Do you think Barack Obama is getting tired of having to apologize for the comments of all the pastors in his life? Has there ever been a presidential race like this before where a candidate’s connections to clergymen figure so prominently?
Anyhow, I’ve got a few thoughts on Obama’s latest “pastor problem.” First, didn’t Father Pfleger know that video from that Trinity United Church of Christ service would invariably end up circulating on YouTube and eventually everywhere else? Being from the Chicago area, I’ve known about and respected Father Michael Pfleger for a long time. He’s a true champion for justice on the South Side, and a man who faithfully lives out what he believes. But this current presidential race has turned a lot of usually sane and media-savvy leaders into careless loose cannons (e.g., Gloria Steinem, Andrew Young, Samantha Power, Geraldine Ferraro, Jeremiah Wright, Bob Johnson, Bill Clinton, etc.).
Even though the words at issue appeared to be only a brief aside, shouldn’t Father Pfleger have known better? His comments about Hillary Clinton were nothing new; I’ve heard similar criticisms in private settings. But was the church where Jeremiah Wright’s infamous rant originated the best place to say those things publicly?
Second, as Peter Parker intoned repeatedly in the first Spider-Man movie, “With great power comes great responsibility.” As we near the possible election of the first African American president of the United States, a lot blacks and urban-minded folks are giddy with excitement. And given the history of our nation regarding race, Obama’s candidacy is deserving of the excitement. However, with this dawning of a potential new era in racial progress, the African American community can no longer carry on as if everything it says and does in the privacy of our own churches and social gatherings is “just amongst ourselves.” The rest of the nation is listening now, like they’ve never listened before. In fact, many folks are just waiting to pounce on anything that smacks of ”reverse discrimination” or unpatriotic speech. Indeed, a residual effect of Obama’s emergence as a national figure is that the black church will no longer be dismissed by the majority culture as “a nice little pastime for blacks, with great music.” Many folks are now suspicious of–and even threatened by–what may or may not be going on at Second Baptist or Bethel A.M.E. on Sunday mornings.
Third, many of our black and urban pastors (and I tend to consider Father Pfleger a black pastor) need to dial down the worldly political rhetoric in the pulpit and start speaking more like Jesus. This doesn’t mean they have to curb the fiery, prophetic sermons that challenge society’s injustices. But it does mean their first inclination should be to speak the truth in love, with a spirit of compassion and grace.
We’ve been studying the book of Galatians in my small group from church, and the apostle Paul’s words in chapter 6 about restoring fallen brethren, carrying each other’s burdens, and serving others with humility are fresh in my mind. He says in verses 9-10:
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (NIV).
No matter how vindicated many African Americans may be feeling in light of Barack Obama’s success, no matter how justified we may feel in criticizing white America’s propensity for cultural blindness or their persistent sense of entitlement, we cannot allow bitterness or sarcasm to define our faith or our identity as believers. The way Father Pfleger mocked Hillary Clinton was devoid of the compassion and grace one would expect from a pastor, especially one as influential as this important leader.
Isn’t it sad that the politicians are now the ones who have to chastise and apologize for the pastors?
>>In fact, many folks are just waiting to pounce on anything that smacks of ”reverse discrimination”<<
There’s no such thing as reverse discriminatin, there is just discrimination, just as there is no such thing as reverse racism. There is just racism. Use of the term “reverse etc” is just a way to soften up the idea of what is really going on.
I’d like to see a black President one day-a mix blood might even be better- but Obama is not for me. What I’d really like to see is a Native American President. Then justice might finally be served. But let’s be honest. Americans will elect six black Presidents long before an Indian ever sits at the helm of this great country.
Otherwise it’s great article.
Peace!
http://goddrinksbeer.wordpress.com
Excellent post. Thanks.
Great post!
And not only this, but this TONE and the rejecting of those whites who have a problem with it does nothing but damage to the concept of reconciliation. Instead of coming to table for a discourse on race (which is the way it has to be), good white folk like myself who attempt understand the plight of AA’s are dismissed and lectured on why we can’t be offended by this TONE.
I am finding out through all of this that many AA’s, many who are Christians, do not seek reconciliation. They seek retribution. That will change nothing. I want to see change. I have a stake in this with my children as a white man married to a black woman. Little I am hearing from either side on this right now is helpful because we are so entrenched our ideologies.
Great post.
Lessoned learned…don’t say something and the apologize for it later. I don’t see too many politicians apologizing these days for their many errors.
You nailed it bro. I was saddened by Pflager’s YouTube clip. He hits a lot of points very squarely, but the pulpit is not the place for stumping, in my opinion.
Miss ya Big Ed.
***start speaking more like Jesus. This doesn’t mean they have to curb the fiery, prophetic sermons that challenge society’s injustices. But it does mean their first inclination should be to speak the truth in love, with a spirit of compassion and grace.**
A hearty AMEN to that!
Thanks for a great post, Ed.
…and so should we all speak in this manner – Truth in Love, Compassion and Grace
I think that how prominently pastors have figured into this campaign should be a wake up call to all in the church, black, white, liberal, and conservative. Barack Obama is apologizing for his pastors while John McCain is rejecting endorsements.
I think it exposes a problem that the religious right and the social justice minded left share: an over-emphasis on political solutions to problems.
I mean, we’re the church. We’re supposed to know that our weapons aren’t the weapons of the world, that our battle is not against flesh and blood. And yet I get emails from conservative organizations urging me to freak out about Subway discriminating againt homeschooling Christians and the Sojourners telling me that if we adopted Great Britian’s government all our problems would be solved. (I’m paraphrasing here) And we look to the government to solve the problems resulting fallen nature of man.
We have the Holy Spirit for goodness sakes! We have the very power of God, and we instead look to legislation and government programs. I’m not saying we should abandon our civic duties to vote and stay informed, but preach about Jesus and our positions as Christians in this crazy world and it would do much more good than judging Hillary Clinton or anyone else from the pulpit.
Often we seem to be lacking respect for the “other” these days. The other candidate, other religious tradition, other race, other political party, other … fill in the blank. I’m wondering if that is the source of the tone thing Rich mentions. (I’m assuming that there is enough “tone” to go around in more than one direction.) Frankly, it is a lot harder to respectfully disagree with someone than to do so with condescending disdain as we saw in the posted video.
With the recent anniversary of MLK’s death I read a good chunk of his Letter from a Birmingham Jail. (The fact that I could do this from my couch makes me think that this internet web thingy might be around a bit longer.) I was struck by the respectful tone and reasoned approach for a message written in dire circumstances. For me it was a stark contrast to a lot of what we hear today, from all sides. It was also effective at engaging the dominant culture folk.
As I ponder these things I come up with more questions than answers. But when it comes down to it, isn’t respect at the crux of the whole race relations thing in the first place?
Anyway, really good post. More lost sleep thinking about important things.
Interesting video. I was struck by several things while watching this video but the one that is sticking with me is that here, Michael Pfleger seems to be preaching this truth to the choir. Not the Hillary part exactly, but the part of white entitlement and the rejection of white privilege. I think the people in attendance at the church were actually aware of all of what he was saying. He should take that message back to the city and try to work it into some churches there. Share that knowledge in all white churches. That would be revolutionary, a true testament to faith and truly start reconciliation (perhaps not at first).
The people that need to hear that message are not hearing it and accepting it and believing it.
Reminds me of the call to be a reconciler and not a person who continues to feed division among people. Thank you Ed for continuing to work in this very important arena.
Great Post Ed,
I have struggled for a number of years with some Black Preachers/Churches. I, as an African American whose father was a pastor and involved with a number of Black churches, greatly appreciate the culture of the Black church. But I have always felt a disconnect. I grew up with friends – not just acquaintances – of all races and it was difficult for me to hear glaringly negative comments about my White, Hispanic and Asian friends in the context of the church.
I wonder where were the conversations, where what the Christian fellowship? Frustration usually builds when conversation and change does occur. The outside world is listening. We need to move from griping toward working together. There is room for voicing frustration – without that our conversations would not be honest-, but it needs to be expressing genuine pain and misunderstanding, rather than mocking others, anger towards people (rather than sin).
Sadly, this is all tied up in something political. Rev. Wright and now father Pfleger’s videos were not released and brought to mainstream media so that we would have a conversation about things that are divisive and progress. They were brought forth to discredit a candidate. The negative context of the release of these videos makes it hard for Americans, especially American Christians to ask, “Why these comments are made?” Why there is frustration in many minority communities? Why do white has reservations about diversity? etc. If we cannot ask questions, humble ourselves, seeking to earnestly understand one another and work through towards answers, the church (and society) will remain static in our ethnic and cultural enclaves and stay entrenched in our ideologies that cause disunity.
I don’t have access to streaming video right now since I’m accessing the internet through a filtered connection until my computer gets fixed, so I didn’t watch the video other than short clips on tv.
Sarah said there was something addressing white privilege and entitlement. I hope that these subjects will be fleshed out on this blog in the future, because I get bits and pieces here and there of what blacks observe regarding this, but not a complete picture.
I wonder if the entitlement attitude that Hillary Clinton appears to project is generalized by non whites as an attitude that most whites hold. From my observation at least this extreme kind of entitlement attitude is reserved for the rich and powerful, who would consider me as a middle class white woman part of the great unwashed as well. Any input would be helfpful.
Thanks, everyone, for your generous feedback. Obviously, a lot more has transpired since I published this post. We are living in very interesting times. I hope we’ll all be in prayer for Father Pfleger. Despite this recent fumble, he really is a good man who is doing important work in his parish.
Judy – I’m probably not the best person to respond to your question about blacks people’s generalization of white privilege and entitlement, since I might be too close to the issue to give you an objective response. A couple years ago, ABC News did this report: http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=2629192&page=1. It looks at the issue of “white privilege” from both sides, though I think ABC’s John Stossel probably falls a little more on the “There’s no such thing as white privilege” side of things.
My personal opinion is that white privilege does still exist. It’s passed down from generation to generation in some families. There are still many institutions in our society (banks, colleges, social clubs) that are rooted in it.
At the same time, I think non-whites do have greater opportunities now to overcome the various inequities in our society, and we shouldn’t use white privilege as an excuse for bitterness or inaction. I think we need to look at the subject realistically: Based on our nation’s history, some people (whether it be due to race, gender, or class) are given easier access to finacial and social success than others. That’s just a fact.
Because white privilege is not always something that’s consciously or deliberately practiced by white people in this nation, I don’t think many African Americans expect it to ever go away. My prayer is that those of us who are granted those extra privileges would use them justly and remember those who are underprivileged or oppressed. I think that’s how we ultimately dismantle the enduring machine of privilege and entitlement.
I just saw on the news that the diocese of Chicago asked Father Pfleger to step down from his duties for a few weeks to think about his statements. I think that is ridiculous and the wrong reaction. I am astounded, seriously astounded!!!!!! I immediately thought of this blog and came here to respond.
Thanks for your response Ed. I think I understand the concept of white privilege, and I agree that it exists, although it is complicated. I guess I was wondering more about the sense of entitlement thing, which to me is when people think they deserve better treatment because of color or some other social status. Like, what behavior conveys this attitude to others? I can receive better treatment overall because of circumstances I didn’t cause, but it is a whole different thing altogether for me to think that I’m special and deserve to be treated better than other people.
I’m convinced that many Christians are hypocrites. When was the last time you say down and read Matthew 23, for example. On face value it’s a ad hominen anti-Pharisee rant. This type of rhetoric makes Jews nervous becuase it has been used to fan the flame of ant-Semitism.
Jesus didn’t end up on the cross for nothing. Matthew and John have some of the most bitter anti-Judaistic rhetoric because, as historians tell us, the context was an religious turf war, to define who were the real Jews–nascent normative (rabbinic) Judaism or the messianic Judaism of the Jesus movement. We are seeing, in a different context, similar dynamics. But to use Jesus to critique this is futile. Jesus can be used in the other way also.
[...] Edward Gilbreath has some excellent thoughts about this controversy. [...]