Atheist Delivers Invocation at Michigan City Meeting
An atheist delivered the invocation at a Michigan city's public meeting, performing a part of the proceedings that generally includes a prayer.
Steven Belstra delivered the invocation Monday at the Grandville City Council meeting, with his planned remarks being published in advance by the Grand Rapids Press.
"I request from the council and our community that we don't turn towards faith or religion to guide government decisions but rather good will towards all people in our community," said Belstra.
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"I speak for the minorities in the area who identify as being secular humanists, atheists, and one of the fastest growing groups in America, the non-religious."
Belstra's brief invocation included a call for inclusiveness, citing the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized gay marriage nationwide.
"So what I ask of my local city council is that you govern with reason and empathy towards all people, regardless of the church I do or don't attend, the person that I marry, or the beliefs that you may or may not share with other citizens of the community," continued Belstra.
Ken Krombeen, city manager for Grandville, told The Christian Post in an interview that "there is no invocation policy" on the books for city council.
"Generally it consists of a prayer of approximately two minutes or so offered by a local pastor or City Council member," said Krombeen.
In recent years much debate has focused on the constitutionality of various invocation policies for local governments.
In May 2014, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Town of Greece v. Galloway that town meetings could begin with clergy delivering sectarian prayers.
"Legislative prayer, while religious in nature, has long been understood as compatible with the Establishment Clause," read the decision's Syllabus in part.
"Absent a pattern of prayers that over time denigrate, proselytize, or betray an impermissible government purpose, a challenge based solely on the content of a particular prayer will not likely establish a constitutional violation."
Krombeen told CP that at the next meeting the invocation will be given by the Reverend Todd Kinde, pastor at Grace Bible Church in Grandville.
