With our nation engaged in the most bitterly partisan political debate in living memory, Christians often find themselves in a quandary over how they should be praying and for whom. Increasingly, America’s churches are praying for the “office of the president” rather than following long–established custom and praying for him by name.
Refusing to name our political opponents in our public prayers is certainly uncharitable—a grievous sin according to St. Paul. And it runs contrary to the spirit of Jesus’ command (Matt. 5:44) that we should love our enemies, bless those who curse us, do good to those who hate us, and pray for those who are spiteful to us and persecute us.
The Scriptures, thus, do not give us the option of omitting from our public prayers the names of politicians with whom we disagree. It doesn’t matter whether we are for or against them—offering prayers for those aspiring to guide the affairs of the country, whether they share our views or not, is a solemn Christian obligation.
Indeed, one might reasonably conclude it is particularly important to pray for those politicians with whom we disagree. This, however, in no way prevents us praying for their enlightenment—albeit it is better to do so in private rather than in public, to avoid giving offence to those Christians who do not share our political views. The pulpit is not an appropriate place for political polemic.
In any event, praying for the civil authorities is one of the oldest customs of the Church. Intercessions on behalf of the government, for example, are at the very top of St Paul’s priorities in his instructions to St Timothy on how he is to conduct services at the Church in Ephesus.
“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may live a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty,” he writes (I Timothy 2:1 & 2).
Moreover, it doesn’t matter whether or not the civil authorities in question are Christian, pagan, or even atheist. We’re obliged to pray for them no matter what their personal beliefs.
“Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers,” writes Paul of the Emperor Claudius (Romans 13: 1-7), “For there is no power but of God … For he is the minister of God to thee for good ….”
Our Prayer Book’s “Prayer for the President,” thus, has a long and honorable history. It was adapted in 1789 from the “Prayer for the King” in the English Book of Common Prayer. The original intercession was first published in 1547, predating by two years the Book of 1549—the first official Prayer Book to be published in the English Language.
There was a heated debate among the newly independent American Anglicans as to whether or not it was appropriate for the Church to pray for a U.S. President. The argument seems to have been settled by Bishop William White.
In a letter to Bishop Thomas C. Brownell of Connecticut, dated February 8th, 1822, he observed scornfully: “It may be questioned, whether in a government which gives no power commensurate with life, it be congruous to pray for the long life and prosperity of the first Magistrate; but it is contemptible to cavil at the title of ‘God’s servant,’ as applied to an unbelieving President, when everyone, who understands Greek, knows he is called so in Romans xiii.4.” GPH✠
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