They Chose a School, Now the Obamas Must Choose a Church

[Stingo]

The Obama girls are going to Sidwell Friends, and will thereby be exposed to an ethic of service from the Quaker School. Now the hunt is on for a Church for the family that also lends values important to their lives. The choice may not be as important as the choice of Secretary of State, but the decision could be symbolically significant.

http://allspinzone.com/wp/2008/11/22/they-chose-a-school-now-the-obamas-must-choose-a-church/

[glowing]

1. I hope its a church in the poorest section of the city.

[Stingo]

6. The Secret Service

will likely try to keep the family away from crime-ridden areas, but I like the suggestion if it can be done safely.

[glowing]

12. It would do wonders to increase people's spirits..

Everyone knows about the "bad" areas of D.C. and that's a shame in our own Capital.

[Recursion]

14. They're disappearing and being replaced by loft condos

DC is exporting its poor people to Maryland and Virginia. They built a baseball stadium over one of the worst parts of Southeast. There's a Home Depot in Petworth and a frigging Target in Columbia Heights now. It's getting so that only Anacostia is ungentrified, and there's actually some progress there (though they have to call it "Riverside" or something like that to get people to come look at the condos).

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. A church?

But isn't he a Muslim?

:sarcasm:

[demokatgurrl]

7. More importantly

why "MUST" the President choose a church? Couldn't the President go to different places, to meet and share with all kinds of people?

And- I know this will never happen - what if the President were an atheist? or Jew? Or MUSLIM?

[demokatgurrl]

3. I hope they are not afraid to choose a Black church

if that's where they feel at home. I can just imagine the bullshit though, if they don't choose a mainstream middle of the road protestant church.

[Stingo]

8. I want a manistream church

that is activist on social justice and poverty issues. Neighborhood doesn't matter to me, and neither does racial composition. Of course, the Obamas should feel comfortable there.

[norepubsin08]

11. Luther Place in Washington DC comes to mind

it is a progressive ELCA church

[TrogL]

20. progressive Evangelical????

Note, I have NOT researched the Lutheran schism.

[norepubsin08]

21. Very Progressive

It is part of the Lutheran Synod that calls itself Evangelical Lutheran Church in America it is a merger of two synods..one American Lutheran Church Primarily Norwegian roots and the Lutheran Church in America primarily Swedish roots. It is the largest of all the Lutheran bodies in the US. Don't let the name Evangelical fool you. It is a throw back to a much earlier Lutheran body in the US. This is a relatively newer Lutheran entity having merged in January or 1989. It is the most liberal of all the Lutheran bodies...has a good sense of theology and good social stances. The clergy are even more progressive than the laity and the higher up you go (Bishops for example) are even more progressive.

As in all denominations, location, culture and personal life experiences have an impact on the congregations political sense. However some congregations stand out as making their life's mission to be working with the poor, seeking justice etc. Luther Placed is not in a great location in DC and has chosen to stay there to be "Christ in the City" and that says a lot.

[Stingo]

22. Thanks for the education

Still, the Obamas have never been Lutheran, so I'd guess this isn't going to happen.

[norepubsin08]

26. I'm sure you're right on that except

there is a slight possibility...in 2006 the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America formed an agreement with the United Church of Christ (ELCA and UCC) in what is called "An altar and pulpit fellowship" agreement. That means that they have the same form of liturgy and church calendar and that their pastors can preside, preach and administer sacraments in each others churches. Their ordinations are recognized and valid for employment in either denomination. The Obama's congregation in Chicago was a UCC parish.-Peace Mike Collier

[fascisthunter]

4. It Will "be symbolically significant" to Those who are Very Religious

not to most....

[enlightenment]

5. I realise that their faith is important to them -

but I LONG for the day when we can talk about our political leaders without discussing their belief system.

Maybe, when that day comes, a person who has no belief will be able to run for president with some expectation of being judged on the basis of their capabilities and not their faith.

sigh

[Stingo]

9. I wish it wasn't an issue

But they will be attacked whichever way they go by the extremists on the right unless they go to a church with Jesus riding a dinosaur in stained glass on the windows.

[Recursion]

15. Normally I agree

But the President-elect as far as I can tell has a worldview and system of ethics that is thoughtfully informed by his beliefs. That is, it actually offers insight, rather than just being posturing.

[enlightenment]

18. I don't necessarily disagree with your comment,

but that really wasn't my point. I wasn't really even discussing the President-elect at all - it was a more general statement.

I was simply commenting that it is - whether we like it or not - necessary for our political leaders to express a religious belief. Almost certainly a Judeo-Christian belief system, preferably a Christian belief system, perhaps even more so a Protestant denomination of some ilk.

As if it is important that they have a belief system, informed by religious faith, to guide/steer them in their decision-making.

Leaving aside my personal feelings about that, I hope that we reach a point in this country where a president does not have to be informed by religion - doesn't have to have 'faith' - in order to be considered capable.

[LiberalFighter]

10. I wouldn't think it should be that difficult if church going was an important issue.

He has been living in DC for a few years and I would think had already been attending a church when not in DC.

[Recursion]

13. The UCC has a nifty church-finder on their website

http://www.ucc.org/find/?radius=3&zip=20500

And it looks like there's 3 within a couple of blocks of the White House

[kestrel91316]

16. I don't give a damn where or when they go to church, or if they "choose"

a single one over any other. None of my business. Religion is personal. I don't require my president to make any religious displays.

[dualitybites]

17. Maybe they'll become Quakers; in keeping with their daughters' education

I can just see them in the pews: shaking with the Inner Light.

[Stingo]

19. Come on

That doesn't happen with Quakers anymore. It is the kumbaya of religions.

[kwassa]

23. Sally Quinn wrote a big oped piece in Saturday's WaPo

about why Obama and family should join the congregation of the National Cathedral. She is clearly a member herself, but the Obamas are not Episcopals, but UCC.

It was an odd piece, and I say that as an Episcopalian. It is a great church, but probably not their thing.

[Stingo]

24. Well, it should be a visible church, I think.

To that end the National Cathedral would be OK. I'm guessing they are not mightily tied to their denomination, and isn't the National Cathedral about as non denominational as you can get without actually being nondenominational?

[kwassa]

25. Well, "nondenominational" actually means something different

It usually means a "Christian" church, often megachurch, that has a generally conservative Christian viewpoint, but not of a particular denomination. It is usually based around the pastor.

The Episcopal Diocese of Washington is wildly liberal, by the way. National Cathedral has this dual role of being a national church, and the main Episcopal cathedral, and is its own diocese, I believe.

Very cool place, and one of the largest cathedrals in the US>