Dear Friends in Christ,
I had not intended to address the
Trinity-Wright-Obama situation again because, as I have
been saying lately, 47 young Americans died in
recent weeks in Iraq plus unknown numbers of Iraquis not
to mention other war torn places; trillions of dollars
are being spent on war while global hunger has reached
dangerous proportions ; and the economic mess in
this country is threatening the health and well being of
the unemployed and working folk in serious ways.
WHY are we permitting ourselves to be distracted by a
media fixated on this situation? WHERE is our rage about
war, hunger and poverty?
But I have received several emails
asking how I'm feeling and what I'm thinking in the wake
of the painful Rev Wright-Senator Obama situation and
following the National Press Club event
Monday. Apparently at least some churches
are finding this all difficult to deal with and I
understand that. Our national UCC offices
are struggling with calls, letters and emails from all
'sides' . Near the end of this piece, you can link to a
letter just sent out from our General Minister and
President. As for me, I've spoken with a few
reporters (again) and heard that I was mentioned on the
O'Reilly program by a caller. And pastor Wright
mentioned me at the National Press Club, telling them
that I spoke from the Trinity pulpit and said "I am
unashamedly African..." I understand you may want
to know more about that. So I will share some
thoughts with you, while encouraging us all to address
this as part of giving our attention and energy to God's
mission of love, peace and justice.
First, let me say that because I know
and love Rev. Wright and have met and respect Senator
Obama, I do not intend to allow the media distortion and
furor to influence my high opinion of either man.
As I told a reporter, I genuinely believe that both men
are honorable and faith driven and that each, in his own
way, is pursuing what he believes to be God's
call. (That perspective, of course, did not get
reported.) I find it troubling that we as a nation
are permitting the media to act as if disagreements
between two adult men must somehow diminish one or the
other. And it is not necessary that any of us choose one
over the other. We can just accept that this is a moment
of deep difference and respect them both. Folks, these
are good people being pressured by a culture, politics
and media into an untenable situation.
Second, I am just going to come out and
say this: I sincerely believe that this is all
happening only because Senator Obama is an African
American with the real potential of being
President. Oh, of course white men have been hit
by 'swift boats' before. But to assault a
candidate's church and pastor as part of an effort to
undermine that candidate is unheard of and, I believe,
utterly inexcusable. I believe there is such
fear and passion in this country, among some, about the
possibility of a black man becoming president that this
is all about fanning those destructive
flames. Please note: I am not making a
political statement about any particular
candidate. I am making a cultural observation
about one of our nation's deepest sins, the sin of
racism.
Third. Some have asked why Rev.
Wright would do what he is doing and, as some say,
undermine Senator Obama's campaign. Someone even
asked what Wright 'has 'against'Obama'. I can tell
you after knowing Rev. Wright for eight years that he is
being the Jeremiah Wright he has always been. He
is brilliant, insightful, a biblical scholar, a widely
respected preacher and leader with a lifelone record of
ministry influence for good, for justice and for human
rights that few can equal. He is also fiery and
occasionally volatile. I have disagreed with him
and we have had words over stuff. But that doesn't
change my overall deep regard for him. Nothing has
changed about Rev. Wright and he is not, I believe,
'doing' anything in relation to the Senator. He is doing
and saying what he believes is right for the church and
its ministry. That's who he is. I am
astounded that folks who were voicing and writing
support for him and for Trinity UCC are now turning on
him. He is and has been Jeremiah Wright, as
always, and in my view he owes it to no one to change
who he is or the nature of his ministry.
Fourth. As I reflect on my life
and ministry, there are many things I have said that I
wish I had not said or at least in the way I said
them. And when we are under pressure,
all of us may react to that pressure by writing or
speaking in a way we might not have. I can't speak
for Rev. Wright but I know that if all of my preaching
and teaching and speaking in front of groups was
recorded, there would be things I would rather take back
or say differently. Friends, Jeremiah Wright is a
great man but he is human. This furor is placing
inhuman levels of stress on him and his
family. They are living under 24 hour
security. It is outrageous. I say give the
man, this fine pastor, a break. If you disagree
with him, fine. But don't demonize him. I
challenge anyone to match him in the good he has done,
the lives he has touched and the influence he has been
on young people, the imprisoneed, black fathers,
communities in Ghana and Brazil and more. I
personally know one man whose life was literally
transformed because Rev. Wright took the time to reach
out to him while in prison. That man is now a bright and
promising seminary student with a powerful witness for
Jesus Christ. I have seen the remarkable impact of
his and the church's ministry in an impoverished
Ghanaian village. I challenge Rev. Wright's
critics to risk measuring their lives before God next to
his, the good and the troublesome together.
Fifth. When I visited Trinity
several weeks ago I said that this episode reminds me of
the story of Joseph. Late in his life, remembering
the way his brothers had sold him into slavery, Joseph
said to his brothers: "Though you intended to do
harm to me, God intended it for good..."
(Gen.50:20) I believe that God can work through us
all in taking this painful, difficult moment and turn it
into good. I already know of some ways that is
happening---like the young man who had drifted away from
the church but went to one of our Southern California
churches on Easter "in honor of Rev. Wright". What
greater way is there to honor someone than to celebrate
our living Lord and return to Christ's church? But
the real good that could come from this is if this
country and our church would actually face the
challenges of race and racism. I urge and
encourage you to enter a sacred conversation about race
with anyone possible---in your family, in your church,
with your friends. Our denomination has some resources
for this conversation. Plus you
may view
John Thomas's letter. This is an opportunity to
focus on a real need for healing in our country. Let's
not blow it by fighting over one man.
Finally, I want to tell you why, as Rev.
Wright told the Press Club, I stood in the pulpit of
Trinity United Church of Christ and said "I am
'unashamedly African". That was not because I am
some weird kind of pale-person-Afro-wanta-be (though I
do love the colorful Afro dresses). I said it and
meant it because I find meaning and healing in
acknowledging that historically, anthropologically we
all began in Africa. Anthropological studies show
that the earliest known emergence of a distinguishable
human creature came in Africa. But also from a
church perspective, significant parts of the Bible have
African connections (obvious ones like the Cyrene who
carried Christ's cross and much more) and some of the
earliest and most influential church leaders, came from
the continent of Africa. So our church and
religious heritage has deep African roots as
well. I am unashamedly African because it is
simply true that much of human and Christian history is
rooted there and that heritage should be honored,
respected and claimed as much as my later European
heritage. It is simply time that we
light-skinned folk faced that there is nothing remotely
superior about us because a fluke of human geographic
migration long ago led to our having paler skins than
those living in our originating geography. It is
time that we light skinned ones acknowledged the
privilege that is now ours because generations before us
claimed a white superiority which conquered and enslaved
whole nations of darker children of God-in Africa, in
this country and around the globe. It is time we
acknowledged that some of God's children are still
living with the life diminishing effects of that
history. And it is time that we, in our time,
stepped up to the challenge voiced differently but
voiced by both Rev. Wright and Senator Obama of moving
towards a new reality of genuine equality and justice in
this nation and unity in our churches. Friends in
Christ, this isn't a matter of going off on a guilt
trip---guilt is counterproductive right now on the
matter of race. It is rather a matter of people of
all races taking responsibility for what we do with the
realities of our time. It is a matter of living
what we say we believe: that in the beginning, God
created the heavens and the earth and all those who walk
upon it. We are all beloved children of our God
but some of God's children in our world are without fair
access to food, education, work and health care because
of a history of racism. It is time we all said
ENOUGH. The time for hating and anger and division is
past. It is now time for sacred conversations about race
and about building a better world together, for all, ALL
of God's children.
Sorry for the length but some of you
asked for this!
Below are some additional links that
have been shared with me...
With you in prayer during these
interesting times,
Jane
here's
a piece by:
