Warren A Good Choice; Here's a Better One

I have thoroughly mixed feelings about the President-elect's choice of Rick Warren to deliver the Inaugural Invocation.

On the one hand, I am completely sympathetic to the gay community's dismay, especially after the Prop 8 setback in California. On the other hand, I think this is a good time to bring the large Evangelical mainstream in Obama's direction ... and including Rick might help do that. I think this is an important time for violating old categories and creating new coalitions, which also makes Rick a good choice.

So - I'm unequivocally ambivalent about Rick as a choice. (I posted additional thoughts on the kerfuffle over at Progressive Revival.)

When it comes to who my choice would have been, that's a bit clearer for me. I would have chosen someone unknown to the media in order to draw attention to the thousands of humble, good-hearted women and men who are serving quietly for the common good, with no public fanfare.

With all the attention being paid to Wall Street, there's surprisingly little being said about the poor, here and abroad, even though they're the ones whose ranks will swell and who will suffer most in the global economic downturn. So I might choose someone working among the poorest of the poor in our cities (like the good folks at CCDA ... http://www.urbanministry.org/ccda, or Simple Way or Camden House in Philly/Camden, or Latino Pastoral Action Center in the Bronx).

Or I might choose someone working among our Native American communities - another group that is sadly ignored again and again -- someone like Richard Twiss or Randy Woodley (Restoring Eden ... http://www.restoringeden.org/, or like the good people of A Rocha.

Or, in light of the ugly anti-Muslim sentiment that still festers in so many quarters of our country, I might have chosen someone from a Muslim heritage who is involved in grass-roots interfaith work, like my friend Eboo Patel.

But even if I tried to subvert the politicization of prayer by choosing a quiet, humble, unfamous servant of God and neighbor, I'm pretty sure that reporters would track down whoever was chosen, and I can guess what their first question would be: what's your position on abortion and gay marriage? And soon there would be a kerfuffle similar to the one going on about Rick.

When election day comes, I hope that we'll pay a little less attention to the political assets and liabilities of the one praying ... and a little more attention to the compassion and love of the one being prayed to.

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I think the pick says a lot of Obama's movement. He's appearing far less left than the Hannity's would label him.

If the civic forum was any indication of a relationship, then i'd expect Warren to pop up a lot over then next 4-8 years.

On McLaren's point and choice, I think it would have unfortunately been overlooked. Warren is a symbol (agree or disagree with Purpose Driven Ministries and Saddleback).

If he'd chosen someone like Shane Claiborne or Mark Scandrette, I think the whole thing would have unfortunately gone unnoticed.

Looking forward to the next few weeks though.

-Ross Christopher
www.continuedconversation.blogspot.com
www.rosschristopher.com

Posted by: rossviolin | January 4, 2009 8:27 PM
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It is frightening that Warren's blatant bigotry can be excused for the sake of political ambitions. I am sure that if Obama had chosen instead someone like Pastor Michael Lombard (of the church of the Aryan Nations, a neo-Nazi group) people like Brian D. McLaren would have "thoroughly mixed feelings" as long as that choice was creating a new coalition. It would have made Lombard a good choice in McLaren's eyes and the ensuing kerfuffle might have been thought provoking.

And when the inauguration day came, McLaren would urge Jews to lay aside their differences with the bigots who who see them lose their human rights, and "pay a little less attention to the political assets and liabilities of the one praying ... and a little more attention to the compassion and love of the one being prayed to." They only difference being that Pastor Michael Lombard has a snow ball's chance in hell of ever doing damage to the rights of Jews, and Rick Warren has already proven to be formidable in removing the rights of a different, perhaps more reviled, minority. But a group of people no less deserving God's grace.

Posted by: Solanum | December 29, 2008 1:45 PM
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"What an excellent idea. In light of Obama's political savvy and creativity, I'm surprised he did not think of that . . ."

I suspect it *might* have been thought of, but I'm pretty sure the Evangelicals would be constantly claiming they and 'Christ' were being kept out of the government for the next eight years if they weren't thrown a bone. (Not that they probably won't, anyway.) They probably couldn't *find* a non-homophobic Evangelical preacher that set would like, though.

I think the real test here is *Warren's* behavior given this platform, ...after that horribly-skewed 'debate' he hosted where McCain got to read bumpersticker slogans and Obama was grilled, it places it entirely in that preacher's court whether he takes that invitation to the table and chooses to behave obnoxiously toward Americans not of his persuasion.

Posted by: Paganplace | December 29, 2008 10:31 AM
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What an excellent idea. In light of Obama's political savvy and creativity, I'm surprised he did not think of that . . .

Brian D. McLaren

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Warren A Good Choice; Here's a Better One

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