"What can we bring the LORD? What kind of offering should we give Him?... O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what He reqires of you: do what is right, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God." - Micah 6:6-8
Friday, August 29, 2008
Pastor Joel Hunter's Prayer, Democratic Convention '08
I really don't know what to think of this yet... I am ok with everything up until the invitation at the end for all faiths to be involved. What do y'all think? Leave comments! (but leave your name please- I'll change it to initials before I post it)
It was like Jesus getting out of the traps set for him. If Joel had just prayed in Jesus name, all heck would have broken loose. In fact they probably told him not to. Then again, as a Christian pastor, how do you not pray in Jesus name?
I thought it was brilliant. While he asked everyone to end the prayer the way they normally do, you could hear his voice above everyone else's proclaiming that it's in Jesus name that we pray to the Father. It was awesome.
The closing prayer offered by Dr. Hunter leaves me considerably confused.
The not so subtle message of the prayer was this: There may be only one God but there are many faiths. There are many ways of getting to God, many names for God, many ways to address God, and many ways to connect to God. So, whether Christian, Muslim, Buddhist Hindu, or New Age Spiritualist, all prayers end up at the same place and are received and accepted by our all inclusive ecumenical universal inter-faith God.
What other message would a casual listener gather from such a prayer as this? He did not offer his prayer but instead led everyone in a prayer to whomever or whatever God they pray. Maybe I am missing something here but I think this goes way beyond witnessing or being salt and light.
It was like Jesus getting out of the traps set for him. If Joel had just prayed in Jesus name, all heck would have broken loose. In fact they probably told him not to. Then again, as a Christian pastor, how do you not pray in Jesus name?
ReplyDeleteI thought it was brilliant. While he asked everyone to end the prayer the way they normally do, you could hear his voice above everyone else's proclaiming that it's in Jesus name that we pray to the Father. It was awesome.
The closing prayer offered by Dr. Hunter leaves me considerably confused.
ReplyDeleteThe not so subtle message of the prayer was this: There may be only one God but there are many faiths. There are many ways of getting to God, many names for God, many ways to address God, and many ways to connect to God. So, whether Christian, Muslim, Buddhist Hindu, or New Age Spiritualist, all prayers end up at the same place and are received and accepted by our all inclusive ecumenical universal inter-faith God.
What other message would a casual listener gather from such a prayer as this? He did not offer his prayer but instead led everyone in a prayer to whomever or whatever God they pray. Maybe I am missing something here but I think this goes way beyond witnessing or being salt and light.