This TIME magazine article is about the Obama family and their search for a place to worship while Barack Obama serves as President of the United States. Also mentioned are some of the arrangements which Obama’s predecessors in office have chosen for worship, and also some of those that the current President turns to for spiritual counsel. I don’t intend to make any observations about Obama’s faith, but the article is interesting for a few reasons.
Firstly, I loved the series The West Wing. I own the DVDs, and have watched the whole seven series twice. Though the faith of the characters was referred to (the Roman Catholocism of Martin Sheen’s Jed Bartlett was quite prominent), the existence of the chapel at Camp David and the congregagtion who worship there was (to my memory) not mentioned.
Secondly, famous people lose an anonynimity that most of us take for granted. Michael Jackson has been quoted this week as saying that he missed never being able to walk through a shopping center unnoticed. The Obama family cannot do something as simple as go to church without considering the difficulty that this action would cause to the other worshippers. These may seem like very simple actions to mourn the loss of when one considers the priveleges that are available to the famous. Yet when we wonder why the famous lose contact with normality or reality, the answer can probably be found in situations like this.
Thirdly, what an amazing task it would be to serve as a Chaplain in the United States Armed Forces, ministering to both those who serve the nation and their Commander in Chief. It is comforting to know that the Bible provides all that is needed for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness anyone, regardless of their background or current station in life.
mgpcpastor's blog 