News and commentary on Religion, especially Southern religion.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

How to word an inaugural prayer? With/without Jesus?

How should the Christian inaugural prayergivers speak their faith to our diverse national audience?

Jesuit priest Rev. Thomas J. Reese reminds us that:

Billy Graham did not mention Jesus in his inaugural prayers in 1989, 1993 or 1997. On the other hand, his son Franklin in 2001 ended his prayer with "We pray this in the name of the Father, and of the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen." Likewise, Kirbyjon Caldwell (Methodist) in 2001 ended his prayer with "We respectfully submit this humble prayer in the name that's above all other names, Jesus the Christ. Let all who agree say 'amen.'". Four years later, Pastor Caldwell softened it a bit but still kept Jesus: "respective of all faiths, I submit this prayer in the Name of Jesus."

Writing for Newsweek/Washington Post On Faith, he goes on to explain that:

In fact, inaugurations did not start with a prayer until 1937. Perhaps the depression focused people's minds on God. Roosevelt had a Protestant and Catholic minister pray. Truman added a Jewish Rabbi. Eisenhower added a Greek Orthodox bishop. Jimmy Carter cut it back to a Protestant and a Catholic. Ronald Reagan had only a Presbyterian for his first inauguration but by his second he had two Protestants, a Catholic and a Jew. George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton had Billy Graham, with Clinton adding another Baptist in 1997.

Inclusion was one of President-elect Barack Obama's overarching campaign theme.

His approach to inaugural prayer and preaching appears to be steadfast in keeping that promise and, Reese's account suggests, to set a new historic standard.

To honor that and respect the diverse audience, Reese says:

But in a public prayer outside a Christian institution, I think Christian ministers can and should pray to God without bringing in Jesus. This does not deny Jesus. It simply invites everyone in our pluralistic society to join our prayer to the fullest extent that they can. Would Jesus mind? I don't think so.

We who favor public prayer should be the first to acknowledge that a prayer at the inauguration will not magically save our nation nor will the absence of a prayer damn us.


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