I do not know all the process, but I do know that the Bush administration initiated the attempt to address the assembly. It is my understanding that the President's political adviser wanted to coat tail of the Church of the Nazarene's compassionate ministries, and approached the General Superintendents two weeks ago. Approval was given to allow the President to "greet" the Assembly.

I spoke with Dr. Paul Cunningham after the District Assembly on Friday. He was extremely gracious, warm, and listened well. I was the first one to speak to him of the rumor, which he confirmed in broad details. He made clear, however, that nothing was finalized at the time, but that he thought that a Presidential visit might give needed publicity to the Church of the Nazarene. Again, he graciously listened to my concerns about being drawn into partisan politics, the controversial nature of the publicity received, Bush's role in the war in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the implications for the international Church of the Nazarene.

Dr. Cunningham did convince me that it was legitimate for the President to offer "greetings" as the head of state of the country in which the Assembly was to be held. Yet as things unfolded yesterday, it seemed to me (on unconfirmed sources) that the Bush administration wanted much more than to give greetings -- they wanted a significant time slot during the morning Eucharistic service, the main gathering of the Church. Dr. Cunningham was unaware of the nature of the request when he spoke to me, as he had been out of Kansas City for ten days.

If I may interpret on what little I know, it seems that the Communion service on that Sunday morning, required by the Manual to take place before the business sessions of the Assembly meets, was recognized by the General Superintendents as too significant to risk cooptation. The Body and Blood of Christ, forming the Body of Christ, prevented other bodies, even the body of the most powerful nation-state of the world, from taking over the agenda of God's people. This is a marveleous and wonderful witness to the love of God in the provision of God's people in the Eucharistic Feast.

William Cavanaugh in Torture and Eucharist talks about the Eucharist as politics. It is tremendously ironic -- but insightful -- that what the Eucharistic practice of the Roman Catholic Church in Chile, esconced in a Constantinian relationship, a "new Christendom" with the Pinochet Regime, could not immediately achieve, the Eucharistic practice of the Church of the Nazarene, locally often so woefully problematic, was able to sustain. Of course, this might be credited as well to the analysis and writings of Cavanaugh.

Yet this night, I am amazed, astounded, thankful for the leadership of the Church of the Nazarene, the wisdom embedded in its Manual, the faithful witness of friends and brothers and sisters that I don't even know, that the Spirit of God that still can perform the most marvelous surprises! Wow . . . who would have thunk that the little ol' Church of the Nazarene would have the spiritual vitality to recognize the world as the world!