Open discusssion of the Inauguration and its prayers...
by David and Tim Bayly on January 21, 2009 - 7:33am
(Tim) Well, being in grief over the choice of a black oppressor of babies assuming our national throne, I didn't listen to a moment of the Inauguration coverage. And I'm not going looking for it, today.
This means I won't be writing about Rick Warren's prayer. It's simply too painful to look at the bloody mess. One of our pastors college men told me Pastor Warren made a large point of praying in Jesus' Name in many languages, and that he used the Lord's Prayer (which I think brilliant strategy). Other than that, I'm as pristine as the new-fallen snow.
But surely readers know more and have wise thoughts. This post, then, is simply to provide a place for any wisdom concerning the Inauguration and it's prayers you may have for readers.
Clearnote Churches
Clearnote Fellowship
Christ the Word
Monthly archive
- May 2013 (17)
- April 2013 (33)
- March 2013 (43)
- February 2013 (28)
- January 2013 (41)
- December 2012 (31)
- November 2012 (37)
- October 2012 (38)
- September 2012 (21)
- August 2012 (28)
- July 2012 (46)
- June 2012 (50)
Popular Posts
Tags
Abortion euthanasia... (584)
Feminism (584)
Politics (366)
Reformed world (322)
PCA (302)
Evangelicalism (294)
Homosexuality (294)
Misc. (268)
Throw the radio in the bathtub (258)
Academia (256)
Reformed theology (234)
Culture (227)
Children are a blessing (217)
Emergent church (208)
R2K (Radical Two Kingdom) (196)
Recent Comments
- Kamilla on The difference between pro-life and anti-antiabortion...
- Craig French on The difference between pro-life and anti-antiabortion...
- Abram Hess on The difference between pro-life and anti-antiabortion...
- Kamilla on The difference between pro-life and anti-antiabortion...
- Shaun DuFault on The difference between pro-life and anti-antiabortion...
Comments
"In The Name Of The One Who Changed My Life"
Rick Warren’s Inauguration Invocation Prayer
Let us Pray.
Almighty God, our Father, everything we see, and everything we cant see, exists because of You alone. It all comes from You, it all belongs to You, it all exists for you glory. History is your story.
Scripture tells us hear oh Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One; and You are the compassionate and merciful one. And you are loving to everyone you have made. Now today, we rejoice not only in Americas peaceful transfer of power for the 44th time. We celebrate a hinge-point of history with the inauguration of our first African American President of the United States (Cheers). We are so grateful to live in this land. A land of unequal possibility. Where the son of an African immigrant can rise to the highest level of our leadership. And we know today that Dr King and a great cloud of witnesses are shouting in heaven. Give to our new President, Barack Obama, the wisdom to lead us with humility, the courage to lead us with integrity, the compassion to lead us with generosity. Bless and protect him; his family, Vice President Biden, the cabinet; and every one of our freely elected leaders. Help us oh God to remember that we are Americans; united not by race or religion or blood; but to our commitment to freedom and justice for all. When we focus on ourselves, when we fight each other, when we forget you, forgive us; when we presume that our greatness and our prosperity is ours alone; forgive us. When we fail to treat our fellow human beings and all the earth with the respect that they deserve, forgive us. And as we face these difficult days ahead, may we have a new birth of clarity in our aims, responsibility in our actions, humility in our approaches, and civility in our attitudes, even when we differ. Help us to share, to serve, and to seek the common good of all. May all people of good will today join together to work for a more just a more healthy and a more prosperous nation and a peaceful planet. And may we never forget that one day, all nations and all people will stand accountable before you. We now commit our new President, and his wife Michelle, and his daughters, Malia, Natasha, into your loving care. I humbly ask this in the name of the One who changed my life, Jeshua, Esau, Jesus, who taught us to pray, Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, Amen”
-------------------------------------------
Paragraph one is not bad. The only problem really is that God is not the “our Father” of all Americans. I suspect that for much, if not most, of America God is instead the “our Judge.”
The first sentence of the second paragraph introduces the unity of God. I wished he had also mentioned the Trinitarian nature since Jews and Muslims alike dispute the Trinitarian character of God.
The second sentence is a statement that just isn’t true. God does not love everyone He has made.
I refuse to not get why electing an African-American President is a hinge-point of history. A genuinely post-racial culture wouldn’t even notice.
I don’t know that Rev. King is shouting in heaven. He might be, but given some of his behavioral inconsistencies (adultery) he also might not be.
The italicized statement is just plain boneheaded since, ‘freedom and justice for all’ can only be defined within some religious context. The meaning of ‘Freedom and justice for all’ can only be determined because of the faith system that gives those words definition. The culture wars exist because Americans belong to competing religions. Warren has a bad case of “proposition nationitis.”
In the prayer we are reminded that we must treat the earth with the respect it deserves and that our prosperity is not ours alone. Given the context of the times I would submit that these ideas need to be heard in the terms of radical environmentalism and socialism.
Warren prayed that we might seek the “common good of all.” Does he mean kind of like living on a commune?
The line about standing accountable before God, as a stand alone line is actually quite good. But given Warren’s weird theology I am not sure what God I’m going to be standing before and what I am going to be accountable for.
The bold line is the worst statement in the sentence. Granted, while Warren managed to pray in the name of Jesus (why he got all artsy and added Jesuah and Esau is anybody’s guess) he also managed to subjectivize Jesus to being the Jesus of Rick Warren. In that sentence Jesus becomes circumscribed and limited to who He is to individuals. He becomes a personal and individual savior instead of the King of all the earth. It is a way to pray in Jesus name that is very sensitive to other people present who have had other different deities change their lives.
All of this was an attempt to be Christian and pluralistic at the same time.
I think maybe you're too negative about the "I humbly ask this in the name of the One who changed my life, Jeshua, Esau, Jesus..." He didn't say: "in the god I happen to believe in..."-- rather, he emphasized the objective reality of Jesus, and, by giving the three names, subtly pointed to how many kinds of people believe in Him.
"Esau" was supposed to be the "Hayzoo" or whatever the Spanish pronunciation of "Jesus" is, at least according to the transcript I saw. (I know that problem-- my son is "Benjamin Won Rasmusen", and people probably wonder what the Juan is doing in there.)
I wonder how angry non-Christians were with that passage? If they were angry, it worked; it they were neutral or pleased, it didn't. Anybody know?
I should have said "I wonder how angry *unreasonable* non-Christians are..." Of course, there's no need for a reasonable non-Christian to be bothered, and I expect the outrage would actually come from irreligious people.
My initial thought to the different names was that Warren was trying to include Jews, using "Jeshua," Muslims, using "Esau," and Christians, using "Jesus." It appears he was trying to convey that Jesus is common to all. Maybe I'm misreading, but then again, the rest of the prayer wasn't exactly militantly Christian.
Rev. Joseph Lowery's benediction I thought was clearly racist. Lord, we pray that whitey will finally be nice to all us other folks.
Here's how it ended:
"Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around ... when yellow will be mellow ... when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right. That all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen."
Well done Pastor.
His prayer was better than I expected, but not as good as I had hoped. I'm not sure he has even thought about the issues you bring up. He should...
> I should have said "I wonder how angry *unreasonable* non-Christians are..."
Sam Donaldson didn't care for it.
"Esau" - actually, I saw this written as "Isa", which I think is the Arabic way of saying "Jesus". Well guys, could have been worse, could have been a lot better.
Well Mr. Warrens prayer was decent but did any of you see this mornings national prayer service at the national catherdal? What a mix of Jewish. Muslim and other mishmash of religions there. It really made me think about church of Babylon in the last days.
Here's a transcript and video link:
http://pinsonchurch.com/blog/2009/01/rick-warrens-inauguration-day-prayer-transcript-vidoe/
It turns out he used both the Arabic and Spanish, as well as Hebrew and English versions of the name:
I humbly ask this in the name of the one who changed my life, Yeshua, Isa (Koranic term for Jesus), Jesus (Hey-sous, as in the Spanish way of saying Jesus), Jesus, who taught us to pray:
I don't like him using the Arabic. I interpret that not as a reference to Arabic Christians, which would be OK, but as a gesture to Moslems. They, too, think of Jesus as a real person and an important one, but not the same kind of person as Christians do. Thus, they might agree that Jesus is active in the world and changed Rick Warren's life, but only in the same way as the angel Gabriel might have changed his life (I don't know enough about Islam to say for sure).
This is good analysis,
http://www.chroniclesmagazine.org/index.php/2009/01/21/rick-warren-americas-dwight-schrute/
As the inauguration was taking place, I was in the process of writing something about the "Judeo-Christian Tradition" for an American Religious History course. Here's an excerpt:
I think it’s reasonable to say that the “Judeo-Christian Tradition” is in the process of being enlarged into the “Judeo-Christian-Islamic Tradition.” Perhaps it will just be called the “Abrahamic Tradition,” and the three-legged expression of American civil religion will now be given a fourth leg: Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim. “Americanism” (to use Silk’s phrase, “a common faith for a united democratic front”) demands that these four faiths are subservient to the greater civil religion. They can maintain their distinctives, but cannot be too exclusive. They can all be equally true, but Americanism is the bigger Truth that they must all fit inside.
At today’s Inaugural ceremonies, Evangelical pastor Rick Warren gave the invocation. Many wondered whether he would use the name “Jesus” in his prayer; that would, of course, be considered exclusive. Well, he did, and he went one step further: he prayed in the name of “…Yeshua, Esa, Jesus…” Using the Muslim name of Jesus (which has enormous theological implications) is a problem for one claiming the designation “evangelical,” but for a disciple of Americanism, it’s almost a requirement. We’ll see where we go from here…
Hi Tim,
In your post, you refer to Barack Obama as a “black oppressor of babies.” I understand the reference to “oppressor of babies” because of his support for abortion. My question is why did you seem to emphasize “black”? I mean, couldn’t you have called him an “oppressor of babies”? I think that to use that terminology is alienating to Blacks who, like yourself, are opposed to abortion. Your word choice seems to imply that you are not only grieved because of his pro-abortion stance, but that you are also grieved because he is Black.
In Christ,
Brian,
I don't think for a second that Tim is grieved because Obama is black. Rather, he includes it to emphasize the fact that *despite* his being black, he remains an oppressor. He is not a victim, he is not an oppressed black man, but a powerful, committed, deliberate oppressor of the most defenseless humans in our world. Being black doesn't excuse him.
>your word choice seems to imply that you are not only grieved because of his pro-abortion stance, but that you are also grieved because he is Black.
Dear Brian,
Good question. You're right, I am grieved because he is black. I noted President Obama is black because, like Jews in Germany, blacks in America should have learned from their history of being oppressed themselves not to oppress, let alone murder, others. Thus I've pointed to President Obama's race throughout the post.
Beyond the greater sensitivity to oppression that blacks in America might be hoped to have, though, we also have the question whether the citizens of our nation are refusing to look at President Obama himself as an oppressor because, as it's popularly thought, the oppressed can't be oppressors, right?
Wrong. Exhibit A is Barack Obama.
There are other reasons for my focus, but I'll leave it at that for now.
* * *
>I don't think for a second that Tim is grieved because Obama is black.
Actually, thank you Andrew, but I am particularly grieved that the man advocating unborn and newborn slaughter from the White House, now, is black. When it comes to avoiding oppressions of the weak and defenseless, I expect more from Jews and black men for reasons I've stated above.
Warmly in Christ,
I stand corrected. Thank you Tim.
With regard to Warren's prayer, it makes me sick altogether, because his presence there (without the rebuke of the evil that is being planned by this incoming administration)is one big endorsement by the emergent church, without actually SAYING so. As a shepherd of a church, he should have never accepted this offer.
On another note, I noticed two things:
1. Instead of opening with "My fellow Americans..," he instead began with "My fellow citizens..."
2. During the Lord's Prayer, which is typically chorused by the congregation, Obama wasn't saying it. And Michelle didn't even bother to close her eyes.
I give him an "F".
He could have prayed for our nation to put an end to the slaughter of unborn babies, but instead, he took the route of "Hey, we Christians aren't so bad, are we? I mean, look how tolerant and all inclusive my prayer is...."
Rick Warren has, in effect, by his presence and his mushy prayer, helped Obama marginalize American Christians and shut them up. He has helped make this pro-abortion/pro-infanticide President legitimate and palatable to American "Evangelical" (I tire of this word) Christians. It's just one more step in the direction of being unable to tell the difference between the American Church and the culture around us.
When will Christians in America stop trying to make friends with the world? God have mercy on us all.
Bill
While Rick Warren's choice of words is interesting, I don't think the "was it good?" question hinges on how directly he stated the reality, lordship, or name of Jesus. I think it basically boils down to "how many of his friends had to wrestle him away from the microphone for his own safety?" (Acts 19:30-31).
The antithesis between Jesus and Molech (or something worse than Molech) is too strong for them to be civil to one another in such a setting.
That said, I don't fault Warren any more than the rest of "standard-issue" evangelicalism. He's just practicing the religion in which he was instructed.
Blessings,
Keith
> I humbly ask this in the name of the One who changed my life, Jeshua, Esau [Isa], Jesus, who taught us to pray...
Somebody should tell poor Rick that the Muslim Jesus [Isa] isn't at all the same as the real Jesus. I doubt the Muslim Isa changed his life, because the Muslim Isa isn't God. He didn't even die on the cross, or rise from the tomb. Muslims hate the notion of Jesus being God. There is no God but Allah.
> [Jude:] I think it’s reasonable to say that the “Judeo-Christian Tradition” is in the process of being enlarged into the “Judeo-Christian-Islamic Tradition.”
Yes. The Muslims have never quite gone along with that, though. Christans and Jews are [and always will be] Infidels to them.
> [Jude:] “Americanism” (to use Silk’s phrase, “a common faith for a united democratic front”) demands that these four faiths are subservient to the greater civil religion.
Islam means "submission," and that goes for the government. There can in the end be no other "civil religion" but Islam. And Islam doesn't believe in democracy, pluralism and tolerance -- especially not a “Judeo-Christian-Islamic Tradition” [at least not when they gain the power to do something about it].
Michael,
Isn't Esau (Isa) Arabic for Jesus? How do Arabic Christians address him? I'm asking as I don't know.
I don't think Warren was intentionally praying to the Muslim Jesus.
> Isn't Esau (Isa) Arabic for Jesus? How do Arabic Christians address him?
Brett,
Where I work, I have seen "Jesus" spelled scores of ways in Christian Scriptures translated in different languages.
I don't think Warren was referring to Messianic Jews and Arabic Christians in his use of those other two names for Jesus. That would have made his prayer exclusive, offensive and not American enough for such a civic, not to mention global occasion. I think he was trying to be inclusive of Jews and Muslims. Why else would he use the other words?
It's like Jude said about the “Judeo-Christian-Islamic Tradition.”
"We are family!" --Sister Sledge
Perhaps he thought he was being evangelistic by saying that the same Jesus who saved him is also found in the Jewish and Islamic scriptures, as a way of trying to generate some interest in people from those groups investigating who this Jesus is.
I don't think Warren was referring to Messianic Jews and Arabic Christians in his use of those other two names for Jesus.
I agree, but he could have been reaching out to Muslims with the true Jesus. Anyway, I agree it wasn't a great prayer, but I don't think Warren is a universalist in any way.
I'm not impling the prayer sounded universalist. There's a difference between universal salvation and making it sound like the Christian Jesus is the same in other religions which acknowledge a figure by that name. Faith in the Muslim version of Jesus won't save anybody, so Warren bringing that name up [in a prayer?] can be more confusing than anything. What Warren believes about Jesus would be considered blasphemy by Muslims.
Look at it this way: Warren lists the Jewish and Islamic names for Jesus as being the same one who saved him. What if he'd also prayed to Allah, the Islamic name for God? [Yep, Christians in other cultures do use that name for God, but that doesn't make it appropriate at an American Inauguration.]
Michael,
I see where you are coming from, but I'm not sure what his intentions were.
We just got back from the National Right to Life March on Washington a few hours ago. Many clergy, government officials, and leaders in the pro-life movement got up on stage to pray, to encourage, and to address Barack Obama himself with regard to his aggressive pro-abort stance.
Interestingly, Rick Warren was nowhere to be found. No prayers, no words of encouragement to those who are fighting the good fight, no rebuke or even plea to our new president to change his view to protect the unborn in our country. Hmmm...very interesting indeed.
As an notable aside, Warren's prayer was confusion on steroids. Take for example the reference to God as being "Compassionate and Merciful." Now, certainly the God of the Bible is "compassionate and Merciful," but which God of which religion is typically addressed as "the Compassionate and Merciful one?"
You got it ...
Allah.
Look, RW is not dumb. None of us are setting here thinking of angles that RW didn't think of. There is a purposeful blending going on in this prayer. As I said earlier it is an an attempt to be Christian and pluralist at the same time.
Think of the prayer as a compromise document -- the purpose of which is to satisfy everybody who hears it because they are going to interpret it through their grid. IMO this is what Warren was aiming for. Evangelicals could hear it through their grid and be satisfied. Pluralists could hear it through their grid and be satisfied.
When you think about it, there really is a kind of twisted brilliance to it all.
Rick's not stupid, that's for sure. He's doing a very good job practicing the religion:
'Please men with every word and deed. Rather, please humanity.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is: 'To the fullest extent compatible with the first commandment, love the Lord your God with all your soul and with all your mind.' All the principles of comfort and satisfaction hang on these two commandments.
He didn't invent it, it's pretty standard stuff nowadays. Am I wrong?
Keith,
That is a most excellent and pithy way of putting it. I'm going to steal that.
> [Rebecca:] We just got back from the National Right to Life March on Washington a few hours ago. Many clergy, government officials, and leaders in the pro-life movement got up on stage to pray, to encourage, and to address Barack Obama himself with regard to his aggressive pro-abort stance.
Rebecca, neat you were there. Thanks. I saw this article yesterday where Obama made a statement to the group:
Rally marks Roe v. Wade anniversary, new president
...
In a letter posted on their Web site, organizers invited Obama to speak at Thursday's rally.
"America needs your strong leadership as president of all the people to stop the intentional killing of an estimated 3,000 pre-born boys and girls each day and the brutalizing of mind, heart and body of pregnant mothers," the letter states.
Obama, who did not attend the rally, issued a statement Thursday saying the government "should not intrude on our most private family matters" and reaffirming his support for abortion rights.
"While this is a sensitive and often divisive issue, no matter what our views, we are united in our determination to prevent unintended pregnancies, reduce the need for abortion, and support women and families in the choices they make," Obama said.
...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090123/ap_on_re_us/abortion_anniversary
From a Coptic Christian: Arabic-speaking Christians say "Yesoua," or "Yesoua al'Masiha." Isa is definitely the Koranic word for a man who was not God; and I agree that "compassionate and merciful" is clanging echo of the Islamic description of Allah.
Add new comment