Warren not the only one praying from the podium on Jan. 20
Rick Warren, whose recent remarks on issues ranging from war and torture to sexuality and abortion have generated some justifiable pushback lately, will give the invocation at the inauguration. The pick was news to us.
But he’s not the only one who will be praying from the podium on January 20. Rev. Joseph Lowery a civil rights icon and supporter of gay rights*, is giving the benediction at the end of the event.
I can’t read the administration’s mind, but my guess here is that they’re crafting an inauguration meant to appeal to voters who voted against Obama as well as his supporters. They certainly could have achieved the same bridge-building gesture by inviting a conservative evangelical who has not recently affirmed the Biblical validity of assassinating the president of Iran. Someone like, say, Bill Hybels. (There’s a deep bench out there.)
But everything I’ve read so far focuses on Rick, and that’s not the whole story. The New York Times has the full schedule.
*Update: while Rev. Lowery has been listed in some places as a supporter of same-sex marriage, he has said in recent interviews that while he still struggles with the concept of same-sex marriage, he fully supports civil unions and was opposed to California’s Proposition 8.
Thanks Dan. This is really getting missed.
I’m not a fan of this choice, but Obama doesn’t choose who participates. There is a joint committee run by the House and Senate that chooses who participates. Obama may have some say, but the ultimate decision is the committee that organizes the inauguration, so if people are angry…talk to Pelosi and Reid who head the committee.
Thanks for the clarification JMY, but I doubt Pelosi or Reid or anybody else would foist an unwanted choice upon Obama for his inaugural benediction.
They should ask the reverend Carlton Pearson, who some condider a heretic. Listen to the great episode of This American Life (#304)!
I’m sure you are right. But I’m sure they have major say in what goes on. Again, I’m no fan of Warren or his views (as a matter of fact, I’m not a fan of pastors in general, left or right). An by all accounts Warren has done good as well, despite the nonsense that has come out of his mouth.
At the end of the day, it’s an invocation in which many people aren’t going to really care about as well as the benediction. I see this as appealing to the right with Warren and to the left with Lowery. I think Lowery is a bigger deal than the fuss over Warren. To look at it another way…Warren begins the inauguration, representing the start to the ending of 8 years of Bush and Lowery represents the beginning of a new era.
The problem with the left sometimes is that we feel so strongly about our views that we often ignore the views of the right…and that’s exactly what the right has done to liberals. No matter how ignorant peoples views are I still respect it.
This man is a pseudo-Christian in my book. He is hateful and hate filled no matter how he tries to disguise it. Go to YouTube.com and check out his rant in support of Prop. 8 in California. Get a piece of paper and make a mark for every lie he speaks in that presentation and each time it is reapeated.
I counted 12 just now. But the entire flavor is not unlike the German religious leaders who decided that because there were so few Jews it didn’t make much difference if they had no rights.
Yes – I consider him a fascist cloaked as a Christian minister – he is – of course – one on thousands.
Joseph Lowery better do an amazing and powerful benediction. I am having a very difficult time dealing with a hate monger speaking first during the invocation.
There might be a commitee that suggests the participants, but this is Barack Obama’s innauguration and HE has the final say. Joseph Lowery is a wonderful choice but the selection of Rick Warren has made the affair tacky and a reminder that hate still plays a major role in this country – when the President-elect chooses to honor it in such a fashion.
Rev. Lowery does not support same-sex marriage.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22425001/vp/28371457#28371457
I don’t care what Lowery supports, but I can tell you that his benediction at the ceremony today was extremely racist toward white people and I can’t believe he used offensive terms like yellow and red. I am absolutely appalled as a white person to be told to “do what’s right”. I voted for Obama, and I have never asked a black person to “get in back”.
PRESIDENT OBAMA, PLEASE STOP THE RACISM NOW!! RACIST REMARKS IN SPEECHES FROM OUR NATIONAL PLATFORM CANNOT BE LEFT UNCHECKED. THESE SPEECH MAKERS, WHO WERE APPOINTED BY YOU SHOULD BE CALLED OUT AND SIDELINED. IF A “UNITED” STATES OF AMERICA IS TRULY WHERE YOUR HEART IS, LET THAT CLEARLY BE KNOWN TO ALL–CALL YOURSELF WHAT YOU ARE–WHITE AND BLACK–BI-RACIAL-OTHER. IT’S YOUR CALL MR. PRESDIENT. YOUR COUNTRY DEPENDS ON YOU TO DO THE “RIGHT” THING.
caps lock is cruise control for cool…
Both of these guys are jokers. It is such a shame because you are judged by others by the friends you keep. Really left a bad taste in Americans mouths today.
BTW: They showed a picture of the park, when everyone was leaving, and it looked like a filthy toilet that needed to be flushed.