Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr.
Under his leadership, Trinity adopted the motto "Unashamedly Black and Unapologetically Christian" and has set out to make activism within and on behalf of the African American community a key aspect of the church's mission. An outspoken community leader, Wright has been vocal in making once-taboo issues, such as AIDS, a priority within the African American church leadership and service. His commitment to political activism, coupled with his dedication to the African American sermonic tradition, has made him a highly sought-after speaker nationally and internationally.
The Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. Senior pastor of the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, is considered one of the nation’s leading authorities on and advocates for social, spiritual and economic justice. His topic is “The Emerging of African American Cultures: Who Stole my Identity?”
When he took over Trinity United Church of Christ in 1972, Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr. was a maverick pastor with a wardrobe of dashikis and a militant message.
Six years later, he planted a "Free South Africa" sign on the lawn of his church and asked other local religious leaders to follow his lead.
None took him up on the invitation.
The sign stayed until the end of apartheid, --long enough to catch the eye of a young Barack Obama, who visited the church in 1985 as a community activist. Obama, was not a churchgoer at the time, but he found himself returning to the sanctuary of Trinity United. In Wright he had found both a spiritual mentor and a role model.
with his win in the Democratic U.S. Senate primary race for a U.S. Senate seat, he found a growing audience by preaching the politics of social justice
The rebellious son of a Baptist minister, Wright was hired by Trinity United when he could find no Baptist church to take him. The congregation on 95th Street, then numbering just 87, had recently adopted the motto "Unashamedly black and unapologetically Christian." They did not mind his fiery red Afro and black power agenda.
often questioning the common sense of Scripture, objecting to mandatory prayer in schools and clashing with clergy
"The black church is probably the only space in America where black men can have unquestioned authority,"
Wright takes members of his flock to different African nations every year. Wright also encourages youths in the congregation to attend historically black colleges and universities
The pastor warned the community activist that getting involved with Trinity might turn off other black clergy because of the church's radical reputation.
the senator does check with his pastor before making any bold political moves.
"Obama, was not a churchgoer at the time, but he found himself returning to the sanctuary of Trinity United. In Wright he had found both a spiritual mentor and a role model."
Excellent!
Do you have a link or is this from Lex/Nex?
Translation: the guy's a fake, a Jim Jones-style atheist who uses the Fundamentalist revivalist style to deliver his atheist sermons ("Rev." Jones even used to perform "healings" while simultaneously claiming G-d doesn't exist).
Funny how similar the "Afro-American sermonic tradition" is to the sermonic tradition of "ignorant, bigoted, redneck, snake-handling holy rollers," but no one except Thomas Sowell has pointed this out.
I guess white people are too highly "evolved" to go in for that stuff, while it's perfectly understandable for those quaint, primitive "people of color."