Legislative Prayer Backed in U.S. Supreme Court Ruling

A divided U.S. Supreme Court gave government officials more room to incorporate religion into civic life, ruling that the Constitution lets a New York town board start most meetings with a Christian prayer.

The justices, voting 5-4, said officials don’t have to require prayers to be nonsectarian. Two residents argued that the Town of Greece is unconstitutionally coercing its citizens by inviting local religious leaders to deliver monthly prayers that often explicitly invoke Jesus.