Rick Warren Reaches Out to Gene RobinsonBy Jacqui Salmon (washington post.com)
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.
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."
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So here's what I'd like to see: How about a nationally televised discussion between Rick Warren and Ed Bacon (or +Gene Robinson ... I'm easy!) on the topic: "Is gay a gift from God?"
7 comments:
well i'd sure tune in for THAT discussion!
Inquiring and discerning minds would LOVE to see such a public discussion!
Sorry Susan, but this isn't anything near an aproximation of any height or vision on Mr. Warren's part. The man may be 'on the road,' but he hasn't even started climbing yet in my opinion.
Praising Mr. Obama is easy window dressing. Real progress would be Mr. Warren's reassessing his take on LGBT lives of faith, maybe even a dawning awareness of what that same faith has cost some of us, and how much of that same pain and loss is incured at the hands of his conservative brothers and sisters.
Now that would be progress!
just a thought
David@Montreal
I agree. And then they should celebrate Mass together. "We who are many are one body; we all share one bread and one cup."
Nice sentiment, David, but odds are Mr. Warren's evangelical protestant persuasion doesn't lend itself to the concept (much less the practice!) of "mass."
But maybe they could hang out and sing a few choruses of "Jesus Loves Me" together! :)
I think more would tune in to this than the famous "Spong v Wantland" debates! I actually think Rick and Gene would find a lot in common at a level of the spirit, and it would be a good thing, perhaps convicting. Many Evangelicals go through such moments of awakening when they realize (I mean really realize) how asymmetrical their notions of grace have been...
There seems to be this assumption that Rick Warren's voice and Bishop Robinson's voice are somehow equal, and that including both of them makes it all OK because of how inclusive and everything that is.
Rick Warren remains a homophobic and dangerous clod. Bishop Robinson, of course, is who he is. Not hardly the same, are they? Just check out Rick Warren's statements to his African friends and try to imagine +Gene saying those things about Evangelicals. There's no moral equivalency.
Still... I'd tune in for that debate.
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