Brice,

Is your reference to language that was found after 200 years, to the "new"
requirement of prayer being made absent from public schools?  I assume so,
but regardless...

In general, my understanding is that it is the responsibility of our courts
to interpret our laws and apply them as appropriate for the situations (i.e.
cases) brought before them, recognizing that precedants may be set by their
actions, and at times requiring of our legislature that certain laws be
changed or revoked.  Literally, the same law may be used ten times over a
century and have different results each time.

Just as slavery, racism, sexism, and other descriminatory practices and
processes have had legal approval and biblical justification, overtime we
have learned that some of the things we do are wrong, even when given
approval by the documents of our faith.  If a person believed today that
owning people and denying women the right to vote are acceptable forms of
behavior, he or she would be in the distinct minority, but that same person
would have been part of the majority 150 years ago.

Similarly, for the past few decades our courts have taken actions to remove
some of the overt demonstrations of religion (or religious influence) in
publicly funded institutions.  It is a matter of opinion as to whether or
not this is an improvement, but it is an observable trend.  It may be that
50 years from now we will think a society that would allow people to hold
religious services in any school not run by a church was as backward as
Americans view most third world countries.  OR, we may look back on all the
hullabaloo and wonder why people even cared.

Your point that prayer (specifically prayer in public schools) being viewed
as unconstitutional is an arbitrary decision is absolutely correct.  I would
add, however, that it may be the same type of arbitrary decision that in
retrospect will seem obvious as something we should have done all along.

You can find some sample readings at this site:

http://www.religioustolerance.org/const_am.htm

Rs~

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