(AgapePress) - Controversy continues over the decision by Saddleback Church pastor Rick Warren's decision to invite U.S. Senator Barack Obama to a global AIDS summit at the Southern California church. One prominent pro-life leader -- citing the senator's outspoken support for abortion on demand -- is calling that decision a "heinous and vile invitation."

According to a media statement by A. Larry Ross Communications, the second annual "Global Summit on AIDS and the Church," which takes place at Warren's Orange County mega-church on Nov. 30-Dec. 1, will feature a variety of speakers from every walk of life. One of those speakers, slated to speak on Friday, is the Illinois Democrat -- a proponent of abortion on demand and an opponent of the federal ban on partial-birth abortion. (See earlier story)

The media statement states that Pastor Warren, popular author of the best-selling book The Purpose Driven Life, disagrees with Senator Obama's views on abortion and other positions taken by the lawmaker. But Tim Wildmon, president of the American Family Association, says Obama should not be allowed to take part in a program at an evangelical church.

The AFA president calls it "a serious conflict of interest" when a pro-life church provides its pulpit to a speaker who, like Obama, "believes in abortion on demand and has defended partial-birth abortion." Wildmon is one of a coalition of nationally known pro-life advocates who are calling on Warren to rescind the invitation to Obama.

The National Clergy Council and the Evangelical Church Alliance, among others, have joined that pro-life coalition in calling for Obama's appearance to be cancelled. Another is Janet Folger of Faith 2 Action, who contends that an invitation equals endorsement.

Janet Folger

"Inviting the advocate of partial-birth abortion and a man who has three times voted for infanticide is a 'Barack Obam-ination,'" says Folger. "Inviting this man into this church is an endorsement. It is a way of saying we agree what this man stands for, when he could not be more diametrically opposed to what the Church believes and what the Bible says."

Folger shares that she remained silent earlier when the first-term senator made statements she did not agree with. "I did not speak up when he was all but praising the Muslim nation of Syria that has persecuted Christians and Jews," she says. "I did not say anything when the allegations were made of new age connections." But the pro-life leader says this is something about which she cannot remain silent.

"When you've got such a proponent of abortion on demand, even partial birth-abortion, [an opponent of] even protecting a child that has already been born from being left to die -- this is a guy that should not be welcome in the church except to usher in repentance," exclaims Folger. "A man who has advocated killing children who are four-fifths of the way delivered and also an infanticide bill, which this guy has repeatedly voted for, is not something we should welcome into the church."

Warren has also invited global AIDS coordinator Mark Dybul to speak at the summit. Dybul, who was recently sworn in by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at a State Department ceremony, is an open homosexual with a live-in boyfriend.