In The Faith - A Chronicle of the Christian Faith

A framed copy of the Ten Commandments is hanging again in Indiana’s Elkhart County building with copies of other historical documents.

A brief ceremony to mark the occasion was held Monday before the County Commissioners’ weekly meeting.

“We stood staunch in our resolution that this hang in the office building,” said Phil Stiver, president of the County Commissioners.

The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in March overruled a lower court decision ordering the Ten Commandments removed from a display of historical documents that included The Mayflower Compact and the Magna Carta. The Chicago-based appeals court said the display had secular appeal, did not advance or inhibit particular religious beliefs and avoided “excessive entanglement” between government and religion.

The commandments were posted in 2003 at the county government building about 15 miles southeast of South Bend.

The Indiana Civil Liberties Union, acting on behalf of Elkhart resident William Books, filed a lawsuit in federal court asking they be removed. U.S. District Judge Robert Miller Jr. in March 2004 ordered the display removed, ruling that it violated the First Amendment.

A message seeking comment was left Monday by The Associated Press for Ken Falk, the ICLU’s legal director.

A ruling is expected in the coming weeks from the U.S. Supreme Court in a pair of cases asking whether Ten Commandment displays on government property violate the Constitution’s ban on “establishment” of religion.

The Supreme Court in 2001 decided not to rule on the constitutionality of a Ten Commandments display in front of Elkhart City Hall. That monument was later moved to private property.

p. [ Full Story @ IndyStar.com ]

p(small). Source: IndyStar.com © 2005 IndyStar.com

p(small). Technorati: Ten Commandments Display Ten Commandments Church and State Religion Faith God Church Current Events IndyStar.com IndyStar.com

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