Bully! Pulpit News has exclusively learned that embattled California preacher Rick Warren is vowing to offer a prayer that invokes the name of Jesus at the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama on January 20th. According to those in attendance, Warren recently told congregants at his church in Orange County, CA that he would indeed invoke Jesus' name in his much anticipated prayer and asked for their prayers.
Warren's prayer and whether or not he would invoke the name of Jesus has been the subject of media speculation with some fellow preachers urging him to use the name while others favoring a strict church/state separation have urged him to offer a less sectarian prayer such as the ones offered in previous invocations including those of Rev. Billy Graham. Warren had previously refused to confirm or deny his intentions, telling the Associated Press, "I'm a Christian pastor so I will pray the only kind of prayer I know how to pray."
At the 2001 inauguration of President George W. Bush, two ministers, The Revs. Kirbyjohn Caldwell and Franklin Graham came under fire for invoking Jesus' name and the pair were sued by atheist Michael Newdow. The suit was later dismissed. Newdow filed a similar lawsuit in federal court to stop Warren from doing so at the Obama inaugural but the the suit was also rejected. Previous inaugural prayers by Graham's father Billy, though making obvious inferences to Christ, never made a direct reference.
Bishop Gene Robinson, the Episcopal Church's only openly gay Bishop is scheduled to open inaugural festivities today with a prayer of his own. In contrast to Warren, Robinson told NPR that he would address his prayer to "the god of our many understandings," adding, "my intention is not to invoke the name of Jesus but to make this a prayer for Christians and non-Christians alike."
The common Christian practice of invoking the name of Jesus, often at the end of a prayer, is based on several Bible passages including the Gospel of John, chapter 16, verse 24, in which Christ is quoted as saying: "Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive that your joy may be full."
Warren's spokesperson told Bully! Pulpit News: "The invitation by President-elect Obama to give the Inaugural Invocation was extended to Dr. Warren as an Evangelical pastor, and his prayer will be consistent with that calling." Source: http://www.Bullypulpit.com
