Rick Warren’s Inauguration Day Prayer Transcript + Video
And now, here is Rick Warren’s prayer - interestingly (and boldly) he prayed in the name of Jesus, but also strove to be somewhat inclusive. How did his prayer strike you today? (The transcript below is an edited version of the original transcript done by Ted Olsen of Christianity Today)
Let us pray.
Almighty God, our Father, everything we see and everything we can’t see exists because of you alone. It all comes from you. It all belongs to you. It all exists for your glory.
History is your story. The Scripture tells us, “Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God. The Lord is One.” And you are the compassionate and merciful one. And you are loving to everyone you have made.
Now, today, we rejoice not only in America’s peaceful transfer of power for the 44th time. We celebrate a hingepoint of history with the inauguration of our first African American president of the United States. We are so grateful to live in this land, a land of unequaled possibility, where the son of an African immigrant can rise to the highest level of our leadership. And we know today that Dr. King and a great cloud of witnesses are shouting in heaven.
Give to our new President, Barack Obama, the wisdom to lead us with humility, the courage to lead us with integrity, the compassion to lead us with generosity. Bless and protect him, his family, Vice President Biden, the cabinet, and every one of our freely elected leaders.
Help us, O God, to remember that we are Americans, united not by race, or religion, or blood, but to our commitment to freedom and justice for all. When we focus on ourselves, when we fight each other, when we forget you, forgive us. When we presume that our greatness and our prosperity is ours alone, forgive us. When we fail to treat our fellow human beings and all the earth with the respect that they deserve, forgive us. And as we face these difficult days ahead, may we have a new birth of clarity in our aims, responsibility in our actions, humility in our approaches, and civility in our attitudes, even when we differ.
Help us to share, to serve and to seek the common good of all. May all people of goodwill today join together to work for a more just, a more healthy and a more prosperous nation and a peaceful planet. And may we never forget that one day all nations and all people will stand accountable before you. We now commit our new president and his wife, Michelle and his daughters, Malia and Sasha, into your loving care.
I humbly ask this in the name of the one who changed my life, Yeshua, Isa (Koranic term for Jesus), Jesus (Hey-sous, as in the Spanish way of saying Jesus), Jesus, who taught us to pray:
“Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”
I’d love to hear your feedback…what did you think? I
Chase
10 Comments
ChaseandSam.com » Inauguration day…. on January 20th, 2009
[...] Here’s the transcript of Rick Warren’s inauguration prayer. [...]
Bill on January 21st, 2009
I wss quite surprised and pleased with Rev. Warren’s prayer. He truly engaged the Holy Spirit with this great congregation of people. It was heartfelt and sincere. I was inspired and also very pleased that no one appeared to oppose him from the far left.
Thank you for poting this.
dee hughlett on January 21st, 2009
Thank you Pastor Warren. The Lord is listening.
The Day After « InHo Kim - My Faithful Journey on January 22nd, 2009
[...] who are politically and religiously liberal are criticizing Rick Warren’s prayer (transcript here). Those who are considered conservative are ripping apart Joseph Lowery’s prayer-read the [...]
Rev ELS on January 22nd, 2009
Yes, in prayer be creative, be open and be honest. God already knows what in your mind and you can help others by letting tem know that there is no need to hide our love and adoration for God the Father, Jesus Christ His Son and the Holy Spirit. Also, no need to hide our sinful thoughts and actions because God already knows.
Did Warren and Lowery’s prayers past the test. Only God really knows!
Praise His Holy Name!
takeheed on January 23rd, 2009
It’s important to note that in the official text of Mr Warren’s prayer on his church website only the first part of the Jewish SHEMA is in quotation marks - “Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God”. The next phrase is printed as follows - The Lord is One, and You are the compassionate and Merciful One and You are loving to everyone You have made. This virtually Jesuitical phrasing was designed to infer that the Jewish ‘Lord and God’ is also the same ‘Lord and God’ of Islam and Christianity - NOT TRUE!
My full assessment of this prayer can be viewed on
http://www.takeheed.net/CurrentConcerns_2/Warren_inaugural_prayer.htm
Sharon on January 23rd, 2009
How very careful we must be as born-again believers to have discernment. When Mr. Warren closed his prayer in the names of Jesus, Yeshua and “Isa” which was said to be the “Koranic Name for Jesus,” knowingly or unknowingly (may God be His judge), he was NOT praying in the Jesus CHRIST as true Christians know it, but rather he was praying in the name of the Koranic - “Jesus” who actually opposed Christianity and was mystically referred to as the forerunner to Muhammed! Here is an excellent site for the readers of this blog that explains the TRUE meaning of “Isa.” A one-world political/relgious/economic entity has been underway for a long time … known as “Mystery Babylon” … The prayer, the combining of a false God’s name with the same reverence of the one and only savior, Jesus Christ… is frightening, misleading and probably blasphemous. May the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ prevail in the hearts of those who are fully committed to Him and His Word. Sharon Weatherly Here’s the website: http://www.answering-islam.org/Intro/islamic-jesus.html
ShallmanRA on May 4th, 2009
How is it that video of the Rick Warren invocation is not available due to a “fair use violation”, but the Joseph Lowery invocation is not?
The entire inauguration is a public event and all recordings are public domain.
Is this an accident? Or is the censorship intended?
michaelhouse on May 15th, 2010
Myspace.com/michael1house hundreds thousands words of sermons in MY BLOGS
Mary Lou Harden on January 20th, 2009
Rick Warren’s prayer was just great - inspirational and it is MY prayer also.
Joseph Lowery’s prayer was perfect also — and a wonderfully unique prayer. Thanks for publishing to the internet.