Wiccan Priestess Loses Appeal Over Prayers

The Supreme Court rejected an appeal recently from a Wiccan priestess angry that local leaders would not let her open their sessions with a prayer. Instead, clergy from more traditional religions were invited to pray at governmental meetings in Chesterfield County, VA, a suburb of Richmond. She sued and initially won before a federal judge. The case was appealed and the priestess eventually lost at the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which found that the county had changed its policy and directed clerics to avoid invoking the name of Jesus. The county's attorney believed that the county's practice was in line with the Supreme Court's endorsement of legislative prayer as long as it did not proselytize, advance or disparage a particular religion. Full Story