Rick Warren is on multiple missions. The Christian pastor who spoke the prayer at President Obama's inauguration, a choice that prompted protests from gay rights activists, came here this month to talk about the future of evangelicalism at the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life.
Warren's message: Christianity's future is not inside the Beltway, or even in this country, but in China, Africa, Latin America and developing countries around the globe.
"Last Sunday there were more Christians who went to church in China than all of Europe combined," said Warren, author of "The Purpose Driven Life."
Warren is the founder of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., one of the nation's top mega-churches. The church will celebrate its 30th anniversary in April with a service at the Los Angeles Angels baseball stadium in Anaheim.
The 55-year-old pastor says he defies political description and bristles at suggestions that he is part of the religious right, which he described as in decline.
"If I thought politicians could change people's hearts, I would go into government," he said. "If I thought laws could change people's hearts, I would go into government. But I don't, so I'm not."
But Warren is in the political arena. He conducted much-debated interviews with Obama and Republican candidate John McCain during the 2008 campaign. After the election, Obama was criticized for choosing Warren to deliver his inaugural prayer after Warren, in defending traditional marriage, was quoted in an interview seemingly equating homosexuality with pedophilia and incest.
Warren now says he misspoke, that "I don't believe that and never have," and that he allowed the criticism to fester by staying quiet for fear of further overshadowing Obama's inauguration. But some gay-rights activists remain unconvinced by his explanations.
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Source: Chuck Raasch, Gannett National Writer, USA Today
"Last Sunday there were more Christians who went to church in China than all of Europe combined," said Warren, author of "The Purpose Driven Life."
Warren is the founder of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., one of the nation's top mega-churches. The church will celebrate its 30th anniversary in April with a service at the Los Angeles Angels baseball stadium in Anaheim.
The 55-year-old pastor says he defies political description and bristles at suggestions that he is part of the religious right, which he described as in decline.
"If I thought politicians could change people's hearts, I would go into government," he said. "If I thought laws could change people's hearts, I would go into government. But I don't, so I'm not."
But Warren is in the political arena. He conducted much-debated interviews with Obama and Republican candidate John McCain during the 2008 campaign. After the election, Obama was criticized for choosing Warren to deliver his inaugural prayer after Warren, in defending traditional marriage, was quoted in an interview seemingly equating homosexuality with pedophilia and incest.
Warren now says he misspoke, that "I don't believe that and never have," and that he allowed the criticism to fester by staying quiet for fear of further overshadowing Obama's inauguration. But some gay-rights activists remain unconvinced by his explanations.
Click Here to Read More...
Source: Chuck Raasch, Gannett National Writer, USA Today
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