A recent survey conducted by the Pew Research Center reveals that just over half of adults in the United States support allowing public school teachers to lead their classes in Christian prayer.
The Religious Landscape Study, which surveyed 37,000 adults between July 2023 and March 2024, found that 52 percent of respondents were in favour of teachers including references to Jesus in prayers at the start of the school day.
Support for Christian prayer in schools was strongest in southern and midwestern states. The highest levels of approval came from Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and South Carolina, all located in the southern U.S. Other states with significant support, such as Kentucky, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Tennessee and South Dakota, are situated in either the South or Midwest.
In contrast, respondents from the West Coast and Northeast generally opposed the idea. More than 60 percent of adults in Washington, D.C., Oregon, Vermont, Washington State, Connecticut and New Hampshire were against teachers leading Christian prayers in their classrooms.
Several states showed a near-even split in opinion. States including Maine, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Idaho and Arizona had roughly equal numbers of people supporting and opposing Christian prayer in schools.
The survey also asked participants about prayers referring to God more generally, rather than specifically to Jesus. Results showed that slightly more respondents across the country favoured allowing teachers to lead these more generic prayers.
This debate over religion in public education reflects wider conversations in American society about religious freedom and expression. The White House has taken steps to support religious activities in public spaces, including establishing a Religious Liberty Commission and a task force aimed at addressing what some describe as “anti-Christian bias.”
However, these efforts have been met with criticism. In May, a coalition of leaders from various Christian organisations signed a letter rejecting the notion that anti-Christian bias is a significant issue, describing it as a “nonexistent threat.” The letter highlighted the increasing incidents of hate crimes targeting Jewish, Muslim and other religious communities and warned against the misuse of government resources on unfounded concerns.
The letter stated: “Christianity in America is diverse in its practices, beliefs, racial and ethnic backgrounds, political affiliation and understanding of the way to manifest our beliefs in our work for the common good.”
Adapted from Newschannel20.
