Gay Bishop Gene Robinson Will Not Invoke Jesus In Inaugural Event Prayer

Maybe this shouldn't come as a shock but controversial gay Bishop Gene Robinson says the name of Jesus will NOT be in his prayer this Sunday at the kickoff Inaugural prayer. Instead he's going to pray to the "god of our understandings". Huh?

My analysis is below but first read the Robinson transcription below from NPR.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[david43a]

Message to christians, muslims, jews etc.
I do not believe your "scriptures" are the word of god.
Therefore you may as well quote the tooth fairy if you use a "faith based"
argument to rob me of my birthright.
I do believe I am not alone in this belief....however, I am a citizen of this country, wore its uniform and pay its taxes.
So, give me your argument (in non religious terms) why I should not enjoy the rights, privileges and
responsibilities of any straight citizen?

[suec03]

David, even some Christians would agree with you that the Bible is not literally God's word. Some feel it is the product of a number of human authors who were writing representative stories (myths) to teach about their sense of God (or the holy, or the ground of being, etc.). It is possible for Jesus of Nazareth to have existed, conducted his ministry, attracted followers and been scorned by others, and been crucified by the Roman authorities governing then Roman-occupied Palestine, without every detail of the Bible being literally and scientifically true. The early Christians were first Jews, familiar with the midrash style in which the stories of the Hebrew Bible were written. John Shelby Spong, retired Episcopal Biship of Newark, New Jersey, has written some interesting books on this. He was a guest more than once on Bill Maher's old Politically Incorrect program.

[Lilly06]

Test

[reretiree]

Every week at the Ocala Realtor Association meeting they start off with a prayer. It always bothered me (even though I was raised as a Catholic) that they prayed to Jesus. Didn't they know there were Jews and Muslims and who knows what else in the room? C'mon, is it so bad to pray to Generic God rather than JC?

[jstowe100]

If he's going to go generic, then he should go the whole nine yards and offer the prayer up to the "gods of our understanding."

[GregJL]

Ahem. Please let us not forget to include the Goddess(es) in our prayers, thank you very much. :)

[Lilly06]

The priest is not Christian. Christianity is based on Christ and he knows God wants nothing to do with his denial instead he idolizes a 'god of understanding'. What a joke.

Christianity and homosexuality does not mix and as usual I'll get the same comments. No I'm not a conservative, I'm liberal. No I believe homosexuals should be entitled to civil partnerships.

I know what the bible says and God would not call something he approves VILE.

And before people go blaming religion for all the problems of the world Hitler and Stalin have been the Western world's most televised dictators who caused mass death to millions of innocent people and both were atheists.

Religion has caused lots of wars (at least those who fight in the name of it) however so has racial, social or political prejudice. In Darfur right now thousands of people are dying for being black Africans. In Ruwanda, Hutus killed hundreds of thousands of Tutsis although both tribes were from the same country.

Don't just pick on religion for causing the worlds worries.

[Grada3784]

You do realize that there are a ton of Christians who do not take the Bible literally, don't you? Or who pick and choose. The ones who do and actually live to it probably make up an extremely small number, if onl;y because of divorce, which is sky-high in the Christian community.

[Lilly06]

Because you do it doesn't make it right

[SatinPanties]

Wow! All that writing to say nothing.

[diogenes1967]

Your point about religion not being the only cause of the world's problems is valid. However, at least in the context of the good ole US of A, no religion should take precedence over the rule of law and the Constitution. The only arguments, in the case of gay equality issues, that even you bring up are biblical claims. In this case, the Bible IS the problem.

[Principaldad]

Bishop Robinson does NOT idolize a "god of understanding" as you claim. He is an Episcopal priest and bishop. He presides over the mass which includes taking part in the communion of Christ. He does NOT deny Christ in any way and he states very clearly in his interview that he believes Scripture to be the word of God.

In regards to the prayer, he realizes that he is leading many people of many different faiths in this particular prayer. We need all the prayers we can get right now so the bishop wants Jews, Muslims, and others to pray as well. "God of our understanding" is a request to each person to adhere to their own beliefs for the prayer. For Christians like Bishop Robinson, that means it is a prayer in the name of Jesus.

I do not claim that Religion is the cause of the world's problems. The blame for that goes to hate, avarice, and pride. Evil done in the name of religion is not religion. It is evil. By the way, you are wrong about Hitler. He did not kill in the name of religion, but he was not an athiest.

I am not going to debate whether homosexuality is a sin. However, I would contend, for example, that the bible states clearly that any divorced person (including a divorced pastor) is commiting an equal sin. All humans live in a constant state of sin. That is the entire point of Christianity.

[GregJL]

"That is the entire point of Christianity."

That's just sad. I am so glad I turned away from such a sad and fearful outlook on mankind.

[suec03]

Bible scholars have come to different conclusions about what the verses against homosexuality meant. Some were about pagan worship. Also, please read the title of each of the books you are reading. When you cite "Romans," you are citing a letter written by the apostle Paul to Roman Christians guiding them in building the Christian Church. While the author was deeply inspired, the letter (epistle) is nevertheless a writing filtered through the limits of human understanding. Jesus did not preach against homosexuals. Other Biblical authors, all human, wrote the books of both the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) and the New Testament. The Gospel writers wrote years after Jesus' death. The Bible is valuable and worth reading for its inspiration and gives a glimpse into what its authors felt about the new Christian church, but God did not put pen to paper to write it.

The way each religion is practiced is greatly affected by the culture of the people who received it. That is why there is disagreement among Muslims. Muslims in modernized societies point to parts of the Qu'ran that emphasize protection of the rights of women. When the Qu'ran and Islam was carried to lands were women were oppressed, the men of the tribe grafted their interpretation of "protecting women" onto their understanding and practice of Islam.

Likewise, in the US during slavery, European and African Christians agreed on some interpretations of the Bible, but came to very different conclusions about slavery, while worshipping from the same book.

[Grada3784]

Not everyone who calls Jesus Lord will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but those who do the will of the Father. There will be many who cast out demons in Jesus' name or heal the sick, whom Jesus will tell: Depart from me, worker of evil, I know you not.

Just using Jesus name and not living to His teachings is showing off, nothing more. The phoniness over marriage for others, while ignoring scandalous Christian behavior over divorce says it all, I think. In this Super-Sodom that the Republicans and the Religious Right have so nurtured, the phony outrage is ludicrous. Where was the Christian outrage when Pat Robertson did his Caiaphas impression? Or over the false prophesies of Hal Lindsay and Benny Hinn? It"s not like I"m suggesting they be stoned as prescribed in Deuteronomy. When I was growing up a biblical generation was 40 years, not 100 years and made of rubber because you guys just can"t admit you were wrong.

Bishop Robinson will be giving a non-denominational prayer; in case you haven"t gathered there are more than just Christians in this country and they have a part and will have a part, unlike in the sectarian travesty that was Bush-Cheney.

[joshuachayne]

Gene Robinson mentioned Jesus on last night's Rachel Maddow show.

He just won't be invoking Jesus for his inaugural prayer because its going to be inter-faith inclusive.

[loper2008]

exactly ... and Robinson compared Obama to Jesus on the show .... LOL

[diogenes1967]

only in the sense that Jesus had a very big tent in which all were welcome and not judged. The comparison was abt. the big tent.

[Retrofuturistic]

Personally, I cannot stand to hear Jesus invoked one more time. I have been listening to this drivel for the last eight years, from my own government, that is supposed to respect the separation of church and state.

We need to tax churches. And we need to put very severe limits on how much money religious institutions can accumulate. Otherwise, we will be a fascist country.

[BruceHNV]

And from the department of ignorant, poisonous drivel...

[suec03]

I sympathize with you. I was raised by an atheist and an agnostic and chose the Unitarian Universalist Church as an adult. I will never forget being tormented by evangelical Christian classmates on the school bus, demanding I tell what church I attended, and gossiping that my Jewish friend did not believe in God. These were elementary school aged children who obviously did not understand that one could believe in a God who wasn't Jesus.

There is a great difference between the use of religion during the Bush Administration, when those children who had tormented me grew up to be Republican voters, with rising influence in their party. Barack Obama was raised without a religion, by an anthropologist mother and two grandparents who attended Unitarian church services. When Barack Obama chose as an adult to become a Christian, he did not choose a conservative church--He chose the United Church of Christ, which welcomes gay men and lesbians, believes in reason and science, and supports progressive social causes for the poor and oppressed. His experience and understanding of Christianity and of the uses of prayer (for self-improvement, not to stop hurricanes) are vastly different than those of Pat Robertson or Rod Parsley or John Hagee. It is about time to teach the media and the American public that Christianity need not be used as a blunt instrument to attack those who believe differently, and can have everything to do with loving thy neighbor and serving those in need.

[joebiz]

Religion poisons everything.

How could this guy be a "gay" bishop? Isn't this a moot point? Aren't Catholic clergy supposed to be "asexual" . . . without sexual needs and desires? Who cares what gender he once attracted or thinks about. I guess he's in the right religious club for his former and or current fetishes.

[Principaldad]

He is Episcopalian. The allow their preists to marry.

Religion does not poison everything. Hate does (including hate masquerading as religion). Your comment about the Catholic Church is an example of that.

[BruceHNV]

Bingo.

[joebiz]

My bad . . . he's Episcopalian but he believes in Jesus Christ as Catholics do. They have different rituals but the same god. How could both be right about the same celestial entity?

[BruceHNV]

He's not Catholic. He's Episcopalian. Their priesthood marries.

[VikingKing]

http://allanerickson.wordpress.com/?s=Homosexuality

"If you deny Me before men, I will deny you before my Father in heaven."

[BruceHNV]

And now the really hateful and judgmental stuff comes out.

[suec03]

In offering an ecumenical prayer, Bishop Robinson is not denying his own faith in Jesus as the Son in the holy trinity. It should not be required to pray "in Jesus' name." Some Christians do that, but not all do. It bothers me when some individuals try to paint God as being as easily "offended" as fallible humans are. Even Jesus is said to have prayed to God the father to forgive those who scorned Jesus and his followers. We are to strive to get past our thin-skinned limitations and embrace our brothers and sisters, even if they be of other faith traditions. To do otherwise is to make out God as a very small, crabby being rather than the ultimate.

[Principaldad]

Who is denying Jesus. This guy is an Episcopal bishop who invokes the name of Jesus every day.

[ruffmama]

WOW! Such a proud time to be an Episcopalian!

[Vision09]

One of the key qualities of a Christ-like personality is kindness with sensitivity. Communication is from the heart (in the eyes of our Maker), but it is perception in the eyes of many. In light of that reality, Paul the apostle outlines principles of flexibility in communication with compassion and sensitivity (1. Cor 9:20-23). Jesus, in the Lord's Prayer did not mention "in my name". Actually, the Founder of Christianity taught his followers to pray a very Jewish prayer (Matt 6:9-13).
Anyone can pray anywhere in the name of Jesus, but the reasoning of Eugene Robinson in his decision not to do so (in the inauguration of America's next president), is sound and pregnant with wisdom.
Before, any spiritual person conceptualizes homosexuality, he or she should ask themselves, whether they know, love, and respect gay people's personal dignity and humanity. Love is a Temple, Love is a Higher Law.

[Grada3784]

Actually, Jesus lived and died a Jew. So the prayer in Matthew would certainly be one that would have a significant component.

Christianity took off with super-salesman Paul.

[diogenes1967]

Yeah, in some ways, I've always felt that maybe some of Paul's letters should be taught in marketing classes, I give Paul credit for that.

[Rog49Thomas]

How about an ecumenical move and refer to the Imam Hussain (AS)
It's the right season as well.

[inwonderland]

Don't you HATE PEOPLE who say: I told you so?

Add me to that reviled crowd. I TOLD everyone I could that there was a method to the "madness" of the choice of Rick Warren. It is clarified with the announcement of Bishop Robinson to render the Invocation at the Lincoln Memorial ahead of the Inauguration.

I called the pick of Warren by Obama being...."crazy like fox", and I meant it.

Obama picked Warren so that the blowback would allow for the likes of Robinson to take the pulpit of honor on Sunday before Warren even strides a podium.

Don't judge Barack for this political maneuvering. He IS, after all, one step ahead of the usual suspects as in this trade off of Warren and Robinson.

No way did our Prez Elect ever intend to snub the GLBT community. He set it up so the outrage on the Warren pick would ease the way for the likes of a hero like Robinson.

It worked.

The Change that is coming is not skin deep, pardon the pun. It is substantive and a shock to the political psyche.

God Bless Barack Obama. He came along with the personal and political dimensions to deal with the multidimensional morasse of these terrible times.

This New Tent of Freedom, the Obama tent under which we all find ourselves has room for Warren, Robinson and all the shades of dynamics in between.

Somewhere over this rainbow, America will find itself,again.

[ruffmama]

great post!

[Davwbaird]

The new era of equality now begins in earnest.

[christianmama4change]

Great that he will not pray in the name of Jesus! That would confuse some of us - the term gay "priest" is strange enough.

[Principaldad]

Would the term "divorced priest" confuse you as well? There are many of those (other than Catholic priests, who aren't allowed to marry). The bible is even more clear about divorce being a sin than it is about homosexuality. In fact, Jesus specifically mentions divorce.