What's the "purpose" driving this decision?
President-elect Obama has asked mega-Church pastor, purpose driven author Rick Warren to offer the invocation at the inauguration.
Who'd you expect? Rev'd Dr. Jeremiah Wright?
Well.......yes.
And why not...my stance of Dr. Wright has been previously stated...no need to rehash.
The larger question for me is this---now that Billy Graham is no longer able to serve as "pastor to the President," does this mean that "Pastor Rick" is?
I don't know what the right answer is to that ...or, is it another attempt to walk the center? Of course, that assumes one thinks "Pastor Rick" a moderate, which he is not.
One commentator noted that he's "Jerry Falwell in a Hawaiian shirt."
Nice.
What's my problem?
Why pick a mega-church guy? That's so easy.
I don't know Rick, he may be a fine guy. He may not be. His theology does not inspire me, and more than a little bit of it offends me.
But this isn't about Rick Warren. He's no mystery.
This is about the "why" of a choice that is singularly the President-elect's to make.
The President-elect is want to say "we can disagree without being disagreeable." To be sure, that is true. Maybe that's way we he's going to try govern.
But really?...another middle-aged, overweight white guy...aren't there enough of us already?
Pick someone who labors long in the vineyard of the Lord and serves scores of God's children with passion and vision...not tens of thousands. Pick someone who knows their congregants by name. Pick someone who serves the least, last and lost everyday in person...pick somebody serving in the urban centers.
Pick a pastor who practices radical gospel hospitality.
Pick a clergywoman. What would be more validating that change has come than to seek the word of a clergywoman as the President is being sworn in?
Pick anyone who serves in these contexts and I'd stand and applaud...as it is it sends a signal as it relates to matters such as these--there ain't much change going on 'round here!
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