Inaugural Invocation
Wednesday December 17, 2008
Categories: Religion in the Public Square
Barack Obama has selected Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at the inauguration. The choice of Warren is in line with other Obama appointments meant to bring a broad spectrum of viewpoints to the same table. The patchwork of oddly opposing...
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About Progressive Revival
Diana Butler Bass and Paul Raushenbush both stand firmly within the Mainline Protestant tradition and, along with guest bloggers of all religious backgrounds are dedicated to the revival of religious progressivism and its influence in American politics.
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Diana Butler BassDiana Butler Bass is a commentator and scholar in American religion. She is the author of seven books including A People's History of Christianity: The Other Side of the Story (HarperOne, 2009).
» Posts by Diana Butler Bass
Paul RaushenbushModerator of the Progressive Revival blog and the Associate Dean of Religious Life at Princeton University.
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I can't say I'm pleased about the choice. Behind his moderate facade, Warren hates LGBT citizens just as much as Jerry Falwell or Rick Santorum - comparing homosexuality to incest - which makes him all the more dangerous, as people pretend that he's a moderate. He's basically Jim Dobson with a goatee. Bigots like him do not deserve a prominent place in public, and do not deserve a prominent place in Christianity.
Of course, the fact that actually giving a damn about world poverty and the environment is now considered something moderate or even liberal in Christianity, rather than a basic assumption and starting point to be considered a Christian of any kind, says a great deal about the state of contemporary American Christianity. It speaks to the extent to which the charlatans of the "Christian" Right have led American evangelicals to accept free-market consumer capitalism as a tenet of the Gospel.
That said, my problem is with Warren - not with Obama. Warren is being asked to give the opening prayer at the inauguration, not set policy positions or run a Cabinet department. Much as I may think Rick Warren is a terrible choice, and can think of ten people off the top of my head (some of whom post on this blog) who would be a better fit, I also think a lot of the outrage over this choice is overblown. Obama's position on equal rights for all, while tepid and milquetoast, remains the same today as it was during the election.
I'm divided about this. Certainly I wish that someone more gay-friendly would be given the pulpit for this event, but I fear that we're so theologically divided as a nation that choosing only pro-gay clergy for the event would effectively make evangelicals feel cut off. There may be no middle ground in our nation right now, and anyone who satisfies the progressives may well offend the conservatives and destroy the very bridges we're all hoping we can build.
If the inauguration committee feels that Obama can gain the most traction by showing evangelicals that he respects them, someone like Warren might be the only possible compromise.
And doesn't THAT suck?
Why do we even have an inaugural invocation anyway?
Obama's choice of Reverend Warren to deliver the invocation is a painful blast for human rights! Faith and religion should necessarily include ALL PEOPLE in our human family. This concept is reflected at the core of all religious movments.
Although I do not belong to any Christian sect, I belive in the princpal--HE WHO CASTS THE FIRST STONE....
Reverend Warren certainly has cast a few stones in his career--this in direct opposition to Jesus' teachings.
Would some one in your ranks please reconsider this choice!!!!
Rick Warren is not the appropiate person to give the inaugural
invocation for President e-lect Obama. He is a right-winger
and hates black people, WHERE IS HIS PASTOR AT HIS NEW BLACK CHURCH?
I HOPE WARREN IS NOT HIS SPIRITUAL ADVISOR.
The Gay and Lesbian Community Needs Some Help during the Rick Warren-Obama Inauguration Situation
The saddest part of the controversy regarding Obama's pick of Warren as "inauguration invocator" has been the way the controversy has been framed by the mass media. The political dust-up has been portrayed as "the gay and lesbian community v. Rick Warren." The idea that the gay and lesbian community should be the only ones outraged by Obama's decision is ludicrous. Every American with a conscience, regardless of sexual orientation, should be outraged with Obama for this decision. Rick Warren is a fundamentalist Christian and biblical literalist. Does anyone know what that means exactly?
It means that Rick warren believes that women should be subjugated to men as is laid out in 1 Corinthians 11:3. It means that he believes public schools shouldn’t teach our children that the earth is more than "thousands of years old" as is told in the book of Genesis. It means he agrees with the statement that men are "holy to god" and not women, as Luke 2:23 tells us. It means he adheres to the belief that the "natural use" of women is for sexual objectification as is stated in Romans 1:27. It means he embraces and preaches the belief that those who do not love Jesus will be damned as is indicated in 1 Corinthians 16:22. Approximately one third of the bible is so x-rated that children can't even read it. It's wrought with everything from genocide to slavery.
Warren perpetuates a millennia-old dogma that should be relegated to the history books, not made part of the modern American record. There is a 30 to 50 million strong evangelical community in this country that is growing by leaps and bounds every year that adheres to this type of warped philosophy. Obama's decision to give their leader a center stage position at the inauguration is not an act of tolerance or goodwill. Rather, it's a decision that says: "It's OK to believe what you believe, even if I don't." No, Mr. Obama, in fact, it's not OK to believe what Warren believes!
Warren's beliefs are immoral, divisive, and downright disgusting in many cases. And it's a crying shame that the gay and lesbian community is alone in stating that. It's time that all Americans, especially conservative females like Laura Ingraham, Ann Coulter, and Bay Buchanan denounce this man's beliefs. Or perhaps they believe they should remain silent, as is taught in 1 Timothy 2:11-12.
Best Regards
Craig M. Flaherty
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