What is a Christian view of prayer in public schools?

from the old testament

• God’s people are consistently shown praying faithfully in every circumstance, even when living under non-godly or foreign governments (Daniel 6:10).
• Prayer is personal and faithful, not imposed or mandated by civil authority (Genesis 18:22–33; 1 Samuel 1:10–13).
• God calls His people to live wisely and peaceably within the societies they inhabit, even when those societies do not share their faith (Jeremiah 29:4–7).
• Prayer is portrayed as an expression of obedience and trust in God, not a tool for political or cultural control (Psalm 141:2).
• The Old Testament emphasizes seeking God’s favor and the good of the community through prayer, even in exile or minority settings (1 Kings 8:41–43; Jeremiah 29).

from the new testament

• We are told to be subject to our governing authorities (Romans 13). This means following the laws that they have established. In the United States regarding prayer, that means not organizing an all-school prayer meeting or event as an official public school function. However, that also means exercising the freedoms we do have. Christian students can pray in public schools as individuals and in their own inner circles.
• We know that our enemies are ultimately not those who may rail against prayer in public schools; we should be praying for those people. Our real enemy is Satan, and Paul tells us how to respond to him: "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:10–12).
• The Bible tells Christians to pray for those in authority over them—those with governmental power included (1 Timothy 2:1-2). One prayer would be that each person we pray for would come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 2:3-4). We can also pray for protection of our religious freedom, though we should not expect it.
• We are told to submit to the government again in 1 Peter 2:13-15: “Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.” We should be obedient to those in governmental leadership when it comes to prayer in public schools, but we can still exercise our freedom in praying in a non-mandated way.

implications for today

Prayer in Jesus' name, to the God of the Bible, was commonplace in public schools and other public and governmental institutions across the United States of America for decades. The United States was founded upon Christian principles and the Judeo-Christian ethic. For years the vast majority of US citizens acknowledged the God of the Bible. Yet the country's commitment to diversity, immigration, and freedom of religion meant that the Christian underpinning would slowly erode away. This was not unforeseen. The prohibition against the government sponsoring or favoring one set of religious beliefs over others is a strong foundation of America. We as a nation do not want the government telling citizens what they should believe, how they should practice their religion, or to whom to pray.

When prayer in school began to be challenged in the late-twentieth century, it came as a shock and a difficulty for many who see the value of such a practice. However, very few Christians would argue that we want the government telling our children how to pray. Public schools are an arm of the government. Therefore, when we send our children to public school, we must be sure we are following the law. Still, there is much freedom within the law. Christian students cannot be stopped from praying in public schools, and they should be encouraged to pray for their teachers, fellow students, and administrators. The only possible prohibition for students is against organizing an all-school prayer meeting or an event as an official public school function.