The Obama Inaugural: On God And "Non Believers"

WASHINGTON -- Many Americans -- and political figures -- struggle to find the appropriate intersection of faith and government in our society. Today's inaugural remarks -- the invocation given by Pastor Rick Warren, the Rev. Joseph Lowery's benediction and President Obama's speech -- show that the interweaving of God and religion in public life will not likely be tempered by this new Democratic administration but rather could be ever more prevalent -- and yet more inclusive. These three men together created a narrative of faith in the public life that turned on love.

Warren, leader of the Saddleback Church who has equated the gay lifestyle with incest and whose selection by Obama to lead the nation in prayer was met with cries of outrage from many factions of the Democrat's base, did not shy away today from references to God in his invocation before the nation.

Warren began: "Almighty God, our father, everything we see and everything we can't see exists because of you alone. It all comes from you, it all belongs to you. It all exists for your glory. History is your story. The Scripture tells us Hear, oh Israel, the Lord is our God; the Lord is one. And you are the compassionate and merciful one. And you are loving to everyone you have made."

He continued by asking the Lord to bless the Obama family.

"I humbly ask this," he said, "in the name of the one who changed my life, Yeshua, Isa, Jesus, Jesus (Hay-soos), who taught us to pray."

In invoking the name of Jesus in four languages, Warren's message is that Jesus is his God but also the God of many, no matter race or nationality. It seems a modest outreach perhaps from a man who has used divisive, inflammatory language to describe the lifestyles of gay Americans. But relatedly, Obama would massage a broader point of the day, describing the diversity of Americans and their beliefs as a great asset.

"For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness," said the nations' 44th president. "We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers."

Non-believers. Had to be a first reference in inaugural history.

Obama, a Christian, also referenced Paul's letter fo the Corinthians, which explains that the embracing of deep love marks maturity, a sense of self and purpose. A message that is easily broadened to apply to the governance of this great country -- especially emerging from the less tolerant, more rigid Bush years.

"We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things," Obama said. "The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness."

His allusion is to a chapter and verse that turns on the many measures of love:

"Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous. ... it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury."

A translation for America during these trying times is that affection for the national cause, for our neighbors, too, marks a high purpose, a call to service even.

Lowery, who referenced God or Lord eight times during his benediction, made the pitch plain. "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," he said.

How will the era of Obama shape the use of religion in the public life? Faith as service. Service as love. Love as devotion to country -- and countrymen.

Here's Lowery:

"Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around ... when yellow will be mellow ... when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right. That all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen."

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

Text of the invocation by Rev. Rick Warren for President Barack Obama's inauguration, as transcribed by CQ Transcriptions:

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Let us pray.

Almighty God, our father, everything we see and everything we can't see exists because of you alone. It all comes from you, it all belongs to you. It all exists for your glory. History is your story.

The Scripture tells us Hear, oh Israel, the Lord is our God; the Lord is one. And you are the compassionate and merciful one. And you are loving to everyone you have made.

Now today we rejoice not only in America's peaceful transfer of power for the 44th time. We celebrate a hinge-point of history with the inauguration of our first African-American president of the United States.

We are so grateful to live in this land, a land of unequaled possibility, where the son of an African immigrant can rise to the highest level of our leadership.

And we know today that Dr. King and a great cloud of witnesses are shouting in Heaven.

Give to our new president, Barack Obama, the wisdom to lead us with humility, the courage to lead us with integrity, the compassion to lead us with generosity. Bless and protect him, his family, Vice President Biden, the Cabinet, and every one of our freely elected leaders.

Help us, oh 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 good will 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.

I humbly ask this in the name of the one who changed my life, Yeshua, Isa, Jesus, Jesus (hay-SOOS), who taught us to pray, Our Father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on Earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.

Amen.

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Text of the benediction by Rev. Joseph Lowery during President Barack Obama's inauguration, as transcribed by CQ Transcriptions:

God of our weary years, God of our silent tears, thou, who has brought us thus far along the way, thou, who has by thy might led us into the light, keep us forever in the path we pray, lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met thee, lest our hearts drunk with the wine of the world, we forget thee.

Shadowed beneath thy hand, may we forever stand true to thee, oh God, and true to our native land.

We truly give thanks for the glorious experience we've shared this day.

We pray now, oh Lord, for your blessing upon thy servant Barack Obama, the 44th president of these United States, his family and his administration.

He has come to this high office at a low moment in the national, and indeed the global, fiscal climate. But because we know you got the whole world in your hands, we pray for not only our nation, but for the community of nations.

Our faith does not shrink though pressed by the flood of mortal ills.

For we know that, Lord, you are 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, of the least of these, and from favoritism toward the rich, the elite of these.

We thank you for the empowering of thy servant, our 44th president, 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 mountain top, 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.

Bless President Barack, First Lady Michelle. Look over our little angelic Sasha and Malia.

We go now to walk together as children, pledging that we won't get weary in the difficult days ahead. We know you will not leave us alone.

With your hands of power and your heart of love, help us then, now, Lord, to work for that day when nations 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.

Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around ... when yellow will be mellow ... when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right. That all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen.