Wicomico County, Maryland — The Wicomico County Council has decided to remove the Lord’s Prayer from the opening of its meetings, where it was traditionally recited before the Pledge of Allegiance. This decision was made in response to a single complaint filed by an individual from Wisconsin. The Council acted without holding a formal hearing and without seeking input from the citizens it represents.
The stated justification was that the inclusion of the Lord’s Prayer violated the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. However, the Council received weak legal advice from its attorney who either misunderstands the Constitution or was unwilling to challenge a baseless claim that has no legal standing.
So what does the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution actually state?
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”
And what does Article 36 of the Maryland Constitution state?
“Nothing shall prohibit or require the making reference to belief in, reliance upon, or invoking the aid of God or a Supreme Being in any governmental or public document, proceeding, activity, ceremony, school, institution, or place.”
At no point did the Wicomico County Council violate either the U.S. Constitution or the Maryland Constitution by opening its meetings with the Lord’s Prayer. The Council did not require or prohibit any citizen to believe in, rely upon, or invoke the aid of God or a Supreme Being.
Therefore, the removal of the Lord’s Prayer from the agenda appears to have been driven either by ignorance of the Constitution or by personal conviction—not constitutional necessity.
