The new anthology of prayers published by the White House under the title Prayers and Proclamations Throughout American History opens with a myth: the story of the arrival at Cape Henry, near present-day Virginia Beach, of English colonists who erected a tall wooden cross and consecrated this land to God through prayer. An event which, according to the work, “emphasizes how much Christianity, and particularly the Protestant faith, accompanied the English colonial adventure from its very beginnings.” Despite this, as the text concedes further, there is no evidence that this prayer actually took place. For some historians and religion specialists, the presence of this apocryphal anecdote reflects a broader intention by the Trump administration to capitalize on the 250th anniversary of the United States to inscribe the country’s foundation in an explicitly Christian march.
Separation of religion and state in question President Trump has indeed announced various events with a religious tone centered almost exclusively on Christianity, including an operation called “America Prays” inviting Americans to gather weekly in groups of ten to pray, or a National Prayer to be held in May on the National Mall.
