Well, it's hard these days to tell the bridges from the wedges, but here goes:
Controversial pastor Rick Warren of the Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, who at least once has compared homosexuality to incest, has been booked to be the keynote speaker at Martin Luther King, Jr. Annual Commemorative Service, according to a copy of the program obtained by Atlanta Progressive News.
The service is scheduled for January 19, 2009, at 10am, at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church and is included in the official program of the ten-day King Center’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration which begins on January 10.
The entire article is absolutely worth reading, reminding us of the schism in the King family around gay rights. For instance, many here may not know that:
[Local activist] Hudson was part of a small group of protesters in 2004 when King’s daughter, Bernice King, marched against same-sex unions in Atlanta along with Bishop Eddie Long.
I vacillate between being deeply angered and deeply cynical on this one, but it seems to me Warren is trying to wedge, not bridge, here.
I'd love to be proven wrong.
I'm not alone in my concern:
"My mind is confused about how Rev. Rick will talk about Dr. King's legacy of equal rights and then still preach about who is excluded from God's love," blogger Bernita Smith wrote.