If you didn't see it, Donald Miller, author of Blue Like Jazz, was invited to lead the closing prayer at the DNC last night. Here it is.
For more on his thinking behind doing this, go here.
And then comment on your feelings about the whole thing.
My two cents is that there were all sorts of ways for Don to have done this badly, but I think he did it well.
And, no, I don't know why the audio cuts out.
4 comments:
I thought it was pretty much a political speech, with some God talk wrapped around the ends. I wouldn't describe Jesus as having given His life against "the forces of injustice." I think He was died on the cross as the payment for sin. It was the ultimate act of justice.
Hi Kester. I thought I'd weigh in!
I posted the following on another blog on the same topic. Here are my thoughts:
"A powerful prayer indeed. … for the most part. I do, however, find it interesting when we start praying for specific policies (i.e. universal health care, minimum wage, etc.), when we may should be praying more generally and humbly about God’s purposes. “God, give us universal health care and a higher minimum wage” seems much less humble than, “God, help us to answer the problems that affect the least of these in the way that you, in your infinite wisdom, see fit. If our policies are not the best way to accomplish your purposes, enlighten us or defeat us. But as far as our policies align with yours, give us victory!”
Just a thought."
It just strikes me as somewhat arrogant/prideful to proclaim on most matters of public policy, “Even though God hasn’t spoken directly on this, I know exactly how he would have us to fix it.”
Miller made some excellent and beautiful petitions in that prayer, but it seems like he kind of played to the policy preferences of the DNC and avoided mentioning the glaring things that would get him disinvited in the future, like praying that God stop the senseless slaughter of millions of unborn children with the blessing and protection of our government.
A similar prayer by Dobson may not be received so generously by many of the new and hip evangelical left.
if his death was the ultimate act of justice, than doesn't it mean that it was against the forces of injustice. i thought that part was right on. i thought most of it was. i agree with jeff that a few of the specifics sounded like an ad for the dnc, but i'm not sure that specifics were the problem. i just wish he had listed those that represent the dnc and some that don't. had he prayed for quality of life whether it be enemies in iraq, those in poverty in the U.S., or the unborn, that would have been a powerful statement and a powerful prayer. as it was, i still think it was a powerful prayer. the fact is that i've been hearing people pray for new cars or well paying jobs for years. to say that miller prayed with an agenda while others don't isn't fair.
to me, what would really make a statement, would be to have donald miller (or whomever) pray at both the dnc and rnc conventions.
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