Psalms preserved at Grand Canyon... for now by Bible Network News Staff
A view of the Grand Canyon from the South Rim
PHOENIX, Arizona, USA, July 31, 2003 — Bronze plaques inscribed with Biblical passages have been reinstalled at National Park's South Rim pending legal advice.
Visitors to the Grand Canyon are once again permitted to be inspired by the majestic landscape and Scripture. Three bronze plaques inscribed with Biblical passages that had been removed from scenic lookouts on the canyon's South Rim were reinstalled last week pending legal advice on whether they are permissible under United States law. To date, no time frame has been set for the legal review.
The plaques, bearing passages from the Book of Psalms, were removed from three popular lookouts on July 9th after an American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) affiliate in the U.S. Capitol region asserted that religious messages at American National Parks violate the U.S. Constitution's precepts on separation of church and state.
Bible Passages Are a Witness to Creation
The Bible Verses in Question:
Psalm 66:4 "All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name." (KJV)
Psalm 68:4 "Sing to God, sing praises to His name; Lift up a song for Him who rides through the deserts, Whose name is the LORD, and exult before Him." (NASV)
Psalm 104:24 "O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches." (KJV)
The plaques were placed at the Desert View, Hermit's Rest, and Lookout Studio scenic viewing areas 33 years ago by the Evangelical Sisterhood of Mary to honour God for His creation.
"These plaques are meant to inspire people to acknowledge and give credit to the Creator who made this beautiful panorama," said Sister Pinea Zarkos, a spokeswoman for the Sisterhood of Mary in Phoenix. "Any other artist receives acknowledgement for what he's done."
The Sisterhood has placed similar Scripture praise plaques near other scenic spots, ranging from Kilimanjaro to the Swiss Alps and the Himalayas, from Oberammergau to Table Mountain in the South African Republic.
"These plaques have inspired many of the awe-struck beholders to admire and acknowledge the creator of this majestic landscape spread before their eyes," the sisterhood said in a statement quoted by the Arizona Daily Sun.
The Bible and the U.S. Constitution
The assertion that inscriptions of a religious nature on federal property contravene the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution is not entirely accurate.
The Amendment reads, in part, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." It bars the U.S. Congress from organizing a State religion and passing laws to promote a particular faith group. The plaques in question, however, do not endorse any one religion, as the Psalms are holy texts to several faiths. Nor has Congress passed any laws placing the plaques in the park - they were donated by a private group.
But religious monuments have come under fire in the U.S. recently, in spite of the wording of the First Amendment. A 6-foot granite monument containing the Ten Commandments in a park across from the Capitol in Phoenix is currently being protested by the Arizona chapter of the ACLU. And federal courts have ordered the removal of similar monuments elsewhere.
Last year, a federal judge ordered the removal of a cross that had been in the Mojave Preserve in California since the 1930s after a lawsuit was filed by the ACLU. It remains under a tarp while the case is on appeal.
The Colorado Supreme Court did permit the Ten Commandments to remain on the grounds of that state's capitol, however, a decision that the U.S. Supreme Court chose not to overturn.
Religion is a Part of History
David Barna, a spokesman for the National Park Service in Washington, acknowledged that religious items are a bit of a grey area for his agency, noting that one of their missions is to preserve the historic heritage of the nation.
"We've always walked a fine line on religious issues," said Barna, "You can't tell the story of American history without at least some of it including the impact of religion on Americans."
Some of America's most famous monuments illustrate his point. For example, the Washington Monument's peak proclaims "Praise be to God" in Latin, and no less than four inscriptions on the Jefferson Memorial express unequivocally religious sentiments. The Park Service itself has numerous religious items and properties under its control, ranging from a historic chapel in Yosemite National Park to the San Antonio Missions in Texas to American Indian sacred sites in other parks. The Park Service also oversees the lighting of a Christmas tree and a menorah on the White House grounds.
And while the Biblical plaques are the only religious items at the Grand Canyon whose legality is currently being contemplated, a number of the Canyon's formations - like Isis Temple, Wotans Throne, and Krishna Temple, for example - share the names of gods from Hinduism and other religions.
In the meanwhile, the Evangelical Sisterhood of Mary is pleased at the plaques' reinstatement, allowing the Scriptures once again to testify to the Grand Canyon's nearly 5 million visitors a year of the majesty of God's creation.
"We are very happy they are back up and giving glory back to God again," said Sister Pinea, "We are all praying now that they will remain up."
