The Village Square

“Building Bridges” breaks a sweat

Last night Anderson Cooper asked David Gergen about Obama’s decision to ask Rick Warren to give his Inaugural Invocation: “Was this a mistake David?”

“No, not in my judgement… I think we have to look at the larger picture. Barack Obama is becoming president of one of the most divided nations in the industrialized world, one that has been almost been paralyzed in acting on a variety of fronts because of our deep, deep disagreements and the way we vilify each other and the people with whom we disagree. I think we should give this poor man a chance to try something new, to reach out across divides, to see if he can’t find common ground among people who disagree on some issues but agree on others and can find common ground…

I’ve known and talked to Rick Warren now for several years and we have our disagreements… But I’ve come to respect this man too because what I see as defining about Rick Warren is not his views on social issues, those are common to many many evangelical preachers. What defines him is the fact that he’s helped millions of people – he’s the best selling author on this planet with A Purpose Drive Life. He’s helped millions of people find religious refuge and strength and beyond that he’s fought very hard within the evangelical community to bring people over to a more progressive view of global warming, of poverty and especially HIV Aids – he’s worked very hard on that.

So I think we ought to give both these men a more generous understanding of what they’re attempting to do.

They’re attempting to build bridges.”

Add comment December 19th, 2008

Obama and Warren channel the Village Square; live to regret it?

President-Elect Obama on his decision to invite conservative pastor Rick Warren to give the Invocation at his Inaugural:

“What I’ve also said is that it is important for America to come together even though we may have disagreements on certain social issues and I will note that a couple of years ago I was invited to come to Rick Warren’s church despite his awareness that I hold views that are entirely contrary to his when it comes to gay and lesbian rights and when it comes to issues like abortion. That dialog is what my campaign has been about… that we’re not going to agree on every single issue but what we have to do is create an atmosphere where we can agree without being disagreeable.”

Rick Warren on the same:

“I commend President-elect Obama for his courage to willingly take enormous heat from his base by inviting someone like me, with whom he doesn’t agree on every issue, to offer the Invocation at his historic Inaugural ceremony.

Hopefully individuals passionately expressing opinions from the left and the right will recognize that both of us have shown a commitment to model civility in America.”

Apparently there are a lot of people on each side of the partisan divide who are very angry about this. Some think it’s not civil to be civil with people they think have uncivil views. Others think that by Invocating with Obama, Warren is giving a stamp of approval to something that shouldn’t be approved of.

I think I need to rest my brain. Civility really isn’t easy, is it?

Be sure to catch our similar exercise in civility on January 13th: “Of Ice Cream and Horse Manure: Faith in the Public Square.”

Add comment December 19th, 2008