On April 4, I posted about the political hay being made by conservative pundits over Barack Obama's home church in Chicago, Trinity United Church of Christ. The critics believe Trinity's pastor, Jeremiah Wright, and they brand of Black Theology he preaches, amount to racism in reverse. I love that charge! It's usually made by rich white men.There's an article in today's NY Times that seems to cover the story of Obama's conversion to Christianity as an adult during a worship service at Trinity, his involvement in the church and some of the controversial statements made by Wright about the war in Iraq and American foreign policy.
I don't know the back story here on the reporting, but I suspect there is one. The Times has sort of been playing the relationship up between Obama and Wright and its possible tensions. I'm really not convinced there is any controversy here, other than what far-right critics are making of it. For me it is not surprising to think that a candidate for President of the United States--especially the first credible black candidate--would speak from a more cautions perspective by necessity than would a prophetic African-American minister. I remain unconvinced that America really wants to have a conversation about race, oppression and economic inequality.
Grace and Peace,
Chase
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