It’s an early spring day in March inside the White House Rose Garden, the picturesque space bordering the Oval Office and the West Wing of the famed executive mansion. Trees that ring the gardens are leafing out, and the aromatic scent of colorful flowers fills the air.
The President of the United States strolls to the podium. Smiling, he acknowledges those gathered, turns a few pages and begins to address the crowd.
“I have seen first‐hand how basic spiritual beliefs and deeds can shatter barriers,” he begins. “I have seen those barriers crumble in the presence of faith and hope, and from this experience I have drawn new hope that the seemingly insurmountable … issues that we face at home and abroad today can be resolved by men of strong faith and men of brave deeds.”
He continues:
“But that can happen, only if the separation of church and state does not mean the divorce of spiritual values from secular affairs.