The simmering dispute between Hamilton County commissioners who see nothing wrong with opening every commission meeting with an invocation that invariably includes an appeal “in Jesus’ name” and those who oppose the practice continued last week. There were signs, however, that the debate about the legality and appropriateness of such prayers might be moving toward some sort of resolution – but no indications that such a resolution is imminent.
Early Thursday morning, a U.S. district court judge here ordered a July 26 hearing to consider whether to grant a preliminary injunction to stop the prayers until he can rule on a lawsuit that challenges the legality of such invocations at commission meetings. Yet later that morning, the commission began its meeting as it has done for years: With a prayer intoned by a clergyman who invoked the name of Jesus and who, in the view of some in attendance, seemed to chastise those opposed to religion-specific prayers at commission meetings.
In his invocation, Calvin Nunley of Christ Family Church in Soddy-Daisy referred to “perilous times … a time when people would be unthankful, unholy and ungrateful … when men and women would choose to go their own way and ignore what is right.” It’s easy to see why some individuals in attendance were offended. They understandably believed the pastor’s words implied they were wicked.
If there was any doubt about which side of the issue the pastor stood, he erased it by saying, “So father, I thank you Lord, for our leaders. … I thank you for the courage that they have shown in this meeting to allow prayer to be made at the beginning of this meeting.” After he finished, commissioners gave Nunley a clock, the traditional gift to those who offer the invocation.
Tommy Coleman, one of the plaintiffs in the suit against the commissioners and County Attorney Rheubin Taylor, understood both the meaning and intent of the pastor’s words.