Prayer service at Pentagon sparks religious freedom debate

Yahoo

22-05-2025

For about 30 minutes on Wednesday morning, the U.S. secretary of Defense was focused on the power of prayer, not military power.
Pete Hegseth led a prayer service in the Pentagon's auditorium, asking God for wisdom and protection.
'This is precisely where I need to be, exactly where we need to be as a nation at this moment, in prayer, on bended knee, recognizing the providence of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,' Hegseth said in his opening remarks at the service, per CNN.
Wednesday's prayer service took place over the objections of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, which raised concerns about the event when Hegseth discussed his plans to host it earlier this month.
'This is a blatant violation of the First Amendment and its proscription of religion in government,' the foundation's co-president, Annie Laurie Gaylor, said in a May 15 statement. 'These prayer meetings would not only exclude and marginalize the significant number of nonreligious and non-Christian service members, they will send the impermissible message that Christianity is the Pentagon's preferred faith.'
In a letter to Hegseth, the foundation spelled out these concerns in more detail, highlighting past Supreme Court rulings barring public officials from promoting their faith.
But other organizations came to Hegseth's defense, including First Liberty Institute, a faith-focused law firm.
'Secretary Hegseth's exercise of his religious faith is protected just like it was for the Navy SEALs we represented against the prior administration when it tried to kick them out for their faith objection to Covid requirements. We commend Secretary Hegseth for standing up for the Constitution and against censorship,' said Erin Smith, associate counsel at First Liberty Institute, in a statement.
The warring statements shouldn't be surprising if you follow religious freedom law.
For decades, legal experts have debated when and how government officials can engage in religious expression — and failed to come to a consensus.
The Supreme Court has not done much to resolve the confusion, since its approach to public prayer has shifted over time.
It has said that government officials should not privilege one faith over others by, for example, inviting only Christians to lead opening prayers at council meetings. It has also said that public school students shouldn't be forced to participate in prayers, but that more private prayers by teachers or coaches are OK.
Hegseth reportedly intends to make prayer services a monthly event.
In a statement to CNN, acting Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson tried to address religious freedom concerns.
'The Office of the Secretary of Defense invited DoD personnel to attend a voluntary Christian prayer and worship service this morning. Many different faiths have regular services in the Pentagon Chapel or elsewhere in the Pentagon. This service was an opportunity for Believers to appeal to Heaven on behalf of our great nation and its warfighters. Beseeching the Almighty has been an American tradition since George Washington prayed for our cause at Valley Forge. The United States was then, and remains now, One Nation under God. At this time, OSD envisions that these prayer and worship services will be a monthly occurrence. Any participating civilian clergy are responsible for their own travel and accommodations expenditures,' the statement said.
Before he joined the Trump administration, Hegseth was a Fox News contributor.
At that job, as at the Pentagon, Hegseth shared his Christian faith with others, as the Deseret News previously reported.
For example, in March 2024, he led a prayer on air while promoting a religious app for smartphones.
'Jesus, today we begin the holy period of passion tide,' Hegseth said, according to The Christian Broadcasting Network. 'In these last 2 weeks of Lent, help us understand the mystery of Your sacrifice and surrender, make us keenly aware of Your love for us. We ask that You make Yourself known to us, help us to feel the grace of Your presence.'
While living in Tennessee before he moved to Washington, Hegseth attended Pilgrim Hill Reformed Fellowship, which is led by the Rev. Brooks Potteiger.
The church is part of the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches.
The Rev. Potteiger was the main speaker at Wednesday's event at the Pentagon, per The New York Times.