As a pastor of the Christian gospel and a black woman, I feel uniquely qualified to offer a perspective on the current conversation. Particularly, since I have purchased and listened to tapes of Pastor Wright at length and repeatedly as well as read some of the church publications. Indeed at one point in time my husband, who is also an ordained minister and pastor considered joining the denomination.
Pastor Wright is an experienced and learned man of the gospel and the world. Jesus never calls anyone to serve for their perfection but for their willingness to humbly serve. Pastor Wright has demonstrated he mourns for the "least of these" in sermon and service. The call of a pastor is not make the world more comfortable.
Pastors, all pastors chosen of God, are called to persuade, compel, and cause humanity to recognize their preferences may indeed be prejudices when aligned with the principles of God. Moreover, pastors must awaken their generation from apathy and contentment that they might pursue purposes greater than their present need and beyond their personal greed.
Lastly, in America there is a historical and contemporary issue of race that permeates the culture which includes the religious life. Christians do not measure their relationship with God on religious traditions, trends, or talk but on the truth of the word of God. We recognize that the vessels chosen by God bring their experiences and emotions with them; pastors are working out their own salvation as they are leading us in the God-given vision. We can accept a pastor who is not 100% of what we believe because our faith is in Jesus Christ and Christianity is based on a deep and abiding personal relationship with the Lord. Barack Obama cannot leave his church-home or pastor until God directs him to do so.
For all we know God has Senator Obama there to show Pastor Wright a more excellent way.
4 comments:
After reading your post I don't know what you think or coming from. What Pastor Wright preaches is not Christian. It's pure hate, racism, bigotry and division, stewed in hate and contempt for our Nation. Period. And it is wrong.
I don't know pastor wrights history but I do know America history and what pastor wright was saying I heard a lot of truth in what he is saying. America is a racist country that is what it was build on. Most whites get all offense when a person of color speaks the truth about America because most whites don't experience racism.Most white folks can have a prison record and get a job before a person of color with no record at all, most whites do more heavy drugs then people of color but the prisons are full of person of color. White people don't see racism because they are very comfortable pretending as if it is not there. Pastor wright is correct.
Pastor Wright may indeed be right given the racist history of America, but clearly what he has said is inflammatory and certainly not constructive. I think it is irresponsible for him to advance rumors and conspiracy theories about the HIV epidemic from the pulpit. I think it is also irresponsible for him to place his church in legal jeopardy by campaigning from the pulpit. Lastly, I think it is unconcienable for him to have placed the candidacy of Barack Obama, his congregant and close associate at such risk, knowing that his inflammatory rhetoric would be under close scrutiny by those looking for an excuse to dismiss Obama as a serious candidate. I can only hope we don't look back on this as a turning point for Barack's momentum towards the presidency. He is a brilliant leader, and God knows there are more than a few stupid Americans who don't appreciate him, let alone those who were suspicious and are now turned off for good. I hope this incident causes some serious introspection on the part of all Black clergy as to the nature of their utterances from the pulpit.
Norm Harris
San Mateo, Ca.
Proudly supporting Obama 08.
White folk has a way of turning away from the truth especially when it comes to black folk.how dare you call rev.wright a racist,when for years lynchings,black people in jail for no good reason(and still blacks make up more of the prison population then white)how dare you.The history of America is lousy with the stench of racism,not only with black folk but,the American indian as well and other peoples of color.Maybe the timing was wrong,with a blackman running for the highest office in the country,but never the less what rev.wright said was on point.America was built on racism and violance,and yet what she has accomplisd was done on the bloody backs of black slaves,and no one has compensated black america for four hundred years of pain and suffering.HOW DARE YOU.
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