The chosen pastor
Candidates McCain and Obama have agreed to this one encounter (it’s not a debate) in a forum at an evangelical megachurch to answer questions that concern Christian Americans. Finally. But hold on…
Christians are divided over which issues are most important to address. And the pastor the candidates have chosen to moderate that forum and ask the questions says a lot about which way they hope this “Civil Forum” goes.
The founding pastor of the 23,000-member Saddleback Church is “Purpose-Driven Life” author Rick Warren. Perhaps the most prominent so-called “new evangelical” in the country, Warren focuses more on issues like AIDS, poverty, human rights and the environment than on social issues, chief among them abortion and gay marriage, that have been the focus of traditional evangelicals in recent years…
Hours before Obama and McCain take the stage at Saddleback, however, a very different evangelical gathering will be taking place at the National Mall. There, according to Lou Engle, founder of TheCall, thousands of evangelicals will gather for “cross-denominational solemn assembly” to pray and push evangelicals to keep marriage and abortion front and center in their minds.
Social conservatives have been waiting for this kind of encounter since the primaries began and niche debates were held to address the concerns of several other groups. “Will there ever be a debate over the social and moral issues that concern pro-life Americans?” I have been asked at several events. The answer is still….we’ll see. This one comes close. Listen to what is or isn’t asked….and answered.
It will be televised at 8 pm Eastern.
