Gridiron prayer sparks debate over team chaplains at public universities
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The role of chaplains for the football team is under debate at Boise State University in Idaho. File Photo by Robert Crow/Shutterstock
Feb. 16 (UPI) A debate over whether public schools and universities should have chaplains for sports teams has been revived at Boise State University.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation complained to Boise State that having a chaplain who travels with the football team and leads prayer on the playing field is a violation of the constitutional principle of separation between church and state.
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The university responded by using private donations to cover the cost of transporting pastor Mark Thornton to and from games. But the FFRF says the university should abolish the team chaplaincy and educate its athletic staff on appropriate constitutional boundaries.
Boise State News December 18, 2020
Boise State University unequivocally supports and will fiercely defend our students’ right to the free exercise of religion. It’s shameful that parties external to the university are using a photo of student-athlete prayer as an opportunity to attempt to interfere with our student-athletes’ constitutional right to freely practice the religion of their choosing.
Despite misleading reports to the contrary, Boise State did not end its relationship with Pastor Mark Thornton. We seriously evaluated the constitutional considerations related to this matter, our legal team made an appropriate response, and we remain committed to protecting all student-athletes’ individual rights under the Free Exercise Clause, including access to Pastor Thornton.