Rev Rick Warren's prayer was, for me, instantly forgettable.
Yes, Warren got the job done. He asked for a blessing for the Obama and Biden families and for this administration. All else was nothing more than the pastor down the street would say on any given Sunday morning. Ending with the Lord's Prayer seemed to reflect Warren think he was being 'interfaith', but considering only Christians in his scope. The Lords Prayer covers Episcopalians, Lutherans, Baptists and all forms of Christian from fundamental to liberal -- "done" thought Warren. I wouldn't expect Warren to express reverence for even unbelievers as Obama did minutes later, but at least an ecumenical prayer would be nice. This forgettable prayer was, to me, the only wrong note in an otherwise sublime inauguration ceremony. The music, the poem, the benediction by Rev Joseph Lowery were filled with wit and warmth, relevance and reverence. Rick Warren's prayer... not so much.