Openly gay bishop V. Gene Robinson to deliver invocation at inaugural concert.
By on Jan 12th, 2009 at 9:40 am
Openly gay bishop V. Gene Robinson to deliver invocation at inaugural concert.
The Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson, bishop of the U.S. Episcopal Church in New Hampshire and the first openly gay priest ordained by a major Christian denomination, has accepted the Obama team’s invitation to deliver the invocation at the inauguration concert held at the Lincoln Memorial on Sunday. The event is the first that Obama will attend that weekend. Robinson shared the disappointment of many progressives at Obama’s choice of Rev. Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at the swearing-in ceremony, saying that the right-wing pastor deserved “to be at the table” but not in such a prominent way.
Update Steve Benen notes that Obama has also chosen the Rev. Sharon E. Watkins to deliver the sermon at the national prayer service, held the day after the inauguration. Watkins is the first woman ever selected to lead the service.
Update According to Politico's Mike Allen, an "Obama source" said, "Robinson was in the plans before the complaints about Rick Warren. Many skeptics will read this as a direct reaction to the Warren criticism – but it’s just not so."
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I have the feeling that President Obama is going to be his own man and not cater to either the left or the right. This could be refreshing, a man who is working for the betterment of the entire country rather than for his own specific constituency.
January 12th, 2009 at 10:03 amObama’s “table” may be round and, therefore, anyone sitting at it is not in a “prominent” position but merely a guest invited to give his or her opinion about the subject at hand.
January 12th, 2009 at 10:05 amAccording to Politico’s Mike Allen, an “Obama source” said, “Robinson was in the plans before the complaints about Rick Warren.
– - Maybe Warren will now find himself with a “scheduling conflict” and opt out of the gig.
January 12th, 2009 at 10:12 ami still dont care. Whoever he wants to lead the nation in magic spell time is fine by me.
On the plus side, Anglican’s seem a helluva lot more laid back than the Catholics. I wonder if they have any churches in my area. =D
January 12th, 2009 at 10:19 amHow about someone reading the US Constitution instead?
It would really be nice if the inaugeration at least included a document that represents all Americans rather than just the 68% who call themselves Christians.
January 12th, 2009 at 10:41 amJeez, how much praying are they planning on doing all over the place?
It’ll be interesting to see if the bible thumpers throw a hissy fit or for once in their lives manage to come off seeming like grownups relative to the left wing over this stuff.
January 12th, 2009 at 10:46 amMagic Spell-er?
LUV IT…
Though I would wish the Nation could forego all these hoary rites and simply install the new CEO…
January 12th, 2009 at 10:47 amAnyone else think it’s ironic that we’re having so many different preachers/priests appear at this event in order to appease the many different Christian sects, when Christ was supposedly all about tolerance, unity, acceptance and love?
January 12th, 2009 at 10:52 amSo who is going to give the sermon for atheists? Heh
January 12th, 2009 at 11:10 amIt isn’t a reaction, but a cold political calculation. I guess that people who support civil rights are supposed to be so delighted by this choice that they don’t mind that openly bigoted Rick Warren is giving the national prayer before the inauguration.
I feel that Obama has taken what should be a day of celebration and changed it into something ugly. I don’t want to have to listen to Rick Warren so I’ll skip the whole thing. I trust Obama will still be sworn in whether I am watching or not.
January 12th, 2009 at 11:30 amWayne, I am preaching to the non-choir I know, but that’s the thing about being an atheist, we don’t need constant reinforcement that we are right. It must be a living hell for the religious to always being wondering whether they will get to play harps or burn for eternity.
Throw off the shackles, my religious buddies, and live for today. This is a good life and it’s all you have. Coge Diem!
January 12th, 2009 at 11:50 amunbelievable Says:
Anyone else think it’s ironic that we’re having so many different preachers/priests appear at this event in order to appease the many different Christian sects, when Christ was supposedly all about tolerance, unity, acceptance and love?
January 12th, 2009 at 10:52 am
Believe you really need a book, chapter, and verse for this assertion: “all about tolerance, unity, acceptance and love,” because bit believes your description means you believe that Christ was “Ok with sin.” Christ was not Ok with sin. This would include the sin of homosexuality.
Remember in the book of John Christ told the woman, whom he rescued from execution by stoning, to stop sinning.
As far as inclusiveness, the Gospel of Christ is for everyone. However, it seems to be plain that not everyone is for the Gospel. John 3:16, and following, elaborates on this.
One has to believe that Christ was the Son of God to have access to Christian “tolerance, unity, acceptance and love.” One may experience “tolerance, unity, acceptance, and love” in their dealings with Christians, but this doesn’t begin to mean that one’s sin is Ok and this doesn’t begin to mean that Christ was “all about tolerance, unity, acceptance, and love.”
Christ was about changing people through their belief in Him.
The phrase “all about tolerance, unity, acceptance and love” is a twenty-first misrepresentation of the Gospel of Christ, and to bit’s way of understanding, is more descriptive the “feel good” of a nativity scene than it is to the “feel awful” of the crucifixion scene. The nativity scene doesn’t demand anything of a person while the crucifixion scene demands acceptance or rejection of Christ’s sacrifice. Without acceptance of Christ’s sacrifice as a necessary part of one’s salvation, that “all about tolerance, unit, acceptance, and love” is irrelevant.
Your use of this phrase seems to imply that Christians are suppose to be Ok with sin. Christians aren’t Ok with sin.
Certainly many members of the Episcopal Church aren’t Ok with sin. The three nearest Episcopal churches to where bit is sitting declared several years ago that they would stop supporting Episcopal USA because of the choice of this particular man as bishop. bit hasn’t followed the story lately, but the last reports bit saw indicated a major schism – a breaking away from the Anglican fellowship – because this man put his sexuality about the interest of Episcopal USA.
From wikipedia…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Episcopal_Church_(United_States)
January 12th, 2009 at 12:19 pm
Ooooh, oooooh, ooooh, a headline with ‘Gay’ in it….come on RupturedRectum, here’s a chance for you to really shine.
Why does your god lie? President elect Phuckabee?
Hehe, fool.
January 12th, 2009 at 12:21 pmWe would first have to believe homosexuality is a sin wouldn’t we bit?
January 12th, 2009 at 12:24 pmbitblt says: Christ was about changing people through their belief in Him.
You are correct, bitblt. The change in people is through their belief, not governmental oppression via laws. And some of us Christians believe that those who think homosexuality is sinful are the mistaken ones to be changed.
January 12th, 2009 at 12:28 pm‘We can disagree without being disagreeable.’
I look back at times where my cynicism kicked in and think, ‘Maybe I was too hard on Obama?’ But I simply hated the ethics lecture from Obama when he defended Rick Warren.
I agree with the above posters that there’s too much religious representation slated for the inauguration, but I’m also inclined to agree with Miss Molly’s previous assessment of ‘out with the old, in with the new.’
January 12th, 2009 at 12:45 pmI would certainly approve of a reading of the Constitution over a “magic spell-er” — asking God to bless our nation seems so selfish to me – I always feel like the implication is that other nations won’t be blessed because they didn’t ask the right “god,” or don’t deserve a “blessing” because they’re non-believers. It all seems so primitive and superstitious.
January 12th, 2009 at 1:09 pmIt also seems to disregard the number of persons who are not members of the judeo-christian sects — sort of anti- United States.
bitblt Says:
You are still an ignorant bigot bitomoron. Love the mind reading. Yeah. Jesus hates homosexuality so much he preached against it constantly. Wait a minute. No he didnt. He never SAID A SINGLE WORD ABOUT IT. Yeah must have been a real big issue for him. What a loaf you are.
January 12th, 2009 at 1:09 pmObama might have pick a guy with less controversy in his past.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Robinson#Allegations_of_impropriety
January 12th, 2009 at 1:12 pmThis is great news indeed! Yes, deebaser, I am sue there are Episcopal Churches in your area. We are dealing with a number of people leaving over this issue and welcome those who join us because of it.
I was at the Convention that consented to Gene’s election. The allocations of impropriety were a last minute (literally) attempt to discredit him by the conservative forces. He is an amazing man who lives out the inclusion that he preaches. I am sure he would welcome all of you… deist and atheist alike.
January 12th, 2009 at 1:24 pmallegations! oops.
January 12th, 2009 at 1:24 pmWelcome to tokenism. Robinson is in the shadows while a bigoted liar (Warren) gets center stage.
http://www.tips-q.com/content/gene-robinson-january-18-glbt-token-minister
January 12th, 2009 at 1:45 pm“He alienated a lot of his supporters”
You mean he picked two Reverends and rather than be happy about the progressive one you’ve been tricked by conservatives into concentrating on the one you don’t like.
January 12th, 2009 at 2:35 pmBishop Robinson seems like a really decent fellow and after a little initial weirdness there has been no one saying otherwise in NH that I have heard of.
January 12th, 2009 at 4:35 pmHas anyone heard V. Gene preach on Romans 1: 18-31?
January 13th, 2009 at 2:24 pmThe allocations of impropriety were a last minute (literally) attempt to discredit him sohbetWhoever he wants to lead the nation in magic spell time is fine
February 28th, 2009 at 11:08 amBedava mp3 indirRick Warren is giving the national prayer before the inauguration.
cetChristian sects, when Christ was supposedly all about tolerance, unity, acceptance and love?