Unless you’ve been hibernating (which isn’t a bad idea given the economy and weather lately), you know that President-elect Barack Obama has asked Rick Warren to pray at his inauguration. The news networks (apparently needing something controversial to fill up their 24 hour broadcast schedules) have been buzzing about Warren’s stance against gay marriage.
The more liberal among Obama’s supporters have voiced their anger over his choice of Rick Warren, but it’s been hard to find an evangelical on television upset with Warren’s close ties with Obama. You may recall that Warren hosted both McCain and Obama at his church during the campaign for a “civil forum” to discuss important issues. The megachurch pastor was widely praised for his balanced and helpful approach to the event.
Rick Warren’s prayer for Barack Obama:
I’d like to know what you think about Rick Warren’s presence at Obama’s inaugural. Is Warren following in the tradition of Billy Graham, or is he succumbing to the lure of political power? And do you think Obama will be positively influenced by Warren, or is he using Warren’s star-power among evangelicals to score political points?
I’ve included a couple of videos of both Obama and Warren discussing their relationship.
Barack Obama explains why he picked Rick Warren:
Rick Warren explains his opposition to gay marriage:
