen contacted,
representing Methodist, Pres
byterian, Lutheran, Baptist.
Episcopalian, Ukranian Ortho-
dox and Unitarian denomina-
tions, II were for, six against
two neutral, and IL declined to
comment.
The Jewish Community
Council of Greater Washing
ton, meanwhile, reported its
community relations committee
will meet today to avaluate the
prayer decision.
A spokesman Of the group