Separation of church and state group criticizes Brownback for promoting prayer event

Americans United for Separation of Church and State on Friday criticized Gov. Sam Brownback for promoting a fundamentalist Christian evangelical event.

“The governor is really overstepping his constitutional bounds,” said Vickie Sandell Stangl, president of the Great Plains chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

“He was elected to serve as governor of our state, not our state pastor-in-chief.

“The people of Kansas do not need politicians telling us when, how or whether to pray. If anybody needs to repent, it’s Gov. Brownback. He needs to repent for violating the constitutional separation of church and state,” Stangl said.

Stangl was criticizing Brownback for promoting a nationally simulcast prayer and worship event put on by ReignDown USA that will be held Saturday in MacLennan Park, which is adjacent to the governor’s mansion, Cedar Crest.

In a video promoting the event, Brownback said: “Too often we have forgotten God,” and he invites people to pray.

Here is a video that Brownback made. The end of the video says no state resources were used to make the video or in the ReignDown event.