Invocation

=== As alternative to prayer ===
An invocation can also be a secular alternative to a prayer. On August 30, 2012, Dan Nerren, a member of the Humanist Association of Tulsa, delivered a secular invocation to open a meeting of the City Council of [[Tulsa, Oklahoma|Tulsa]].<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.newson6.com/global/story.asp?s=19423373|title = Atheist Delivers Invocation At Tulsa City Council Meeting For First Time Ever|date = Aug 30, 2012<!-- 9:27 PM EDT-->|publisher = KOTV.com}}</ref> Nerren was invited to perform the invocation as a compromise following a long-running dispute with the City Council over prayers opening meetings. The invocation was written by Andrew Lovley, a member of the Southern Maine Association of Secular Humanists who had previously used the invocation in 2009 to invoke an inauguration ceremony for new city officials in [[South Portland, Maine]].<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.secularstudents.org/node/2938|title = Andrew Lovley's Secular Invocation|publisher = Secular Students Alliance|date = 2009-12-15 <!-- - 10:08 --> |author = Lyz}}</ref>

In this usage, it is comparable to an [[affirmation in law|affirmation]] as an alternative for those who conscientiously object to taking [[oath]]s of any kind, be it for reasons of belief or [[non-belief]].