The Archbishop of Canterbury is a political appointee, a prominent civic personage in English life. This anomaly of an established church means, that despite his lack of actual governmental power, the position of the Archbishop of Canterbury carries the same weight of political baggage as that of any high level political appointee in the American system. When the Archbishop says or does something really inept or stupid and the action has possible widespread implications for the nation, media frenzy erupts.

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Barack Obama’s speech in June of 2006 was the keynote address of a conference sponsored by Sojourners and Call to Renewal on the theme of Building a Covenant for a New America. Senator Obama’s message to this gathering of largely progressive evangelicals was an exposition on the theme of the connection between religion and politics, importantly including the Senator’s reflection on some realities he believes need to be acknowledged by all who seek to bring their religious beliefs to bear upon the public issues of the day.

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