The First Church: Obama Considers Which Church to Join

The other day I realized something- usually when someone becomes President they pick an area church to attend. Then I realized that I hadn’t heard about Obama and his family picking a church. Now maybe this is not unusual- and I am still used to Bush’s open faith- but it struck me as odd that I hadn’t heard anything yet.

Then again, I couldn’t blame him. He took so much heat for being a member of his last church. Whether you agree with his choice of churches or not you have to admit that must have been quite a blow to Obama and his faith. This, from what I understand, was the church that made him first want to call himself a Christian. It was the church he got married in and it was the church that baptized his children. On top of that his pastor was a personal mentor. No matter what you think of Wright, I feel for Obama in making this decision- as someone who has been hurt by the church many times in the past.

Despite the hurt I imagine he must feel for the church, it’s expected that the President of the United states join a church- and a Christian church at that. Now it could be a vaguely, nominal Christian church but it still must be a church- considering all the people who still think he is a closet-Muslim.

It is pressure like this that comes from Christ of Culture. People aren’t so interested in the President’s faith- no matter what Bush thought- but he at least has to call himself a “Christian.”

I recently came across an article describing Obama’s search for a church. It has to be a difficult decision for him AND his staff. He has to pick a church that is liberal enough not to alienate his constituency while still being conservative enough that Evangelicals could would still call it a “church.” This is the perfect storm between politics and religion- one I am thankful I will never have to face. Take, for example, the issue of homosexuality in the church. If Obama picks a church that supports homosexuals in the clergy then the conservatives are going to cry, “I told you so!” If he picks a church that does not allow this, the people who elected him will cry, “Foul!” What a mess.

This is why Christ of Culture breeds so much hypocrisy.