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Christianity Today, January (Web-only), 2009 |

Opinion Roundup: Inaugural Prayers of Hope and Tears

What John Piper, Charles Colson, Mark Driscoll, and others are saying about the Obama inauguration and its invocations.

Compiled by Ted Olsen | posted 1/21/2009 12:12PM

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It should be no surprise that Robinson's prayer has been widely panned. Al Mohler went so far as to call it idolatrous. "Representation is undoubtedly symbolic, but Rick Warren and Gene Robinson represent ...

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Pat	Posted: February 01, 2009 8:51 PM


I personally loved Rev. Lowery's prayer. I wonder why people are "avoiding" addressing it? Does it (particularly the last lines about race) ring a little too close to home??

what?

Posted: January 25, 2009 10:34 PM


Why are evangelicals so narcissistic? American politics whether they be "conservative" or "liberal" do not match up with Jesus anyway. All human politics are a compromise. These buffons can't even call a spade a spade and criticize the damage G.W. has done in the world, to real people!

JD	Posted: January 24, 2009 3:49 PM

What a shame that not one of these ministers had the guts to comment on the extreme racist benediction given by Reverend Joseph Lowery. Yes, Reverend Jeremiah Wright was there, he just showed up as Lowery. My interpretation of the closing statement "white must embrace what is right," is the white people who voted for Obama were wrong. With regards to Gene Robinson's getting full presidential support. I have to agree that homosexuality is not the worst of all sins. But according to the Bible it is a sin. Let's see if I take the Epsicopal Church and President Obama's perspective then any sin can be justified so long as one is "predisposed" to it and "born that way." According to that standard it is acceptable to have, say an alcoholic - one that predisposed to alcoholism, of course - give the prayer and celebrate their drinking, so long as how they live does not hurt anyone. Each week model and preach acceptance of it from the pulpit. What about adulterous preachers w/accepting spouse?

Caroline

Posted: January 24, 2009 7:59 AM


Joe Carter I invited you to my Episcopal church,where perhaps it's symbolism and deep beauty you would find healing.

PD	Posted: January 23, 2009 4:38 PM

Actually a lot of good thoughts. There is always a balance between praying for God's blessing and guidance on Obama( I certainly do this ) and looking at this as civil religion ceremony. The day was great in a lot of ways. The one reservation I have is that it took on a celebrity like feel. Even when Hillary arrived at the State it was like this. Really this shallow worship of individuals is what is killing us as a country. I hope all the best for Obama, but he is just a man. I'm tired of hearing how he transcends everything.

Jeff	Posted: January 23, 2009 1:07 PM


Just a note to SHS to say that you have placed yourself on God's throne by proclaiming what you have already judged. God indeed will be the judge.

No Perverts Allowed

Posted: January 22, 2009 11:56 PM

Greg's doublespeak is like gays want it--to not be called the sodomites or moral perverts they are, but happily gay instead. Medical studies including those shown even by Mass health dept show the grave medical, emotional & social problems these people have due to their obsession with unnatural and unhealthy behaviors. It is MORAL INSANITY & we wont adopt your doublespeak just cuz u want to trash God's moral absolutes and the Bible! Kinsey himself was a pervert as are many who do such flawed pseudo-research. Go to MassResistance.com to see what they really do to destroy youth and themselves. We must work to STOP their march of the cliff into Moral Insanity and degeneracy!

Sergey

Posted: January 22, 2009 12:16 PM


Rev. Joseph E. Lowery's Benediction is here: http://www.youtube.com:80/watch?v=HRf4tOP05fA

Joe	Posted: January 22, 2009 10:58 AM

I think we are making too big a deal out of the inaugural prayers. Many pastors pray at city council meetings. As a pastor, we need to understand the motive for asking for prayers. I usually use it as an opportunity to show the love and the saving grace of Jesus Christ in those prayers. Having said that, I think Mr. Obama is using Christians ministers for his personal agenda. Let us be careful not to be puppets for him.

SHS	Posted: January 22, 2009 10:39 AM

Some of the comments here blow me away! I understand the complaint about people making homosexuality out to be worse than other sins - that's wrong. But there are people on this forum who need to take a good hard look at themselves. True submission to God is adhering to His Word even in the areas of it that make you uncomfortable. In saying that homosexuality is not a sin, you are putting YOURSELVES on God's throne!

Xinosaj

Posted: January 22, 2009 10:14 AM

I think John Piper gets his facts wrong. Robinson was invited by an inaugural committee. I doubt Obama took time away from his deliberations about the new Great Depression or the Gaza situation to approve each clergyman playing some role in the inauguration. Piper also seems to fail to understand American civics, thinking that we're some kind of Christian nation and that it's the state's role to ensure that orthodoxy triumphs in our denominations. Chuck Colson does understand American civics, but simply chooses to reject them in favor of medieval church-state views that are essentially the same as the views that justified burning heretics at the stake. I'm not sure why someone with such an appalling track record of incivility and self-aggrandizement as Mark Driscoll should even be given promotion by CT.

Klaas Epp

Posted: January 22, 2009 10:13 AM


I was most moved by Rev. Robinson's Benediction.

Shane

Posted: January 22, 2009 1:20 AM

Seems to me the critiques of the inauguration prayers are going to miss the larger point; Obama has being elected the present of a diverse country peopled by folks with diverse views. So, you don't agree with Robinson's theology? Well, that's America. This forum is just depressing. According to CT's polls a large number of Evangelicals voted for Obama. I doubt that anyone asked about his inauguration for this piece did. Thanks for representing a diverse Evangelical community, CT and Ted Olson.

Wendell Franklin Wentz

Posted: January 21, 2009 11:33 PM

What a plight the narrow-minded fundamentalists find themselves in today. There is one God, and he has many names. The god of the fundamentalists is American made and manufactured in their own minds. He is not the God of Scripture and the Universe. You quote a president of a Bible College in Louisville, Kentucky where students are spoon fed a literal Bible and a man who would run over his mother with a pickup truck to see Nixon elected, and those guys are the ones shutting heaven's door to the multitudes with their narrow-mindedness. One president of the Southern Baptist Convention once said that God didn't hear the prayers of Jews! What a shame. God hears everybody from every land, speaking every tongue/language, no matter what their beliefs are. God answers those prayers no matter what religionists say about it. Who can tell anybody that God is not pleased with prayer. Students can pray in school, and they can take their Bibles to school. The school cannot have a sanctioned prayer.

JohnW

Posted: January 21, 2009 9:58 PM


Frankly, I think Jeremiah Wright should have done the inaugural prayer, not Rick Warren. Reverend Wright is not afraid to speak the truth about our nation's foreign policy and racism. I am sorry Obama abandoned his pastor, but I guess in America there are some things that are outside the bounds of acceptable discourse (no matter how true).

Gregory Peterson

Posted: January 21, 2009 9:55 PM

People don't do "Homosexuality." How can Homosexuality be a sin when it's not done? It was invented in the 19th Century. While a good theoretical foundation in the science, sociology and psychology of sexuality, it's very outmoded. Someone should point out that a mere 150 years of sexuality research has gone on since the word was coined. Nobody is "homosexual" anymore. It's a dehumanizing strawman to support unsupportable public policies. At the very least, conservatives should adopt MSM, sociology speak for men who have sex with men who don't necessarily identify as "Gay." The only thing "homo" and "sexual" about people is that we're all Homo Sapiens Sapiens and almost all of us have sex, sooner or later. When talking about Gay identifying men, it's simply uncivilized and unconscionable not to use "Gay," the world wide consensus name chosen by the Gay community itself...unless maybe one normally might describe a woman as a "Caucasianess?"

MP	Posted: January 21, 2009 9:11 PM

Colson speaks from experience. These prayers are expressions of civil religion that grant a certain moral credibility to the nation state from a variety of perspectives. As Origen of Alexandria said, Christians pray for Caesar so that Caesar will remember that he is not God. Evangelicals seem so excited about Warren's participation that they have forgotten the prophetic ministry of Israel and the Church. The price of Warren's role is that he must show his "tolernace" to the point of betraying the false humility that has characterized the church in modernity. But we need to remember just how much executive power was expanded under Bush. The economic criis will grant even more such power to Obama. The clergy who particpated in the inauguration served as chaplains and cheer leaders for this power. On the other hand, it is Christians who sing: "All hail the power of Jesus' Name .... And crown Him Lord of all"

fleur

Posted: January 21, 2009 6:53 PM


Just wondering: Is Jeremiah Wright still in the dog house?

Jon	Posted: January 21, 2009 6:07 PM

Yes, let's cast some discernement on this shall we? Can any feeling person not be moved by the tears on the faces of black americans shown on the news, whose pain at having endured subtle, and sometimes outright overt, discrimination throughout their lives, turn to joy and pride at this moment? It is so telling that our evangelical leaders would rather quarrel over two of the contrasting prayers and ignore the third, given by Rev. Lowery, which can be found here: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h4SrWpZNd-yocKSO7_9FO51iL JowD95R4RTG0. Talk about grace! How is that we evangelicals take so much pride in being right that we have all but forgoten about justice, love, mercy, humiltiy and grace?

JOHNS

Posted: January 21, 2009 4:07 PM

While I am no "evangelical" and a proud member of a mainstream denomination, I was offended by Gene Robinson's inclusion in the Obama inauguration. While I love the Episcopal Church, I think there is a dangers drift into John Spong-type theology amongst many of the leaders, and Robinson reflects that perfectly. Warren got it right: you're a CHRISTIAN, do a CHRISTIAN prayer. Give nods to other faiths along the way, but your prayer should be to the God of the Bible and in the name of Jesus. I really could care less that he's gay (except for the fact that he was married how many priests that left their wives for their new girlfriends do you think would make it to Bishop???) but dude, your a BISHOP, not some back bench theology professor, at least in public buy into what your religion teaches and set an example. Shameful on Robinson...and praise to Warren, who hit just the right note his prayer.

Marcus

Posted: January 21, 2009 4:07 PM


One word - DISCERNMENT

Fred in Omaha . . .

Posted: January 21, 2009 4:02 PM

Unreal, I'm amazed . . . with the strident nature of most of these quotes. And simply ask, what would these writers' commentaries have been had the very same prayers been uttered (save that of Robinson) at a Bush inaugural? No one I know who is thrilled with Obama has even suggested all of our problems are over. The President has said over and over that we have a long road ahead and everybody has to be a part. For the cross to be so drapped in American conservative politics is perhpas more dangerous than it being ignored by American liberal politics. My, my, . . .

Jon	Posted: January 21, 2009 1:25 PM


The attitude of our evangelical leaders as represented here neither reflects the spirit of christ toward their brothers, nor do they demonstrate even a glimer of appreciation for the historic event that has just unfolded. No wonder many are eskewing the "evangelical" label.

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