{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"Steven Waldman","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/stevenwaldman","author_name":"swaldman","author_url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/stevenwaldman\/author\/swaldman","title":"Why Did FDR Start Having Prayers at Inaugurals? - Steven Waldman","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"iRWRUNgqUS\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/stevenwaldman\/2009\/01\/why-did-fdr-start-having-praye.html\">Why Did FDR Start Having Prayers at Inaugurals?<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/stevenwaldman\/2009\/01\/why-did-fdr-start-having-praye.html\/embed#?secret=iRWRUNgqUS\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;Why Did FDR Start Having Prayers at Inaugurals?&#8221; &#8212; Steven Waldman\" data-secret=\"iRWRUNgqUS\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\/* <![CDATA[ *\/\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/* ]]> *\/\n<\/script>\n","description":"As I&#8217;ve been foraging through the history of inaugural prayers, one question has remained a mystery: why, in 1937, did Franklin Roosevelt start the tradition? Professor Mark Silk has come up with an interesting and plausible theory. Prior to 1937, the vice presidents were sworn in by their predecessor in the Senate chamber. A prayer&hellip;"}