McCain, Obama to participate in church forum

Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama will participate next month in a question-and-answer forum at Saddleback Church, Pastor Rick Warren said Monday.

Warren, who oversees the 22,000-member congregation, will question the presidential candidates on Aug. 16 during the church's Saddleback Civil Forum on Leadership and Compassion.

Joshua DuBois, Obama's director of religious affairs, said the senator was "looking forward to going back to Saddleback with his good friend Pastor Rick Warren." Obama spoke at Saddleback in 2006.

Warren said the candidates didn't want a debate format but rather the two-hour forum. The candidates are expected to appear together briefly before each takes questions from Warren for about an hour. A coin toss determined that Obama will go first.

Warren is the author of "The Purpose Driven Life."