This afternoon, I had a chance to hear Mike Wolff address members of local branch of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. The gathering took the form of a picnic at Shaw Park in Clayton, Missouri.

I’ve known and admired Mike since I was one of his students at St. Louis University School of Law in the late 70’s. Since then, he has done so many significant things, it’s hard to keep track, including his service as Chief Justice of the Missouri Supreme Court and as Dean of St. Louis University School of Law.

Dozens of thoughtful people, religious and otherwise, attended the presentation, united by this idea (from the homepage of the national website: “We envision an America where everyone can freely choose a faith and support it voluntarily, or follow no religious or spiritual path at all, and where the government does not promote religion over non-religion or favor one faith over another.”