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Temporary Injunction Bans Christian Prayers At Municipal Council Meetings

By Howard M. Friedman

The ACLU of New Jersey announced Friday that a state trial court has issued a temporary injunction barring the borough of Point Pleasant Beach (NJ) from opening municipal council meetings with prayers that reflect the personal religious belief of the council member offering the invocation.  Under a previous policy, the council opened its meetings with the clerk reciting the Lord's Prayer and making the sign of the cross.  When the ACLU filed suit in September (see prior posting), council agreed to end that policy and the suit was dropped.  However council then adopted a policy that allowed council members to lead prayers, resulting in the continuance of only Christian prayers at meetings. The ACLU claims that the practice violates provisions in the New Jersey Constitution that require government not to show a preference for one religion over another.

Full post as published by Religion Clause on December 19, 2010 (boomark / email).