President Joe Biden’s National Day of Prayer proclamation has come under criticism for excluding any mention of God.
Like previous presidents, President Biden issued a proclamation on the 70th annual National Day of Prayer but critics noticed that it included anecdotes to “racial justice” and “climate change,” but not God.
Joe Biden’s National Day of Prayer Proclamation has been released and it doesn’t even mention God once! How do you release a proclamation about prayer and not mention God at all? Of course it mentions climate change & racial justice. Truly, this is pathetic…and not surprising! pic.twitter.com/czOQx3ioHj
— David Brody (@DavidBrodyCBN) May 6, 2021
Why would President @JoeBiden omit God? Today marks the 70th annual #NationalDayOfPrayer & President Biden is the first @POTUS to omit the word “God” in his proclamation. That speaks volumes doesn’t it? https://t.co/YSdwcSLUvq
— Franklin Graham (@Franklin_Graham) May 6, 2021
“Today, we remember and celebrate the role that the healing balm of prayer can play in our lives and in the life of our Nation. As we continue to confront the crises and challenges of our time — from a deadly pandemic, to the loss of lives and livelihoods in its wake, to a reckoning on racial justice, to the existential threat of climate change — Americans of faith can call upon the power of prayer to provide hope and uplift us for the work ahead,” the proclamation read.
“On this National Day of Prayer, we unite with purpose and resolve, and recommit ourselves to the core freedoms that helped define and guide our Nation from its earliest days,” the statement goes on to say.
By contrast, former President Donald Trump’s proclamation in 2020 mentioned God 11 times. Former President Barack Obama’s proclamation issued in 2016 referenced God twice. (RELATED: Catholic Bishops May Call On Biden To Stop Receiving Communion)
President Biden has repeatedly touted his Catholic faith both on the campaign trail in 2020 and during his presidency, although critics have noted that his positions on issues such as abortion go against the teachings of the church.
The National Day of Prayer was first established in 1952 by President Truman and every president since has issued a proclamation recognizing the occasion.