Political Prayer

If you're into politics at all, you've probably at least seen or heard some of the DNC. My interest was piqued when I heard that Cameron Strang, editor of Relevant Magazine initially accepted an offer to pray at the DNC, but then backed out because he didn't want to imply that he or his magazine endorsed the democratic party. I find that reasoning to be astounding. Strang didn't realize the incredible offer he'd been given. Pray on a national stage! You wouldn't be able to hold me back. You wouldn't have to endorse the party or what they stand for by praying at their convention. Instead, you could go there to boldly proclaim the gospel and to the wind with any thought of an endorsement. If I were invited to pray at the DNC (which I'm sure will happen next time) I would accept and pray the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Since Strang declined the opportunity to pray, the offer was then given to Donald Miller(by the way, if you follow this link, check out the picture at the top of his blog - it looks more corny than mine, except he's being serious!), idol of 20-something Christians and author of "Blue Like Jazz" (a book that I have a lot of issues with, although it is a fun read). It turns out that Strang's misplaced fear of inadvertently (or probably better put, intentionally) endorsing the democratic party was realized in Donald Miller. Here's a transcription of Miller's prayer, or if you're not into reading, watch the video.

"Father God, this week, as the world looks on, help the leaders in this room create a civil dialogue about our future. We need you, God, as individuals and also as a nation. We need you to protect us from our enemies, but also from ourselves, because we are easily tempted toward apathy. Give us a passion to advance opportunities for the least of these, for widows and orphans, for single moms and children whose fathers have left. Give us the eyes to see them, and the ears to hear them, and hands willing to serve them. Help us serve people, not just causes. And stand up to specific injustices rather than vague notions. Give those in this room who have power, along with those who will meet next week, the courage to work together to finally provide health care to those who don’t have any, and a living wage so families can thrive rather than struggle. Help us figure out how to pay teachers what they deserve and give children an equal opportunity to get a college education. Help us figure out the balance between economic opportunity and corporate gluttony. We have tried to solve these problems ourselves but they are still there. We need your help. Father, will you restore our moral standing in the world? A lot of people don’t like us but that’s because they don’t know the heart of the average American. Will you give us favor and forgiveness, along with our allies around the world? Help us be an example of humility and strength once again. Lastly, father, unify us. Even in our diversity help us see how much we have in common. And unify us not just in our ideas and in our sentiments—but in our actions, as we look around and figure out something we can do to help create an America even greater than the one we have come to cherish. God we know that you are good. Thank you for blessing us in so many ways as Americans. I make these requests in the name of your son, Jesus, who gave his own life against the forces of injustice. Let Him be our example. Amen."

Allow me to point out a few things regarding Miller's prayer:

1) He totally whiffed on presenting the gospel in any shape, form, or fashion which, I think, is a shame. What an amazing audience! The DNC had 40 million television viewers! Not to mention all those who would see the video on YouTube and other places. It was a prime time (literally) opportunity to share the gospel, and it wasn't there.

2) His prayer wasn't much more than a statement of the democratic platform. For example: liberal social programs, universal healthcare, wage increases, funding college tuition, taxing big business, (democratic) unification, etc.

3) Miller expressed the democratic platform as right, true, sound, and the will of God. Now I'm not saying it isn't the will of God (although I'm about thaaaat close to saying it), but it's pretty presumptuous to think that God's on board with the democratic platform. He prayed about those meeting at the DNC and those meeting the following week at the RNC to make the right choice and adopt universal health care (oh if only those crazy republicans would see the light, that God wants us to have universal healthcare!).

4) The last line of Miller's prayer is an absolute travesty: "I make these requests in the name of your son, Jesus, who gave his own life against the forces of injustice. Let Him be our example." First of all, if you watch the video, he stresses the word "I," as if this were only his sentiment - as if this was just his opinion, but others could pray to a different God. We don't want to be exclusive. Also, the thought that Jesus "gave his own life against the forces of injustice" is completely unbiblical - you won't find that anywhere in the Bible. Jesus didn't give his life in against the forces of injustice. In fact, he did the exact opposite: he gave it against the forces of justice! He gave it to satisfy God's justice - that one man might bear the wrath of God for all men. Justice is the reason that Jesus died on the cross, not injustice. Don, read your Bible. Please read your Bible.

There are a lot of bloggers out there criticizing people (like me) who are critiquing Miller's prayer, and saying that it's wrong to find error in an individual's heartfelt cry to God. Well let me ask you this: what would the apostle Paul have thought if he heard this prayer in one of the churches he ministered to? He'd take them aside and tell them that the way they saw God was completely skewed. He'd tell them that Jesus didn't die because of the forces of injustice. Theology is important. It's important to know what the Bible says and what it means. Your knowledge of scripture informs your knowledge of God, and your knowledge of God will inform the way you interact with God, in this case, prayer.

In conclusion, I think it's a shame that a noted, popular Christian stood before potentially 40 million viewers and did such a poor job of showing the world who God is, who Jesus is, and who his followers are and what they are about.