This honestly upsets me

Al Mohler is the president of Southern Seminary. He's one of the most important evangelicals out there, and uncompromisingly biblical. I really recommend his blog.

The other day, he wrote about Bishop Gene Robinson, who has been chosen by Barack Obama to pray at his inauguration. Bishop Robinson is the Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire, and openly gay. If you've been following the news surrounding the Episcopal Church at all recently, you know that controversy over homosexuality has racked the denomination. Bishop Robinson has been a major factor: "Controversy over his election has led to a schism in his church and a rupture that threatens to unravel the world-wide Anglican Communion."

In reading Mohler's article, I came across a statement regarding Bishop Robinson's plans for his inaugural prayer that stopped me in my tracks. Mohler quotes an article from the New York Times: Bishop Robinson said he had been reading inaugural prayers through history and was “horrified” at how “specifically and aggressively Christian they were.”

“I am very clear,” he said, “that this will not be a Christian prayer, and I won’t be quoting Scripture or anything like that. The texts that I hold as sacred are not sacred texts for all Americans, and I want all people to feel that this is their prayer.”

Bishop Robinson said he might address the prayer to “the God of our many understandings,” language that he said he learned from the 12-step program he attended for his alcohol addiction.

Wow. I hope that you see what he is saying there. Mohler reacts well: "Keep in mind that this man is the Bishop of New Hampshire for the Episcopal Church. He is 'horrified' by the character of previous inaugural prayers as 'specifically and aggressively Christian.'"

Matthew 7:21-23: "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'

Mark 8:38 "For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."

2 Timothy 4:3-4 "For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths."

Lord, let me be specifically and aggressively Christian.