Visits by McCain, Obama underscore Pastor Rick Warren's prominence

Backers say the Saddleback Church leader and 'The Purpose Driven Life' author puts social justice ahead of partisanship. Others say he's strayed from the core Gospel or is a spiritual entrepreneur.
By Duke Helfand, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
August 13, 2008

When John McCain and Barack Obama appear on the same stage Saturday at the sprawling religious campus of Orange County's Saddleback Church, their presence will vividly underline the reach that has made Pastor Rick Warren among the most significant evangelists of his generation.

But the joint appearance -- one of Warren's highest-profile endeavors -- will also underscore a tension that is central to his role. the rest