Sure, Barack Obama's choice of Rick Warren for the inaugural prayer proves nothing more probably than that Obama is a consummate politician. Obama will do what he has to do to win over voters. And he's probably figured out that letting Warren pray at the inauguration is a safe gesture and a symbolic way to extend an olive branch to a block of voters he has yet to win over en masse.
And so Obama begins his presidency like presidents before him, placating religious conservatives, in this case the New Right. Leaving the rest of us to be content with symbols from the Old Left (no disrespect to Rev. Joe Lowry and Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin).
I know progressive Christians are supposed to be won over by the fact that Rick Warren is allegedly the face of a kinder, gentler generation of Evangelicals. But we're not. Warren is as against women's equality, against gay rights, anti-choice, and anti-stem cell research as the old Right he fancies himself to replace. He has admitted that the main difference between himself and old style religious conservative James Dobson is a matter of tone.
So, it's been decided. Rick Warren's smiling, right wing, socially conservative, anti-gay, anti-women's rights biblical preaching has been deemed to be not as divisive as the blistering prophetic denunciations of American imperalism by his former pastor Jeremiah Wright. Reaching out to Warren reaps more political capital for Obama than does reaching out to Wright. The pro-gay rights man whose fiery preaching nurtured Obama into becoming the community organizer he is at heart remains a pariah, banished from the inaugural platform and the American public. The man whose anti-gay message is overshadowed by the fact that he represents the face of millions of conservative voters gets to pray for the country.
So what? It's only a prayer. It's not like Warren's been invited to help set policy. Those who say this obviously know nothing about the importance of symbols, and even less about the power of prayer
The Power of Prayer
Friday December 19, 2008
Add to Del.icio.us
Add to Technorati
Add to Digg
Add to Newsvine
Add to Facebook
Add to StumbleUpon
Advertisement
Advertisement
Search This Blog
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.
Contributors
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.
» Posts by Paul Raushenbush
Subscribe
I would equate Warren giving the invocation to a Pastor that believed segration was sanctioned in the bible giving the invocation for Kennedy.
And you thought us Atheists were bad...
Ms. Weems, you use the term "politician" in a derogatory sense when referring to Obama's selection of Warren. Frankly, I think Obama's decision was a good example of how "politics" can be positive. Obama made very clear in his campaign that he wanted to break out of the binary Left/Right, liberal/conservative lunacy that has locked this nation in the culture wars for decades. In that light, it should come as no surprise that he'd select an evangelical with whom he disagrees on certain issues to do the invocation at his inauguration. Obama selected Warren for two reasons: (1) to mess the minds of liberals and conservatives; and (2) because he genuinely likes Warren on a personal level. There's nothing evil about either reason.
Though I am not sure what you mean with all the stuff you say about women, gays and other things, I just conclude that Obama just had to pick the most popular preacher in the country: So far it was Billy Graham, now it's time for Rick Warren.
Not their message is important, just their image, cause the prayer of Warren for Obama, is also just about image... I think at least :-)
I don't know why all you are saying all that everthing Is coming to the end pray to god we all will make it to be with god aman
Post a Comment
By submitting these comments, I agree to the beliefnet.com terms of service, rules of conduct and privacy policy (the "agreements"). I understand and agree that any content I post is licensed to beliefnet.com and may be used by beliefnet.com in accordance with the agreements.