National Day of Prayer Mixes Politics with Religion

May 5, 2005

Source: Beliefnet

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/166/story_16619_1.html

On May 5, 2005 Beliefnet reported, "critics have long maintained the National Day of Prayer's real intent is to mobilize religious conservatives for political action. Proponents deny that charge, saying it's just one part of a larger prayer movement that includes the Global Day of Prayer, a unifying event for Christians across continents, and Prayer for the Persecuted Church, in which prayer is focused on countries and regions where Christianity is seen as threatened. In addition, the Presidential Prayer Team, which claims more than 2.8 million members, was organized after the 2000 election to engage people in daily prayer for President Bush, utilizing the Internet. The movement expanded to include prayer for other elected officials after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, and inspired Pray the Vote for the 2004 election."