First, I just want to thank you for the respectful tone of the conversation. That's refreshing.

Second, I hear what you are saying about how the address veered from tradition.

We're not going to come to an agreement on this. And in the long run, that's fine, it really doesn't matter. And it's not really why I wrote the piece anyway.

I think some of the issue is how one defines political. What I find is that some people are using the word political when they mean partisan. The Gospel is political. Jesus was political. You can read the beginning of the Gospel at his birth with the titles that are attributed to him. And at the crucifixion with a political title nailed above his body on orders from a political entity.

I would also say the complaint about a sermon being political often gets thrown when people don't like the content of the sermon. I have found that it is an effort to shut down conversation about whatever is being preached.

Lastly, the president is known for not exactly being concerned with traditions. We saw that when he held up a Bible for a photo op in front of a church that he never asked for permission to use as a prop all for a political photo op. He's obviously quite comfortable with using religion to his own political advantage.

I suspect this wouldn't still be talked about and memes wouldn't have been made if he would have just said nothing in response.