Thinking about the Gerasene demoniac

What’s Happening Today

 

 

 

 

 

 

From Indexed

Rick Warren extends an olive branch to gay Anglican Bishop

Rick Warren Reaches Out to Gene Robinson

By Jacqui Salmon
“The Rev. Rick Warren, the conservative evangelical minister who will deliver the invocation at Barack Obama’s inauguration, has extended an olive branch to Bishop V. Gene Robinson. Robinson, an openly gay Episcopal bishop, had reacted angrily to the selection of Warren, who opposes gay marriage, calling it a “slap in the face.” But then Robinson was selected this week to give the invocation at the inaugural opening ceremony at the Sunday afternoon concert on the Mall. Today, Warren issued a statement praising Obama for selecting Robinson, saying the president-elect “has again demonstrated his genuine commitment to bringing all Americans of goodwill together in search of common ground. I applaud his desire to be the president of every citizen.” From the Washington Post

From Don – I am not sure what to think about this. I share Warren’s praise for Obama’s inclusiveneness.  How far does Warren take this? How far do we? Do we expect the state to do the will of the church (no, but we do expect it to do the will of the people for we are the government) or do we honor the state for being inclusive even to the point where it gives honor to religious codes of behavior that not only cut across the Judaeo-Christian tradition but actually include destructive moralities that not only end life early for thousands upon thousands of people but redefine the very nature of family. I am willing to live with Obama doing this to some degree. I am not so sure that it is Warren’s job as a minister of Christ to applaud such inclusivity. This is what happens when ministers choose to enter the political arena. I am not sure they bring as much light as they do agitation.

Inauguration Day, 2009

I am teaching speech class right now, smack dab in the middle of polictical speech season. Plenty to talk about. If it is one thing Obama can do, it is make a good speech. And that is worth more than most people make it. We have been eight years without inspiring words, even though there have been some significant good acts. I have missed the good words.

Much has been made of the amount of money being spent on the Inaugural. I am not bothered. Obama knows how much a good party, in addition to good words, matters. I think we are all ready for some optimism and the feeling that we are not mere puppets tossed by the current winds of desperate economic times. There is such a thing as leadership, big ideas and hope. Yeh, the devil is in the details and many disappointments are ahead. But at least there is someone at the top who gives expression to our desires for the good, the new day, the new way. (Okay, I am a sucker for a good speech).