Where Will the President Worship?

If you think finding a new church is tough, put yourself in Barack Obama’s shoes for a moment.

It has become quite apparent this week that the media will closely scrutinize every move that the President makes–and that includes finding a new church. There are the usual “presidential” factors that will weigh into this decision–security concerns, proximity to the White House, tradition. Plus Obama brings some unique factors. The Jeremiah Wright flap means that the White House is likely to vet any pastor to be. Then there’s the pressure from the predominantly Africian-American congregations that want Obama as part of their flock.

I anticipate a media circus leading up to the announcement that dwarfs those highly-anticipated press conferences held by blue-chip high school athletes on College Signing Day. Which makes me wonder, “What kind of recruiting restrictions are there for churches?” Never mind.

Mark Tooley weighs in on the pros and cons of this decision in a recent Wall Street Journal column and makes a bold prediction. For the record, the Obamas attended Washington’s historic Nineteenth Street Baptist Church last Sunday and attended a service at St. John’s Church on inauguration day. By the way, St. John’s is known as the “Church of Presidents.” I had no idea that there was a “Church of Presidents.”