WASHINGTON (RNS) — Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware, an organizer of the Nationwide Prayer Breakfast scheduled to happen on Thursday (Feb. 3), believes this yr’s iteration will likely be a “optimistic reset” for the controversial occasion and have speeches from President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Talking to Faith Information Service by cellphone on Wednesday, Coons stated the gathering — which generally attracts a sprawling crowd of visitors from all around the world — will likely be restricted this time to members of Congress, audio system and spouses. Along with readings from Senate majority and minority leaders, it can function a keynote deal with from Bryan Stevenson, a lawyer, founding father of the Equal Justice Initiative and writer of the ebook “Simply Mercy.”
“I feel this yr is a optimistic reset that permits us to deal with the unique mission of the prayer breakfast, which was a a lot narrower engagement between Congress, the President, and a few inspirational singers and audio system,” stated Coons, a Democrat.
Coons stated the discount in dimension is partly as a consequence of restrictions associated to COVID-19. Nevertheless it’s additionally an effort by organizers to “refocus the occasion on being principally in regards to the president, Congress, a couple of prayers and readings and an inspiring keynote,” he stated.
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The shift comes after years of controversy surrounding the Nationwide Prayer Breakfast, an annual occasion that dates again to President Dwight D. Eisenhower. In 2018, the Division of Justice revealed it was charging Maria Butina, a Russian nationwide, with “conspiracy to behave as an agent of the Russian Federation” — a cost rooted partly in allegations that she tried to exploit the Nationwide Prayer Breakfast. Two years later, then-President Donald Trump sparked criticism when he used his Nationwide Prayer Breakfast speech to vent about his current impeachment, flashing a newspaper with the headline of his acquittal and suggesting Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi was mendacity when she stated she prays for him.
Coons, a Presbyterian, took over as Democratic co-chair for the occasion from Tim Kaine when the Virginia senator campaigned as former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s operating mate in 2016. Kaine reportedly hasn’t been again to the occasion since that yr, telling the liberal-leaning outlet The Younger Turks in December that he has “no intention” of returning in 2022.
Coons, a daily at a weekly bipartisan prayer breakfast in Congress, stated he’s “nicely conscious of a number of the controversy surrounding previous breakfasts.” However he has remained concerned with the occasion in hopes it could “contribute to our nationwide dialogue in a extra purposeful and centered approach.” He has served for years as a part of the occasion’s bipartisan management staff; Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Mike Rounds of South Dakota are this yr’s co-chairs, with Coons working as an “honorary host committee member.”
Coons additionally personally confronted Trump on the 2017 Nationwide Prayer Breakfast, explaining to the then-president why his religion compelled him to oppose a extremely controversial journey ban that disproportionately impacted Muslims.
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The 2021 prayer breakfast, which was convened nearly as a result of pandemic, appeared to strike a distinct tone than in previous years: It included an deal with from Biden and a video that includes former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Invoice Clinton and Jimmy Carter calling for unity and forgiveness. Trump didn’t seem within the video.
“That is the seventieth anniversary of the Nationwide Prayer Breakfast. Each president has spoken yearly for 70 years,” Coons stated. “I feel that sends an necessary message: Even in occasions of problem and division, even because the management of the White Home and Congress adjustments get together, we will come collectively in a nonsectarian celebration of prayer within the spirit of Jesus — with individuals from a variety of religion backgrounds — and nonetheless discover time to pay attention to one another, to respect one another and to hope collectively.”
Trying ahead, Coons stated prayer breakfast organizers are in “energetic dialogue about when and the way” to restart the gathering’s worldwide part. For now, he’s grateful the occasion nonetheless attracts help from many sectors, together with his house state: Each Biden and Coons, who functioned as considered one of Biden’s religion surrogates on the marketing campaign path in 2020, are from Delaware. Stevenson was born there as nicely, and Coons stated he expects your complete Delaware delegation will likely be in attendance.
“It’s a nice day for Delaware,” he stated. “I sit up for remaining engaged because the Nationwide Prayer Breakfast continues to navigate its subsequent chapter and discover what it ought to seem like as we come out of the pandemic.”