National Cathedral inaugural prayer service clergy identified
AP:
The Inauguration Committee has only released one clergy name so far for the Jan. 21 National Prayer Service that caps the inauguration. The Rev. Sharon Watkins, the first woman president of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), a Protestant group, will deliver the sermon.
The Associated Press has learned additional details.A prayer will be offered at the National Cathedral by Ingrid Mattson, the first woman president of the Islamic Society of North America, according to an official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information. The Islamic Society, based in Indiana, is the nation's largest Muslim group.
Three rabbis, representing the three major branches of American Judaism, will also say a prayer at the service, according to officials familiar with the plans. The Jewish clergy are Reform Rabbi David Saperstein, Conservative Rabbi Jerome Epstein and Orthodox Rabbi Haskel Lookstein, sources said.
It is also traditional for the incoming administration to ask the Roman Catholic archbishop of Washington to lead a prayer. The Most Rev. Donald Wuerl leads the archdiocese.
And like many incoming presidents before him, Obama will attend a service at St. John's [Episcopal] Church, dubbed the "Church of the Presidents," before his swearing-in. Mattson's participation is unlikely to be without controversy.
Very interesting, it should be a fascinating service...nice reaching out to several faith communities. I wonder if Bishop Robinson may reconsider his plan to offer a "pluralist" prayer before the concert since so many of these other faith groups will have representatives.
Also, do check out Rachel Maddow's (of MSNBC) interview of Bishop Robinson in which he says, "No one had a bigger tent than Jesus," Amen to that!!
Peter Carey+
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January 14, 2009 10:12 PM