Obama has asked Pastor Rick Warren (among others given more prominent roles) to "invocate" at his inauguration. (Story on Politico here).
Warren is the Baptist preacher of the Saddleback Church, one of the "stealth" Southern Baptist churches around the country which is connecting with a wide community of Christians and Christian-seekers.
This is a brilliant move. Obama seems to have clear designs on bringing evangelical Christians into the Democrat fold (or at least balancing it up a bit).
As a Baptist, I live, walk and talk in the evangelical culture in our country. Obama's design is achievable. Evangelicals aren't all that different from many other demographic segments, and with a balanced approach many of them could follow their populist, big government leanings.
It doesn't sit well with gay activists. This will be a test for whether Democrats can put together a lasting wide governing coalition. One of the things holding Democrats back is their habitual identity politics -- the different "groups" that are lined up as Democrats which require an Oath of Fealty on their particular issue. I trace this to Marx, for throughout the 20th Century the ideological Left recycled the concept of class struggle, and that class equals destiny. ("Class" in this sense refers to any victimized category under discussion).
Ironically, it could be Obama (a member of an "identity group" himself) who breaks the back of such thinking in the Democratic Party. He's clearly trying to put together a FDR-esque governing coalition. Time will tell if the Republicans have counter-collectivist vision based on individual liberty and accountability, free market economics, and efficient, organic government.
Update on 12/19/2008: Reuters story here: Obama's next pastor controversy - at inauguration
Update on 12/21/2008: AP story: Pastor Rick Warren defends invite to inauguration
1 comment:
Only Nixon could go to China.
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