Tonight Donald Miller prayed to close the first night of the Democratic National Convention. Miller is most known for Blue Like Jazz, a plain spoken narrative about his journey of faith. The fact that a young Christian (many would say Evangelical) author gave the invocation at the DNC seems notable.
Earlier this week Miller was interviewed by Christianity Today about his decision to pray at the DNC.
I felt used by the Republican Party in that sense. I started looking at the Democratic Party and looking at social issues that are affecting the world, seeing the presidency and Congress from a global perspectives. Even though many Democrats don’t identify themselves as evangelicals, many of the precepts of the party, charitable foundation of the party did reflect what evangelicals are about, the sanctity of human life, the importance of really not leaving people behind. I don’t think either party is the answer to the world’s problems. I lean toward solutions the Democrats seem to favor.
It seems from some of the questions in the interview that there are still some who are surprised that a white Evangelical could be a Democrat. Disappointing, though it was also a bummer to hear Miller say some things that made it sound like Obama was God’s choice for this election. Maybe that’s not what he meant, but that type of language makes me skittish.
Tonight’s invocation was quintessential Donald Miller: theologically folksy. I chuckled when he began by asking the delegates if it would be OK to pray for good weather on Thursday when Obama speaks at Mile High Stadium, seemingly a poke at Focus on the Family’s request that people pray for rain that day. What stood out to me the most was not what he said but what he didn’t. There was no language in this prayer about the defense of our nation. The closest he came was in his request that God “protect us from our enemies, but also from ourselves.”
It will be interesting to see how people who have identified with Miller as an author will respond to his appearance at the DNC. Will people be excited that “one of their own” had this opportunity? Will he be labeled a sell-out (or something worse) because he appeared at a convention for the Democrats and not the Republicans?
Update: Here’s the video of Miller’s prayer.
From Miller’s website, here is the text of his prayer.
Father God,
This week, as the world looks on, help the leaders in this room create a civil dialogue about our future.
We need you, God, as individuals and also as a nation.
We need you to protect us from our enemies, but also from ourselves, because we are easily tempted toward apathy.
Give us a passion to advance opportunities for the least of these, for widows and orphans, for single moms and children whose fathers have left.
Give us the eyes to see them, and the ears to hear them, and hands willing to serve them.
Help us serve people, not just causes. And stand up to specific injustices rather than vague notions.
Give those in this room who have power, along with those who will meet next week, the courage to work together to finally provide health care to those who don’t have any, and a living wage so families can thrive rather than struggle.
Help us figure out how to pay teachers what they deserve and give children an equal opportunity to get a college education.
Help us figure out the balance between economic opportunity and corporate gluttony.
We have tried to solve these problems ourselves but they are still there. We need your help.
Father, will you restore our moral standing in the world.
A lot of people don’t like us but that’s because they don’t know the heart of the average American.
Will you give us favor and forgiveness, along with our allies around the world.
Help us be an example of humility and strength once again.
Lastly, father, unify us.
Even in our diversity help us see how much we have in common.
And unify us not just in our ideas and in our sentiments—but in our actions, as we look around and figure out something we can do to help create an America even greater than the one we have come to cherish.
God we know that you are good.
Thank you for blessing us in so many ways as Americans.
I make these requests in the name of your son, Jesus, who gave his own life against the forces of injustice.
Let Him be our example.
Amen.
David W. Swanson 
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