There's always a first time

Two weeks ago Rick Warren, the famous pastor of Saddleback Community Church and author of the bestselling book The Purpose Driven Life, cancelled a scheduled event dubbed The Civil Forum at which the two candidates for President were invited to appear. News reports have highlighted the intense effort on the part of the church and the two campaigns to assign responsibility for the cancellation. Saddleback averages 22,000 worshippers on Sundays. It's the 7th largest church in the country. Which leads me to believe this might be the first time someone they invited to church didn't show up. Warren offered the invocation at the last inauguration and he hosted McCain and Obama 4 years ago for a nationally televised forum.

If Saddleback was in Ohio or Colorado, two swing states, instead of California, the forum might be happening. And while I'm not convinced church is the best place to talk politics, I certainly would of tuned in to watch a Southern Baptist pastor lead a conversation between two candidates who come from radically different religious traditions.