Giles Fraser wrote in the Church Times about Obama and the devil in the hole.
Jonathan Sacks wrote in The Times that Obama renews a covenant and inspires fresh hope.
Simon Barrow wrote at Ekklesia about Re-investing democracy with hope.
Comment is free had a whole week of answers to the question: Will Obama be good for religion?
At the Telegraph George Pitcher had opinions on the inauguration speech, Barack Obama inauguration: God knows His place, and also on the accompanying deluge of prayers, We British pray better than Americans.
Meanwhile, elsewhere, Karen Pollock writes in the Guardian about antisemitism, in Face to Faith.
I want to again commend +Gene Robinson’s blog comments re the Inauguration, as seen from up-close: http://canterburytalesfromthefringe.blogspot.com/
(The pictures alone are worth taking a look!)
Yesterday in my church prayers were said for the people of Gaza but not for the people of Israel. I wonder how common a pattern this is? I defend neither the Israeli military nor Hamas, but if we are talking about the *people* of any nation, why is there an apparent slant in favour of only one group in this particular situation? Both are suffering and have suffered, and both are in need of peace and reconciliation, which I feel should be the main thrust of our thoughts in this case.
Orfarnum, I completely agree with your sentiments here – about the need to pray for all sides in the conflict. I still have in mind the psalmist’s word: “O pray for the peace of Jerusalem, for they shall prosper who love her”. We cannot escape the fact that there are people on all sides who have a great and abiding love for the “Holy Land”. To ask God to prosper one side against the other is surely not what God would expect of his children. There are root causes of every conflict on earth. What we need to do is… Read more »
Obama’s inauguration speech was inspirational and set a benchmark for which we can hope and aspire. My prayers are that he and his leaders do not become jaded and uninspired by the day-to-day burdens and machinations of office. Fraser reminds us that victory involves bringing hope to those who are not normally seen essential for success or victory. That’s what Jesus did when he sought out the lepers, outcastes and downtrodden. It’s one of God’s most cherished dreams, to have all kinds of souls collaborating and taking collective responsibility for creating a civilization that is for all and not just… Read more »