The decision to have evangelical preacher Rick Warren give the invocation at Obama's inauguration has drawn a lot of heat from the gay community. Warren has made comments that appeared to place homosexuality in the same category as pedophilia and incest. He is also against same-sex marriage.

One of the critics of the Warren pick was the Right Rev. Gene Robinson, the openly gay Episcopal bishop of New Hampshire.

An invitation has now also been extended to Robinson to take part in the inauguration ceremony. He will offer a prayer at the Lincoln Memorial during the opening ceremony. The decision of the inaugural committee to include Robinson could be seen as an attempt to defuse anger over the Warren pick. However Inaugural Committee spokesperson Clark Stevens pointed out that Robinson was invited because he offered advice to Mr Obama during the campaign and because of his work with the church.

Stevens described Robinson as: "an important figure in the religious community. We are excited that he will be involved."

Independent:

Mr Robinson, bishop for New Hampshire, said that he is not sure what he will say yet. But speaking on CNN he described the opportunity as "a remarkable and humbling thing to have happened".

He added that it showed that Mr Obama was "exactly who he said he was" when he said that he wanted "everyone at the table".

The Anglican Church has been badly fractured over the issue of gay clergy. In reaction to the the gay-positive stance of many within the church, members of GAFCON - Global Anglican Future Conference - have established a traditionalist splinter group.