New beginnings: Obamas mark Passover and Easter

On Thursday night the non-Jewish Obamas hosted what is thought to be the first Passover Seder dinner ever held at the White House. On Monday they will host the traditional White House Easter egg roll, one day after celebrating Easter. Between the two events they will have marked two very important holidays for two different religions, very publicly. Religion and the public life of politicians is always at issue, and seemingly much more intertwined in the United States than it is in Western Europe and many other developed nations. It’s no different for President Obama, who fought off whispers on the campaign trail that he is Muslim, who offended many supporters with his choice of the evangelical minister Rick Warren to deliver the prayer at his inauguration, and whose religious and non-religious beliefs are cause for headlines today.

A sampling of latest headlines on Obama and religion
Beyond following where the Obamas will celebrate Easter and hosting the Seder dinner, news networks are monitoring the Obamas search for a permanent church to worship in while living in Washington. They are said to have friends trying out different churches in the city.

Meanwhile, his pro-choice stance on abortion and support of stem-cell research is rattling some at the University of Notre Dame, where he is to give the commencement speech this spring. The Catholic Bishop whose territory includes Notre Dame won’t attend graduation in protest, some students are holding rallies on campus to show their disapproval of the invitation, and some alums have been critical. At the same time, he also has supporters on the campus and around the country.

Separately, speaking in Turkey earlier this week, Obama made it clear that the U.S. seeks a new and different relationship with the Muslim world, one based “upon mutual interest and mutual respect,” he said. In an important moment, he reminded the Turkish Parliament that some of his relatives are Muslim, drawing applause.

The big picture
Religion is one of those topics where it’s difficult to win—nobody will ever agree. And because religious life is so public with politicians in America, it often drives a lot of headlines. Interestingly, a recent survey says many Americans are feeling less religious. The number of people claiming no religion almost doubled to 15% between 1990 and 2008. Regardless, what Obama’s message seems to be is that it’s important to keep the dialogue open despite differences. By celebrating both the recent holidays, he seems again to underscore that message.

Have a good week!