“So Help Me God”
Published by Bob Foster
Have you read about the lawsuit filed by Michael Newdow, trying to force President-elect Obama to leave out the phrase “so help me God” at the end of his oath of office? Obama has spoken much about God over the past months, and it seems reasonable that he would want to ask for divine guidance on the most momentous day of his life—especially considering the trials he will be facing when the oath is completed.
I had always thought that the Presidential oath, as laid down in the Constitution, included the phrase “so help me God.” It doesn’t. The Congressional oath for Congressmen and other government employees does, but for the President, the Constitutional oath of office ends by swearing to “preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.” That’s all. It appears the phrase “so help me God” is an elective addition of somewhat recent vintage. No one seems to know exactly when it was, or was not, used, but it appears to be a twentieth century addition.
Likewise, the use of clergy to give the Invocation. Historians believe Franklyn D. Roosevelt (as he was facing war) was the first to invite an outside clergy to give the Invocation. Dwight Eisenhower used four clergy, and Billy Graham prayed at eight Inaugurations. Now, however, public prayers by Christian clergy at a Presidential Inauguration appears to be a problem for some.
It will be interesting to see what the courts decide, and what President-elect Obama will say as he closes his oath of office.
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3 Responses to ““So Help Me God””
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Bob – I don’t remember, did President Obama add it? One thing he did for certain was to put God in his inaugural address more than any other president I think I heard it said. I guess Michael Newdow wants to go after him for this too. But President Obama did include “non-believers” in his address. I wonder how this was received. I thought the address was brilliant, sobering, and hopeful.
Judith Ellis’s last blog post..Being Digitized
Judith – Not only did President Obama add it, but the Chief Justice also added it. I assume that means the courts threw out Michael Newdow’s case, although I’m sure he will continue his cause in other ways.
I agree that President Obama’s address was great–it apparently was not what the Pundits expected.
So true. I love it the way he seems to be captain of his own ship, while respecting the opinions of others. On inauguration day he did not seem out to WOW the audience. He seemed to instead want to take the platform to address important issues facing America and the world.
What a great leader he is! He was not looking for oneliners for posterity’s sake, for self-aggrandizement. There was little sweeping rhetoric. It appears he wanted the address to speak to our present generation and former ones differently. Wonderful address! Great leader!
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