First Openly Gay Episcopal Bishop to Pray at Inauguration

The first openly gay Episcopal Bishop in the United States will offer a prayer during an inaugural event on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Gene Robinson has been at the center of ongoing controversy following his appointment in New Hampshire as the first gay bishop in the history of the Episcopal Church in America.

Bishop Robinson, in recent interviews, had expressed his displeasure with the selection of Reverend Rick Warren to give the invocation during President-elect Obama's inauguration ceremony. Reverend Warren is an open opponent of rights for homosexuals and recently helped spearhead the effort that passed a ban on homosexual marriages in his home state of California.

Gay rights groups have been up in arms since the announcement that Warren would be giving the invocation, but Obama's camp is holding firm in its stance that Robinson was not selected as a token speaker to satisfy American homosexuals. Rather, it has been explained that Bishop Robinson has been somewhat of an adviser to Barack Obama during his campaign and that his selection was entirely based on that relationship and his importance as a Christian leader in America.

Politically, it seems like a smart move for Obama, regardless of the true motivation. He will likely get some backlash from the anti-gay establishment, but that group is likely going to be upset about other aspects of the inaugural proceedings as well. As with any situation, Obama cannot please everyone - but he's at least making the effort to keep most people engaged in the proceedings.