Why Dr. Dobson Sees Trump's School Prayer Initiative as Pivotal Moment: 'Transform the Heart of This Nation'
Praise has been pouring in from evangelical leaders over President Trump's move to protect the right to pray in America's public schools.
Dr. James Dobson, president of the James Dobson Family Institute, praised the president's action in a poignant statement, concluding that another extremely important step must be taken by Christians.
Dobson said, "I've lived long enough to remember well a time when public prayer was expected and appreciated, even in schools."
"I've also lived long enough to see the consequences of our societal disregard of the Ten Commandments and the eternal truth they represent."
"For this reason, I'm greatly encouraged by the steps this administration is taking to correctly understand, restore, and preserve our constitutionally-guaranteed freedoms."
Dobson says the sad story of the First Amendment is that opponents of faith have flipped it on its head in an effort to try and stamp out religion when it was actually intended to defend faith.
"It was designed to protect our first liberty. Unfortunately, government officials have increasingly bought the lie from groups such as Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and have worked to purge religion from the public square, demeaning the beliefs of millions of Americans in the process."
He applauds the Trump administration's effort to accurately reframe the debate over faith in the public square.
"No school that receives government funding should trample on the constitutional rights of its students. Accordingly, the administration will require schools to certify, on an annual basis, that they have no policy which prevents participation in constitutionally-protected prayer or other religious expression," Dobson states.
"Similarly, religious student groups at public universities and colleges should receive the same benefits, privileges and rights enjoyed by other student groups. The proposed rule therefore aims to remove regulations that burden faith-based organizations or would treat them worse than other groups or individuals."
But in the end, Dr. Dobson concludes that while steps by the government are very important, steps by Christians are essential, because ultimately God's greatest desire is to change hearts, not just laws.
"We should celebrate the administration's vital efforts to protect our religious freedom. But such work is in vain if we don't seize the opportunity to live out our faith and thereby transform the heart of this nation."
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