Defense Bill Would Permit Chaplains To Offer Sectarian Prayer

The Wall of Separation blog yesterday reported on language inserted by the House Armed Services Committee into H.R. 5122, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007. The provision will free military chaplains to offer sectarian prayer in most situations. Section 590 of the bill provides:

Each chaplain shall have the prerogative to pray according to the dictates of the chaplain’s own conscience, except as must be limited by military necessity, with any such limitation being imposed in the least restrictive manner feasible.

Current policies of the military and military academies generally call on chaplains to offer non-denominational inclusive prayers when offering invocations at military ceremonies. (See prior postings 1, 2 .) Yesterday's Washington Times, disclosing the language, quoted House Armed Services Committee Chairman Duncan Hunter who said it is "folly" to tell chaplains to "start editing prayers."