Brian McLaren and others make Obama Ad...

What do you think? 

When I first heard about this ad, I didn't think much of it- I thought Brian would be speaking as an influential Christian voice/writer. But it's pretty clear... "As a pastor" he says. I'm a little uncomfortable with pastors (and this ad is chock full of them) endorsing a candidate AND tying their pastoral role to that endorsement. 

While not illegal (in the IRS kind of way), and not unethical... something about it still makes me uncomfortable. 

I'm not adverse to letting people know who you vote for as a pastor. I've done that. But actively campaigning for a particular candidate... Hmmm... 

The role of a pastor should be a bit more in the "prophetic" area when it comes to politics- that is, asking hard questions not just of the candidates, but of those who are looking to the candidates to solve all their problems and either usher in a new golden era or take us back to the good old days. 

I'm more comfortable with pastors challenging the idolatry/idolization of candidates than with endorsing them... but that's just me. :)

Comments

[ryan]

Brian McLaren on trajectory to become the doppelganger of James Dobson? Nice to know that we will soon have a religious Left to counter the religious Right.

In all seriousness I get uneasy anytime I hear pastors campaigning and giving endorsements to any candidate, but that's just me.

[Chuck Holt]

This either makes me sick or angry or both!

[Bill Kinnon]

Brian is one of the most gracious people I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. He's gentle, funny, caring and, I thought, prophetic. This endorsement would appear to negate that prophetic voice.

As a Canadian, I don't get to help you choose your presidents. It would be a tough call for me as I'm not enthusiastic about your choices. Sure Obama is attractive, but let's be realistic - he's no political saint - he's a Chicago pol. McCain's age is an issue - as is the recent legacy of the party he leads.

Leaders in the church need to speak truth to power - rather than snuggling up to the powerful. This line of yours nails it for me,

I'm more comfortable with pastors challenging the idolatry of candidates than with endorsing them

[israel hogue]

Bob,
i would have to totally agree with you on this one.
pastors have a responsibility to speak prophetically to the culture and nation they are called to, not to jump on whichever political party bandwagon that represents their views at that moment.

Shane Claiborne's books have a lot to say about this. God's kingdom is what we should be building!

Actually, having read McClaren's book, The Mystery of Jesus, it kinda surprises me that he would jump into the political arena this way. i know it's not wrong, but it is just disappointing.

keep it up, i love your blog!

[Josh Crain]

Well, I guess I'll be in the minority here, but in a different way than you might think.

I actually believe that this ad is wrong. Though I don't think Christians are forbidden to participate in politics, there are clear biblical warnings to avoid confusing the kingdoms of this world with the Kingdom of God. Our allegiance must far and away be to the kingdom of God over (and against, if necessary) any national, political, or worldly kingdom. Anytime a pastor uses his spiritual influence to try and influence a congregation or a wider audience to vote a particular way politically, he/she stands a chance of fusing those two kingdoms. Aligning ourselves too closely with any political candidate or party is a recipe for disaster.

I have a ton of respect for Brian McLaren and the emerging/emergent discussion that many of us are a part of. I even like a lot of what Barack Obama is about and was impressed with his thoughtful answers at the Civil Forum at Saddleback.

But this ad was a mistake.

[Jessi]

At the risk of sounding like the 'religious right' I keep coming back to asking myself how we can just ignore completely the extreme voting record Sen. Obama has had on the abortion issue. It's like we so badly don't want to be the religious right that we've swung to ignoring it all together? Isn't the point of the Matt. 25 "least of these" that I've heard Obama quoting helping ALL the least of these? Even beyond the "when does life begin" arguments, he didn't even support a bill that would care for an infant should it happen to be born alive!

I really do like his personality; however, I'm having a hard time swallowing all the "he's a great Christian" talk and reconciling it with his voting record.

I know we can't "vote on one issue" - however, I do think it does speak on some level of his character (apparently something we wish we could just ignore?).

[Jessi]

At the risk of sounding like the 'religious right' I keep coming back to asking myself how we can just ignore completely the extreme voting record Sen. Obama has had on the abortion issue. It's like we so badly don't want to be the religious right that we've swung to ignoring it all together? Isn't the point of the Matt. 25 "least of these" that I've heard Obama quoting helping ALL the least of these? Even beyond the "when does life begin" arguments, he didn't even support a bill that would care for an infant should it happen to be born alive!

I really do like his personality; however, I'm having a hard time swallowing all the "he's a great Christian" talk and reconciling it with his voting record.

I know we can't "vote on one issue" - however, I do think it does speak on some level of his character (apparently something we wish we could just ignore?).

[Jessi]

At the risk of sounding like the 'religious right' I keep coming back to asking myself how we can just ignore completely the extreme voting record Sen. Obama has had on the abortion issue. It's like we so badly don't want to be the religious right that we've swung to ignoring it all together? Isn't the point of the Matt. 25 "least of these" that I've heard Obama quoting helping ALL the least of these? Even beyond the "when does life begin" arguments, he didn't even support a bill that would care for an infant should it happen to be born alive!

I really do like his personality; however, I'm having a hard time swallowing all the "he's a great Christian" talk and reconciling it with his voting record.

I know we can't "vote on one issue" - however, I do think it does speak on some level of his character (apparently something we wish we could just ignore?).

[Dan]

I don't think you would be off base to call endorsing a candidate unethical. I like what Josh said about "confusing the kingdoms." It's a struggle, at least for me, to not do that sometimes, so when someone willingly does it, that is, uses their kingdom authority/influence/power to influence the political arena I think he is beginning to cross an ethical boundry. There are nuances here, but just what those are could go on forever.

[Bob Hyatt]

Dan-

I have no problem with someone using their influence to bring change and influence the political realm. We should advocate for certain policies and use whatever influence we have... But using our influence to put certain people into power- even those who might agree with some of our views, seems too much- at least for me.

I want to stop at thinking that bringing change in policies is the same as changing hearts or even as good as it. I would welcome a change in this country's policies on abortion- but without changing the people's hearts, it will matter to some, but many will still die. Better to change people's hearts- and then the policy changes will come.

I also don't want to see political change itself or a candidate him or herself as "the answer." They aren't- no matter how tough McCain talks, he's not the answer. No matter how eloquently Obama talks about change, he's not the answer.

That role is reserved for Someone else.

[Andrew]

I understand your concern, but I wonder if they are trying to send a stronger message than simply endorsing Obama. I think a lot of Christians have been (and are still being) bullied into thinking there is only ONE WAY to vote. I know I was in my late teens to early 20s before I realized that there were Christians who were democrats. It was years before I gained the courage to voice my political opinions at Christian functions where all of the rhetoric was decidedly republican. I think a video like this gives many Christians an understanding that they are not alone in their political views and will empower them to speak up. The message is "There are Christians backing Obama". The world needs to know that.

[sonja]

Two things ... the first is that I would tend to agree with you, Bob about how religious leaders should go about speaking truth to power rather than cozying up to it.

The second thing is that I believe (I could be wrong, but I'm frankly tired at the end of the day to do my research) that Matthew 25 is a brain child of Brian McLaren's in some way. I think he had a hand in getting it started. So it would stand to reason that he'd be a primary spokesperson for it. I don't know that that makes the ad any less egregious. He certainly could have made the ad wearing his author hat and still had a lot of pull.

It was not a good choice on McLaren's part. It really seems as though we have the Religious Left copying too many pages out of the playbook that the Religious Right used for many years. They were wrong then, and it's wrong now. Jesus eschewed power because it is inherently a corrupting influence ... why do His followers seek after it so avidly?

[John Inman]

http://www.youtube.com/hmatkin

the best case for Obama is this video.

[John Inman]

http://www.youtube.com/hmatkin

the best case for Obama is this video.

[Zach Lind]

Maybe it's possible to support a candidate and still disagree with and speak truth to power when you feel they are wrong? Just because McLaren is supporting Obama's campaign, it doesn't necessarily mean he has gives up the capacity to challenge Obama where McLaren may feel he is off-base.

Just a thought.

[Bob Hyatt]

Zach-
not that I'm in favor of Brian or anyone else bifurcating themselves... But I would have preferred it if Brian spoke as an author... To me the issue is when one speaks "as a pastor" and endorses a candidate.

No- I don't think that that person gives up their right to speak truth to power... it's more that I think it may be an unwise use of the power inherent in the title/role of pastor.

By the way- was listening to Bleed American today :)

[Bob Hyatt]

We've been Barack Rolled!!!

[Zach Lind]

what does bifurcate mean? c'mon man, i'm a drummer.

[matt]

Please Ryan, we all know that Jim Wallace is Dobson's doppelganger.

[peter]

My takeaways from the forum and the ad...

1. Rick Warren went up in my book. (Yes I am keeping score :)

2. Brian McLaren dropped a bunch. (Ditto above comment)

It's funny to me that it seems over the past few years, the church is awakening to the fact that something needs to be done about poverty and injustice and somehow we have leaped to the conclusion that government and politics are the answer. Compassion can't be legislated.

[Rachel]

One thing that really bothers me is hearing McLaren say, "And as president he'll stand by yours." So McLaren is willing to put his own credibility on the line?? What happens if Obama messes up big time? Doesn't Brian remember what happened with Billy Graham and Richard Nixon?

And I agree with Jessi - the abortion issue still matters! I'm concerned about a whole range of life and dignity issues and I care about real and meaningful abortion reduction. But Senator Obama's position IS really extreme, voting against any restrictions on abortion whatsoever, even against the Born Alive bill.

[Rachel]

"No matter how eloquently Obama talks about change, he's not the answer. That role is reserved for Someone else."

Well said, Bob! And let me just add a plug in here for Shane Claiborne's great book Jesus for President.

[Mike Morrell]

I'm with Andrew; I don't think this is Brian telling us all who to vote for (or even "if"), but expanding our conceptual options. The proof will be in the pudding: If Obama gets elected, we'll see if he can do no wrong in the eyes of Matthew 25-like folks, or if they'll have the courage to correct prophetically when needed.

Personally I hope Obama gets elected, but I have enough Hauerwasian/http://zoecarnate.com/#political>Christian anarchist leanings to feel ambivalent about it. :)

[Bob Hyatt]

C'mon Mike... What else is making a commercial about an election at election time but telling people to vote? And what else is making a commercial on behalf of and singing the praises of a certain candidate but making a suggestion as to whom you should vote for?

[Mike Morrell]

Okay, yer right - it is a campaign ad, after all. All I'm saying is Brian's lived near the Hill most his life...I don't think he believes that politics are The Savior. But I think he really, really wants Obama in office, and is willing to spend some of his clout to get that message out there - that it's okay to vote for other candidates as a Christian.

I think Brian is changing, and becoming more outspoken. He http://www.brianmclaren.net/archives/blog/faith-politics-voting-introducti.html>recently said:

"While I was never a fan of the Religious Right, for many years I sat on the sidelines and didn't speak out publicly that the leaders of the Religious Right didn't speak for me. Looking back, I'm ashamed of my inaction and I believe my silence unintentionally empowered "the powers that be."

Now, is he colluding with alternate-but-equally-dastardly powers by endorsing a non Religious Right candidate? I understand why some fear a 'Constantinianism of the Left,' but for now I'm going to say he's not. I think Brian is being a pragmatist...and I think Brian genuinely likes Obama. (I first heard of Obama from Brian years and years ago - it must have been 2005. Brian's been watching him for a long time) But I have faith that Brian will have the nerve to speak truth to Democratic power as much as he will Republican power, if and when the time comes. And I think (and I don't believe you deny) that our national mood, climate, and culture, would be far more catalytic and invigorating under an Obama presidency than a McCain one. Do you disagree?