Mr. Obama seems to share the cool rationalism of the UCC’s liberal New England roots more than the evangelistic and emotive black church tradition. Talking to the Chicago Sun-Times about his faith in 2004, he cited his “suspicion of dogma” and “too much certainty,” and said he preferred a “dose of doubt” in religion. Somewhat deflecting questions about prayer, Jesus and the afterlife, Mr. Obama defined sin as “being out of alignment with my values.”
In 2007, Mr. Obama addressed the UCC’s governing synod. “Doing the Lord’s work is a thread that’s run through our politics since the very beginning,” he told an enthusiastic audience of 9,000. Despite Mr. Obama’s resignation from Trinity after the Wright controversy, John Thomas, president of the UCC, wrote to him after his November win, speaking of the denomination’s pride and hope in the president-elect and offering him the “hospitality” of its congregations in Washington.
All this suggests that Mr. Obama could choose one of the UCC’s seven churches in the nation’s capital, two of which are predominantly black. Or, will he gravitate instead to one of the city’s historically black denominations in a majority black city? Whatever denomination attracts him, will he choose a white or racially diverse church?
[blockquote]Mr. Obama defined sin as “being out of alignment with my values.”[/blockquote]
Ah yes, the trinitarian formula of Me, Myself and I.
I think we’re going to need a definition of “sin” along side that of “is” before long.
As for the church the Obamas will settle into, concerns about security and the desire to be as little disruptive as possible to other worshipers make me lean toward Tooley’s guess: New York Ave. Presbyterian — or St. John’s, across the street from the WH. Hardly a place in either case to find vibrant children’s ministry, though.
w.w.
According to the news reports that I have seen, the Obamas haven’t been at worship since the election. Does it really matter where they will sit in a pew as nominal Christians?
kb9gz—some of the most devout Christians I’ve known rarely attend worship, but that doesn’t make them “nominal Christians”.
I’m going to be giving the Obamas a pass on this one. It’s a personal family matter, and their situation in the center of the Washington fishbowl is unique. I hope they will attend a church if they feel called by faith to it, and I hope neither they nor anyone else will make it a political football.
ember,
What I write here has nothing to do with the Obamas. I have to strenously disagree with you about your underlying disconnect between being a devout Christian and participation in worship.
Since the Reformation, some Protestants (not all, and certainly not Luther or Calvin) have the mistaken idea that Christianity is simply about holding the right beliefs or about holding the right beliefs and living an ethical life. It is not. The New Testament knows nothing of a the Christian who does not (1) worship the Risen Christ and (2) worship the Risen Christ with other faithful Christians, thus forming the Body of Christ.
This is no small matter! And it certainly is no “extra,” something we ought to do after we get our beliefs in order and after we start living ethical lives.
In Isaiah 6:3 and Revelation 4:8 we catch a glimpse of God’s throne room. The curtain between Heaven and Earth is drawn back and we see what reality is like before the Fall – we see the perpetual adoration of God. This is what Christ came to restore; He came so that things on Earth would be like things in Heaven (recall his prayer).
We Christians in our beliefs, in our ethical living, and in our worship are called to join this reality, not isolate ourselves content with getting two out of three correct.
Thank you Katherine for your level headed reply. Where the Obamas attend church is no one’s business but theirs (assuming they avoid one where racism and anti-Americanism is preached). We live in a free country and they may go where they feel most comfortable or even not go at all if they wish. More than a few of our presidents were not regular church goers and some of the earlier ones were not even what we could fairly call Christians.
I did not vote for Mr. Obama, but I accept that he will be our (and my) president. He will be in my prayers.
Under the mercy,
[url=http://ad-orientem.blogspot.com/]John[/url]
An [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gj4pUphDitA]Orthodox [/url] Christian
Grace, Georgetown has a pastor who had worked in Chicago for many years. He is an unheralded Gem, a pastor in the classic George Herbert model.
Mark Tooley asks: Where Will the Obamas Worship?
My answer: Who cares?
Does it make any difference where he worships, since it’s all for show and political calculation, anyway?
If where Obama worships/worshipped mean anything other than poliitcal expidency and and appearance, why did/does he get a pass on his attendance at/relationship with Mr. Jeremiah Wright’s political House-of-Pandering, and with the political clowns in Ankra/Kente Agdada attire (vestment?), masqurading as preachers, choristers, etc. at Trinity Southside Chicago?
Pass the plate, please.
Fr. Kingsley Jon-Ubabuco
Arlington Texas
[i] Please do not turn this into an attack on the President-elect. [/i]
-Elf Lady
Correction: ” ….political expediency…
…. ?), masquerading as preachers, choristers, etc. at Trinity Southside Chicago?
I don’t care where or even if he worships. However, I DO care that a president who claims to be a Christian says that sin is “out of alignment with my values.” What on Earth does this mean? That he doesn’t believe in sin or that a sin is something he doesn’t value? Either way, that’s frightening — and very egocentric.
I’ll add my voices to those who say does it really matter what church he worships in. I believe it is a private matter. I’m more interested in Obama’s public conduct and political views ( which I have the liberty to agree or disagree with ).
Anywhere except Chane’s crib would inspire hope.
Intercessor
Spiro, you should check the church out before judging it. Look, I realize that when Jesus says “judge not,” we’re not supposed to listen, but perhaps experiencing the church outside of big media and the mainstream press would be a better place to understand Trinity Church.
After all, I’m not judging your church. Nor should anybody.
Re: #15,
As a Christian, you actually have an obligation to judge my church and other churches, and to help us correct whatever we may be doing that may not be honoring to Our Father, if any.
So, please be my guest, help me, and the congregation committed to my charge, by judging me/us and helping us improve in whatever manner we may be lacking. That is very, very Christian thing to do, and I sincerely welcome that.
I still stand by what I wrote about Trinity and other churches where pastors go after their members’ wives and wallets.
Pass the plate, please.
Fr. Kingsley Jon-Ubabuco
Arlington Texas
Thank you Kingsley. I’ll try to visit next time. But I won’t judge until I go there.
I have, however, visited Trinity a few times, and I knew people who were members. They were committed to the gospel and knew scripture: parts that evangelicals tend to ignore. And to be in a church where Caribbean people, Ugandans, Nigerians, and African Americans (and a few european Americans) all participated in worship was an unusual experience. Especially since most churches are still ethnically balkanized. And they were effective in their ministry. One of the only growing churches in their white – and dying – denomination.
You are welcome to worship with us anything, and I mean it.