David Brooks is turning out to be one of my favorite columnists. His column on the Pledge of Allegiance One Nation, Enriched by Biblical Wisdom is but one example:
The lesson I draw from all this is that prayer should not be permitted in public schools, but maybe theology should be mandatory. Students should be introduced to the prophets, to the Old and New Testaments, to the Koran, to a few of the commentators who argue about these texts.
From this perspective, what gets recited in the pledge is the least important issue before us. Understanding what the phrase “one nation under God” might mean — that’s the important thing. That’s not proselytizing; it’s citizenship.