We, the undersigned, hereby petition the Obama Administration to extend an invitation to the Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop of of the Episcopal Church, to deliver the benediction at the inaugural ceremonies.
In recent years, the clergy selected for these events have been overwhelmingly male, most often either conservative evangelicals or Roman Catholics. Traditional mainline protestant leaders have been under-represented in recent years. Bishop Jefferts Schori, as primate of a major denomination, is an appropriate choice for a national event. Her progressive, inclusive vision for her Church would send a positive message of hope and inclusion to all Americans, regardless of their faith (or lack thereof), race, class or sexual preference.