March 1, 2009

“If we cannot end now our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity.” John F. Kennedy

Thomas Jefferson once wrote: “Difference of opinion is helpful in religion.”

Case and point were the bookends of The Rev. Rick Warren’s invocation and benediction of The Rev. Joseph Lowery at this week’s inauguration ceremony.

Blogs and newspaper commentaries proved Jefferson’s point as they ranged the gamut from “bland to racist” on Warren’s opening prayer to “ fiery brilliant” to “humorous and racist” on Rev. Lowery’s sending forth.

Warren is the pastor of the Saddleback Church in California and author of The Purpose Driven Life. Lowery is a United Methodist pastor and co-founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference with Rev. Dr. Martin Luther, King, Jr.

Following are short excerpts from both prayers. First is from Rev. Warren’s invocation.

"Help us, O God, to remember that we are Americans, united not by race, or religion, or blood, but to our commitment to freedom and justice for all. When we focus on ourselves, when we fight each other, when we forget you, forgive us. When we presume that our greatness and our prosperity is ours alone, forgive us. When we fail to treat our fellow human beings and all the earth with the respect that they deserve, forgive us. And as we face these difficult days ahead, may we have a new birth of clarity in our aims, responsibility in our actions, humility in our approaches, and civility in our attitudes, even when we differ.

Help us to share, to serve and to seek the common good of all. May all people of goodwill today join together to work for a more just, a more healthy and a more prosperous nation and a peaceful planet. And may we never forget that one day all nations and all people will stand accountable before you. We now commit our new president and his wife, Michelle and his daughters, Malia and Sasha, into your loving care…………………………

The first lines of Rev. Lowery’s benediction (not mentioned below) can be found in our UM Hymnal No. 519.

"For we know that, Lord, you're able and you're willing to work through faithful leadership to restore stability, mend our brokenness, heal our wounds and deliver us from the exploitation of the poor or the least of these and from favoritism toward the rich, the elite of these.

We thank you for the empowering of thy servant, to inspire our nation to believe that, yes, we can work together to achieve a more perfect union. And while we have sown the seeds of greed -- the wind of greed and corruption, and even as we reap the whirlwind of social and economic disruption, we seek forgiveness and we come in a spirit of unity and solidarity to commit our support to our president by our willingness to make sacrifices, to respect your creation, to turn to each other and not on each other.

And now, Lord, in the complex arena of human relations, help us to make choices on the side of love, not hate; on the side of inclusion, not exclusion; tolerance, not intolerance. And as we leave this mountaintop, help us to hold on to the spirit of fellowship and the oneness of our family. Let us take that power back to our homes, our workplaces, our churches, our temples, our mosques, or wherever we seek your will……………

Help us then, now, Lord, to work for that day when nation shall not lift up sword against nation, when tanks will be beaten into tractors, when every man and every woman shall sit under his or her own vine and fig tree, and none shall be afraid; when justice will roll down like waters and righteousness as a mighty stream……….