Bostonist: 8 Aspects of (Rick) Warrengate

So I volunteered to contribute to this "12 Days of New Years" feature on Bostonist, and as it was the weekend after Christmas, I played until the last minute and then had to come up with a topic involving the number eight. I was going to write a nice post about Formaggio Kitchen's latest class, or Alex Lobrano's visit to Needham. But I didn't, because I thought they'd sell out, and because they had nothing to do with the number eight (now I know what the writers at Sesame Street must feel like).

If you'd like to read about those things instead, just click the links above. But if you'd like to read about Rick Warren, about whom I wrote on Dec. 28, stick with me.

I've been fascinated about the conversation around Obama's selection of Rick Warren as the guy who'll give the prayer for America on Inauguration day. As I've mentioned before, I often feel as though I am straddling two worlds: one in which people hold mainly religious beliefs (my mother, my friends from Utah), and one in which people hold mainly secular beliefs (my father, my friends in Boston). Lately I feel moved to comment whenever I see these two worlds collide (which they are doing quite a bit these days).

I presented mainly secular viewpoints in my 8-point roundup, mostly because the majority of the high-profile commentators who provided timely, credible, linkable and provocative commentary on this issue, such as Frank Rich in the New York Times and David Gregory on Meet the Press, happened to be commenting on the impact it's had on Obama's secular base. I'd be interested to hear directly from religious folks who are perturbed (or pleased) with Rick Warren's selection or its reception.