| TALLAHASSEE · Senate President
Jim King apologized to Jewish
legislators Wednesday after an Orlando minister invoked the name of
Jesus Christ in the Senate's opening prayer. Dr. Clayton Cloer, senior pastor of the First Baptist Church of Central Florida, gave a lengthy invocation, giving thanks for God, the Legislature, the nation's military and the "freedom for people to believe in Jesus Christ." Cloer, a guest of Sen. Daniel Webster, R-Winter Garden, concluded by invoking the "name of Jesus." Moments later, a frustrated King took the Senate podium and said that ministers who lead the Senate in daily prayer are supposed to deliver a nondenominational blessing. He then reached out to the Senate's six Jewish members. "To those of you who were offended or feel hurt, I apologize," King said. He said he would underscore the rules because other such lapses had occurred in previous days. Cloer could not be reached. When Webster was House speaker seven years ago, an opening day prayer by the late Rev. Bill Bright of Orlando, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, drew criticism after he broke House tradition with several references to Jesus Christ. At the time, Webster said he had no plans to "censor prayer." |
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