A fair number of people have criticized Rev. Pat Mahoney and me for our anointing and prayer service inside the Inauguration walkway at the US Capitol that President-Elect Obama will take just before he is sworn in as the 44th president. Interestingly, it’s come from both ends of the political and religious spectrums. Atheists and secularists are outraged we would bring “religion” so “grotesquely” into a such a grand civic exercise, while plenty of Christians think our prayers somehow suggest we approve of all of Mr. Obama’s policies and practices.

As for the anti-religionists, the only thing I can say is they’ll never be satisfied until all references to God and God-fearing people are utterly purged from the social and political landscape. (Think Cuba, China or the old Soviet Union!) Keep in mind, too, this wasn’t our doing. Mr. Obama featured religion prominently in his campaign and the then DNC Chair, Howard Dean, set out to capture the religious vote, even hiring a Pentecostal minister to direct the initiative. (Pentecostals, by the way, routinely practice anointing.)

And as for Christians and other God-fearing people, all I can say is God’s Word and long-time Christian practices mandate, “supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority . . .” (See I Timothy 1:1-2) Note St. Paul says, “kings,” not just, “some kings,” and, “ALL THAT ARE IN AUTHORITY,” not just “some in authority,” or “the authorities we like.” Christians discontent with our prayer service also need to pay special attention to EVERYTHING we said and read during that service. If you haven’t watched it yet, please view it now, giving special attention to the prayer Reverend Mahoney read.  Watch the piece here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SE73OoC-njM.  To read the prayer read by Rev. Mahoney during the anointing service, point your browser here: http://www.earnedmedia.org/graham_pray_1231.htm.

I will continue to pray assiduously for Mr. Obama and the members of his administration. Perhaps one of our critics out there think there is something MORE powerful we can do?

Oh, incidentally, the Bible also commands us to “love our enemies,” so I’ll be doing that, too.

Rob +

Lots of people are E-mailing, calling and texting me with basically one question: What do you think will happen now? The context, of course, is the election of Barack Obama to be president and, to a lesser degree, the change in the US Congress. Here are a few initial, but not necessarily cohesive or complete thoughts . . .

-It’s a historic and momentous time for America. We can’t underestimate the seismic shift that has occurred in American politics or society with the elevation of a man of color to the presidency. Barack Obama is more than a man of color, though, he is biracial. In this way alone he brings together two critical communities–and because his father was African, he brings together two continents. There’s more: While he was raised as a secularist and chose liberal Christianity in his adulthood, many would consider Obama Islamic-born because his father was Muslim. (He at least had some orientation to Islam during his childhood and has Islamic family members in Kenya. Incidentally, I don’t see the presence of Islam in his history or Muslims in his family as negative in any way.) Add to this that President-Elect Obama just picked an Orthodox Jewish chief-of-staff, Rahm Emanuel (whom I’ve met and talked to) to run the White House! Emanuel attends Anshe Salom B’nai Israel Synagogue in Lakeview, IL, where Rabbi Asher Lopatin writes on his webpage, “Israel, the Torah and God are all one. If one of them is disrespected, the other one suffers.”

Just these aspects make Barack Obama a complex and intriguing individual and will surely make him one of our more memorable presidents.

- I’m tracking a lot of analysis on the numbers, the polls and the geo-political elements to the election outcome. They are all as interesting as the candidates themselves. I do agree with many liberal and conservative commentators that Barack Obama was tempered politically in the campaign by the sentiments of the American people. In a purely political sense, he moved toward the center. (That move is even more convincing after the appointment of Chief-of-Staff Emanuel who was a civilian volunteer for the Israeli Defense Forces and supported the Iraqi War.)  After Obama assumes office, no doubt his political team will continue to analyze the election data and use it to inform decisions on what initiatives the new administration should undertake. The passage of traditional marriage protection amendments in Florida, Arizona and, most notably, California, shows the “core” of American culture sill reflects traditional family values–and it may be getting stronger. The preservation of traditional marriage in California is being credited to blacks, Latinos and Mormons–all minorities on the ascendency. This trend can’t possibly be missed by Team Obama.

- Of course, there’s no question where Mr. Obama, Mr. Biden, Mr. Emanuel, et al, stand on the sanctity of human life. Mr. Obama is for abortion-on-demand through all nine months and up to delivery, though, like the Clintons, he emphasizes the need to reduce abortions. Mr. Biden doesn’t personally believe in abortion, but won’t impose that view on anyone else. Mr. Emanuel has a 100% pro-abortion record in the House of Representatives.

- Barack Obama will bring a wide range of people to Washington, among them many former members of the Clinton Administration. These people, especially the latter, will likely make life for my mission team a little more difficult, as will the new makeup of the Congress. The silver lining may be Obama’s relationship to the black church and current DNC chairman Howard Dean’s commitment to reach out to evangelicals and other religious traditionalists. I think these two things may moderate slightly any hostility toward us and the issues we consider important.

In summary, a major shift like this in the political landscape, whether you consider good or bad, should remind all of us that the Gospel transcends politics. The religious right makes the same mistake as the religious left when it replaces its trust in God with trust in political power structures. Politics and politicians will always disappoint. On the other hand, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)

Your missionary to Capitol Hill, Washington, DC, Rob Schenck, reporting:

Some people are still in a daze about what happened yesterday. Here it is in brief:

Barack Obama took just over 63 million votes for president over John McCain’s 56 million, or roughly 52% to 46%. However, in our Electoral College system, which requires a candidate to achieve 270 electoral college votes to win, that equates to Obama, 349 and McCain, 162, as the count stands now. A few states remain undetermined because the votes were so close. (To find out more about how the Electoral College system works, visit http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/thepoliticalsystem/a/electcollege.htm.)

Meanwhile, in the Congress, nine Republican senators lost their seats and five new Democrats were elected. That means that the Democrat majority is stronger than it used to be, but isn’t strong enough to ward off certain blocking techniques used by minority parties.

In the House of Representatives, the Republican membership went down from199 to 172, and the Democrat count, of course, went up from 236 to 252. Again, the Democrat majority was strengthened.

On the state level, several governors were elected, but only Missouri switched parties from Republican to Democrat. There were changes in majority in some state legislatures as well.

A lot of people have called me to ask what this means for Faith and Action. I declared today a day of personal prayer and fasting to help answer that, but my quick response is, “nothing.” In other words, our mission remains consistent. We are not lobbyists; we are evangelists. We are called to proclaim God’s truth to everyone who serves in government here, regardless of political ideology or party affiliation.

And just as the people of God have learned over and over again throughout history, human power structures are bound to disappoint and become corrupt. It happens with every party and every political system, and it will keep happening. In fact, it will happen to any human institution, including churches and religious organizations.

This has been my prayer focus today, and it really helps to recalibrate the compass after such a disorienting campaign season:

Psalm 121, verse 2, “My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”

A reporter recently asked me, “What will you do if Obama is elected?” I said, “The same thing I will do if McCain is elected.” As a missionary to government officials in Washington, my ministry is neither Republican nor Democrat. In fact, it has nothing to do with political parties, politicians or personalities. Democrats and Republicans, Independents, Greens, Constitutionalists, Libertarians and everyone else need the same thing: First and foremost a witness of the Gospel; second to that, a constructive engagement with the Christian moral conscience–and I and my cohorts intend, with God’s help, to deliver both. Given what I now know about Barack Obama and the people that surround him, I believe he will be open to hearing it. Whether he acts on it or not is not so predictable, but then, neither is that certain with a President McCain.

While Obama and Company have talked up their version of “Hope,” I have seen my own angle on it, and it’s expressed in the above photo. What a beautiful image it is. Ministers surrounding the Senator and laying hands on him in prayer. This is not an uncommon scene. In fact, reports are that it happens before nearly every Obama campaign event. Add to it the profile of Obama’s two top religious advisors, the Reverends Leah Daughtry (YOU GOTTA READ THE NY TIMES STORY ON HER!) and E. Terri LaVelle, both ordained Pentecostal (read that PEN-TEE-COS’-TAL) preachers. Yes, I’m saying these two women are by their own descriptions, “Holy Ghost,” “Bible thumping,” Yelling-Shouting, Pacing, Dancing, “Tongues-talking,” Stem-winding, Sweat-beaded-brow, Salvation-centered, Hammond-organ-accompanied “Revivalists.”

Having said that, I would have a lot of serious differences with them. Notwithstanding those differences, we share a common “supra-culture.” I, too, was ordained Pentecostal. I preach in lots of Pentecostal churches. Culture–especially church culture–in many ways supersedes theological impediments. It builds bridges where people with opposite opinions can meet and at least talk. Should Barack Obama and Company win the White House, I am praying that will be the case. Moreover, I “Hope” that the ministers in this photo, and the thousands of others who have laid hands on Senator Obama, have imparted something to his soul and conscience. I know the Black church well enough to know the vast majority of these preachers are in their heart-of-hearts pro-life and pro-traditional family. They love God, they love His Word and they love people, especially the weak, the powerless and the defenseless.

Now, I’ve been stood-up by the Obama religious advisers twice. Once when E. Terri LaVelle broke a commitment to participate in our Reese Round table discussion, canceling without explanation only hours before the event (and that, by text message.) Later, I was treated to the same by Leah Daughtry, when she (again at the last minute) canceled a lunch appointment with me and Pastor Kenneth Barney of the enormous New Antioch Baptist Church of Randallstown, Maryland. I’m not going to bear a grudge, though. I know that when the focus is on winning an election, building relationships, which was our intent, take second (Or, third, or fourth, or fifth!) position. In any case, I’m sure someone said, “What’s that meeting going to do to win us votes?” It’s the way politics is done–and it’s done by both sides. I must give McCain some points, here, though. His top advisor did show up at the Reese RoundTable, even though there was no strategic advantage in doing so.

Back to HOPE. Here’s my hope in the photo: These preachers are “saved.” They are men and women of “The Book,” the Bible. They may not be pro-life activists in the full sense of the Word, but neither would the majority of them be pro-choice activists. They may not have their doctrine solid, but they’ve got enough to bring a witness to the possible new president, and I hope and pray they will. I, for one, am committing myself to work with them, and under them, and behind them, to encourage them to do so.

Obama-the-politician will owe the Black church much. He will routinely entertain Black church leaders. That means people like me will need to look to them, learn from them, support them and encourage them to say and do the right things at the right moment of opportunity. Should Obama be elected, it will be time for us white preachers to let black preachers lead us and put our HOPE in those who will have the access to deliver the prophetic witness of Truth.

White just won’t cut it any more. When it comes to the “White” House, “Black” will be in–and it will be powerful. I’m already making ready for a necessary color change in our ministry.

More to follow . . .

Rob +