Michael Newdow | |
|---|---|
 Speaking at the Atheist Alliance International Convention, 2008 | |
| Born | Michael Arthur Newdow June 24, 1953 |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Brown University (BS) UCLA (MD) University of Michigan (JD) |
| Occupation(s) | Attorney, physician, activist, ordained atheist minister at Universal Life Church |
Michael Arthur Newdow (born June 24, 1953) is an American attorney and emergency medicine physician. He is best known for his efforts to have recitations of the current version of the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools in the United States declared unconstitutional because of its inclusion of the phrase "under God". He also filed and lost a lawsuit to stop the invocation prayer at President Bush's second inauguration[1][2][3] and in 2009 he filed a lawsuit to prevent references to God and religion from being part of President Obama's inauguration.
Newdow is an atheist and an ordained minister of the Universal Life Church.[4] In 1997, he started an organization called FACTS (First Atheist Church of True Science), which advocates strong separation of church and state in public institutions.[5] He also serves on the Advisory Board of Secular Coalition for America.[6]
- ^ "Fox News: Court Rejects Challenge to Inaugural Prayer". Fox News. Archived from the original on 2012-10-23. Retrieved 2009-08-12.
- ^ Christian Today: Michael Newdow Versus President Bush
- ^ The New York Times: Judge Declines To Block Inauguration Prayer
- ^ Lucas, Greg. "Atheist dad ready for date at top court." San Francisco Chronicle, 2004-03-22
- ^ Biography of Michael Newdow Archived 2013-02-28 at the Wayback Machine, evolvefish.com
- ^ "Secular Coalition for America Advisory Board Biography". Secular.org. Archived from the original on 2013-06-04. Retrieved 2011-07-20.