Perspective: The Saddleback Forum

If I had one hour all to myself with each candidate for president, what questions would I ask? This was the basic premise used by Pastor Rick Warren in his televised forum featuring both presidential candidates. And it worked!

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Catholic Online) - Pastor Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church and best-selling author of "The Purpose Driven Life, hosted both presidential candidates on Saturday evening in a uniquely formatted meeting called "The Saddleback Civil Forum on the Presidency."

The mega-church leader formulated a special plan - ask each candidate the same questions but don't let their opponent hear the response. The result was a candid view of both Barack Obama and John McCain on the same subjects in sequential order.

As I anticipated the evening, my primary concerns were about the questions Warren would ask. Would he try to be a faith-based version of "Meet the Press?" Would he sound like a refurbished version of the old religious right?

As each question unfolded, I found myself sitting there thinking, "This is exactly what I would want to ask!" Obviously, as a Catholic Christian, there are areas I would have hoped to explore in greater detail, especially with regard to our social teaching, but Pastor Warren did a good job of expressing a point of view that has been foreign in a number of evangelical circles - the church in society.

I would have liked more exploration on issues of solidarity with the poor, bioethics, and even aspects of freedom. After hearing both candidates' response to the war question, I would have liked to hear them talk more about the concept of a just war.

All that being said, the evening was fact-filled regarding thoughts and ideas that inquiring Christian minds wanted to know.

The evening began with the pastor sitting with Barack Obama. Question by question, the candidate had an opportunity to talk about his own personal faith, those to whom he would turn for advice, his moral failures, and his convictions regarding life, war, taxes, and other issues. The second hour found Senator John McCain sitting in the same chair, answering the same questions.

As the forum was wrapping up, it was crystal clear that these two men would be two completely different presidents. With regard to life issues, the candidates were not just at opposite poles. Warren asked each of them when individuals received human rights.

While McCain, without hesitation, stated they began at the moment of conception, Obama dodged the issue with a spin that made me very uncomfortable. He said, "I think that, whether you are looking at it from a theological perspective or a scientific perspective, answering that question with specificity, you know, is above my pay grade."

Another telling moment involved the question regarding the most gut-wrenching decision each candidate ever had to make. The contrast with reference to the gravity of the situation particularly emphasized the experiences of both men.

Obama talked of his choice to oppose the war in Iraq. "I think the opposition to the war in Iraq was a tough decision I've had to make," he said, "not only because there were political consequences but also because Saddam Hussien was a bad person and there was no doubt he meant America ill, but I was firmly convinced at the time that we didn't have strong evidence of weapons of mass destruction and there were a lot of questions that, as I spoke to experts, kept coming up..."

During his turn, Senator McCain talked about time in a North Vietnamese prison. His father, an influential admiral, must have had some sway with reference to the release of prisoners of war. "The Vietnamese came and said that I could leave prison early," the Arizona Senator stated, "and we had a code of conduct that said you only leave by order of capture.

"I also had a dear and beloved friend who was from California by the name of Ed Alvarez, who had been shot down and captured a couple of years before me. But I wasn't in good physical shape, so I said, 'No.' Now in full disclosure, I'm very happy I didn't know the war was going to last for another three years or so.

But I said, 'No,' and I'll never forget giving my last answer and a high-ranking officer who offered it slammed the door. The interrogator said, 'Go back to your cell. It's going to be very tough on you now.' And it was. That's not the only tough decision I've ever made, but I'm most happy about that decision than any decision I've ever made in my life."

The audience and setting were, obviously, much more supportive to John McCain's point of view. He received more applause. It was obvious he found it very easy to "play to the room." They were his kind of people.

Barack Obama, I'm sure, felt a little like he was in hostile territory, especially with regard to his pro-choice rhetoric. When he did come across with a strong statement on faith and morals, the audience was quick to support his words with applause.

That being said, I believe that the greatest take-away from forum was not just in the answers, where there were no real surprises. The greatest impact of the Saddleback Forum, I believe, can be found in the behavior of Pastor Rick Warren toward Senator Barack Obama.

We only have to look at far as the womb or an embryo in a petri dish to see the difference between the two men.

Pastor Warren, however, was able to show the world how a Christian should act toward one with whom you can have great difference of opinion but still treat them with respect.

This is certainly different than the treatment some who claim to be Christian are wiling to give to another who does not share their conviction. Often behavior by well-meaning Christians can range from simple rudeness to open hostility.

During my more than three decades as a clergyman in the Protestant world, I have witnessed behavior by my fellow Christians that caused great embarrassment to our Savior and His Church. In a worldview where, as the Apostle Paul admonishes, "love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things," we have not used the currency of Christ's love as we should.

This behavior is sometimes not even limited to those who stand outside of the faith, but those who may stand outside of a specific interpretation of the faith. On this side of the Tiber, as a Catholic Christian I am able to again experience subtle forms of "spiritual hazing."

As I watched Warren's behavior during the forum, I thought of a Baptist pastor I had met many years ago. He had been a part of a cult that spent their days walking door-to-door talking about Jehovah's Kingdom. He ran into a family who invited them in. This was seen as a great opportunity as they invited him back several times, feeding him dinner, washing his clothes, and just being friendly.

He found that they often couldn't discuss the Bible on the level he wanted to debate, but, as he said later, "I couldn't understand their love for me. It was the love of Christ through them that brought me into the true Kingdom of God."

The Saddleback Forum was a class act for Christendom. I'm certain there are those who were upset with Warren's demeanor, but it was a refreshing view of Christ's church at work in the world. However, I believe our message of life, family, freedom, and solidarity with the poor will be received more powerfully and more seriously as love-ignited ambassadors for the Kingdom of God.

This Civil Forum ushered in a new era of political inquiry that, I believe, will be around for a long time. My prayer is that it also ushered in a new era of ethical behavior by all who claim Jesus is Lord.

---

'Help Give every Student and Teacher FREE resources for a world-class Moral Catholic Education'

Copyright 2021 - Distributed by Catholic Online