According to Huff Post, Pastor Louie Giglio made headlines numerous times over the past few weeks with his Passion 2013 Christian conference and, subsequently, the announcement that he would be delivering the benediction at President Barack Obama’s Jan 21. inauguration.
It is this latter development that sent some progressive and gay rights groups into a tailspin after left-leaning blogs discovered a controversial sermon the preacher once gave about sin and homosexuality.
The reaction to Giglio’s past statements was so intense that the pastor has now officially withdrawn from the event.
In a statement issued after he alerted the White House and the Presidential Inaugural Committee that he will no longer be participating, Giglio said that he was honored to be selected — but that he feels compelled to step aside. Here’s the statement in its entirety:
I am honored to be invited by the President to give the benediction at the upcoming inaugural on January 21. Though the President and I do not agree on every issue, we have fashioned a friendship around common goals and ideals, most notably, ending slavery in all its forms.
Due to a message of mine that has surfaced from 15-20 years ago, it is likely that my participation, and the prayer I would offer, will be dwarfed by those seeking to make their agenda the focal point of the inauguration.
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