Bishop Gene Robinson to Give Inaugural Prayer

I have been extremely critical of Barack Obama's selection of Christianist bigot and fraud, Rick Warren, to give the inaugural invocation next week. I continue to believe that that decision is beyond flawed and that if Obama had any backbone, he'd un-invite Warren as more about the real Rick Warren has come out. Nonetheless, I am happy that Bishop Gene Robinson has now been invited to deliver a prayer at a pre-inaugural event. I have always admired Robinson, particularly after learning even more about his faith journey in the movie "For the Bible Tells Me So," a movie that should be required viewing for all who call themselves Christians. Robinson will offer the prayer at the Lincoln Memorial on Sunday, January 18. Here are some highlights from PageOneQ:

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Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson, the first openly gay man to be ordained as such in 2003, has been invited to deliver the invocation at the first Inaugural event the President-elect will attend this weekend. The Episcopal bishop will offer the prayer at the Lincoln Memorial on Sunday, January 18. President-elect Obama and Vice President-elect Biden are both expected to attend.

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For the first time in history, an out gay man will lead the nation in opening the transfer of power from one administration to another -- and every person watching in the U.S. and around the world will have seen it. That, alone, is change." Bishop Robinson has been one of many outspoken critics of Obama's choice of megachurch pastor Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at the January 20 swearing-in. Robinson, in December, called the pick a "slap in the face."

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When asked if the Rick Warren controversy was a factor in choosing Robinson, inaugural committee spokesman Clark Stevens said that Robinson had been chosen because he had advised the Obama campaign, and is an "important figure in the religious community. We are excited that he will be involved."

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"It's important for any minority to see themselves represented in some way," Robinson told the Concord Monitor on Monday. "Whether it be a racial minority, an ethnic minority, or in our case, a sexual minority. Just seeing someone like you up front matters."