Praying at political conventions

The young Evangelical minister Cameron Strang, editor and publisher of Relevant magazine, a Christian who describes himself as a pro-life Republican, has been talking for some time to the Obama campaign on issues important to him. He accepted an invitation to offer a prayer from the stage at the Democratic National Convention, but then withdrew. He explains why on his blog. Excerpt:

They made clear they weren't asking me to publicly endorse Sen. Obama. They also didn't care that I was a pro-life Republican. I saw my participation as a tangible way to show that this generation of values voters doesn't necessarily need to draw political battle lines the way previous generations have, and that we can work through areas of disagreement toward common goals--fighting systemic poverty; defending innocent lives lost to pre-emptive war, sex trafficking, torture, genocide, slavery and preventable disease; protecting the environment; and proactively working to reduce the number of abortions each year (not only through legislation, prevention and education, but by financial support for pregnant women and overhauling the adoption system--things are messed up when an abortion is $500 and an adoption is $25,000). Then I found out the benediction was to be on the main stage, opening night of the DNC. Part of the national broadcast. Most people would jump at such an exposure opportunity, but it gave me serious pause. Through RELEVANT I reach a demographic that has strong faith, morals and passion, but disagreements politically. It wouldn't be wise for me to be seen as picking a political side, when I've consistently said both sides are right in some areas and wrong in some areas. (And truth be told, I haven't yet made up my mind about who I'm going to vote for this November. There are a lot of specifics I'd like to hear the candidates talk about before my decision will be made.)

Did he make the right call here? I think he did, but I'm conflicted. I don't think it's wrong of either party to want to honor the role faith plays in our public life by asking a minister to call down God's blessing on our endeavors. Naturally, I'm not the slightest bit worried about religion unduly influencing a political convention; I am rather worried about politics hurting the church's witness.

Here's the invocation the Greek Orthodox Archbishop Demetrios delivered at the 2004 Republican National Convention. It's a lovely prayer, and could have been offered at the DNC as well. But ought to it have been offered at a partisan political gathering (as distinct from, say, the opening of a session of Congress)? An Orthodox convert friend who raised this issue with me says it really troubles him that his father, who is strongly Evangelical (and Republican) will see Abp Demetrios praying at the Democratic convention this week, and form a negative opinion about Orthodoxy. (One might have said the same thing four years ago, when the Archbishop prayed at the RNC, from the other side).

Anyway: Should religious leaders, whatever their personal convictions, offer prayers at partisan political gatherings? Did Cameron Strang do the right thing? Are there guidelines that a religious leader should use in deciding whether or not to lend his or her prayers and presence to a partisan gathering? I'm not exactly sure what I think, though I lean strongly towards the "stay out of it, for the good of the church" side. All of us religious folks should pray for both the Democrats and the Republicans as they convene. Still, the purpose of a religious leader appearing onstage at a political convention is not to make the religious leader look good, but to bring credit to the politicians.

UPDATE: Cameron Strang's office e-mails to say he is not an ordained minister. So noted. But that being the case, it's very odd to me that the Democrats offered him a praying gig there. Maybe it's a priesthood of all believers thing...