Tuesday, December 23, 2008

What's the big deal?

To me, the news of Rick Warren praying at the Presidential Inauguration in January is as shocking as C.C. Sabathia going to the Yankees or O.J. Simpson going to jail. It just makes sense.

Rick Warren is indeed an evangelical Christian. His views are more conservative than liberals prefer. He's a tad bit overweight, sports the youth pastor goatee and leads a mega-church. How much more evangelical can you get?

But on the other hand, he invited Obama to his church, he's an intellectual (so says one of today's top theologians), and he cares deeply about social issues.

(By the way, I'm in no way implying that evangelicals can't be intellectuals or don't care about social issues - just that they have traditionally been thought not to have.)

The thing that distinguishes him from both conservatives and liberals though is his commitment to 'reverse tithing'. The guy gives up 90% of his income! What?

Liberals, say what you like, but does Michael Moore, Angelina Jolie, or Bill Maher give as sacrificially to people in need as Warren does? The guy is more progressive than many Evangelical leaders today. And when do you need to agree with the president on the "right" way of reducing abortion in order to pray in D.C.?

Conservatives, we are seeing a new generation of Evangelicals emerge. It is one that is more politically moderate, and more socially conscious. Rick Warren embodies some of these changes. That, in addition to the fact that he's probably the most well-known evangelical (in a positive light) after Billy Graham tells me Obama made the right, if not very boring choice.

7 comments:

Milo Wilson said...

I have actually heard less griping here about his being chosen...instead the bickering is about whether he should accept the offer from someone s despicable as President-Elect Obama...

Jeremy said...

And to that I would say that Jesus associated with some despicable people too.

Laci and Keri Németh said...

1. If you would have more then 20 Million income/year you could easily tithe from it 90 %... Sorry for the PetraBohallism... I mean Sarcasm... :)
2. I think it is totally fine... someone got to pray for this dude so why not "us" more or less healthy Christians...

3. Be careful with the Billy Graham comparison...I am almost sure its far from being even close to equal...

Lazo

Jeremy said...

1. Yes, you certainly could - but I know of no other millionaires who do. It seems to me that greediness only increases with the amount of money you bring in.

2. I agree

3. Graham and Warren are completely different people with completely different callings and ministries. The similarities lie in the fact that they are both evangelicals and both are very well known.

It's great to have a hungarian/serbian/croatian respond to an american political post!

Laci and Keri Németh said...

I have the gift of sticking my nose where I shouldn't...

Sorry.

Jeremy said...

No, I hope you didn't misunderstand. I'm glad you commented on the post!

Laci and Keri Németh said...

not at all...
We (in Eastern Europe)have tough skin... hard to get through... :)