Obama's Problem

A great deal has taken place since my last entry. I was ill for quite a while, but now I am back and hopefully with the LORD's aid and blessing I can post far more frequently.

One of the more disturbing events that has come to pass has been the revelations concerning the pastor of Barack Obama, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. I find his statements to be reprehensible and racist. I am disturbed that Senator Obama has such a close relationship with this man. I certainly hope and pray that Senator Obama does not share the Rev. Wright's theological views, for that is precisely the problem here, and it is a problem most "news" outlets are missing.

For instance, many, if not most of the commentators on both television and radio seem focused on the idea that this was a predominantly "black" church. I have seen television news pieces centered in on the question "What really goes on in black churches in America?", and I have heard radio program hosts asking whether or not this is 'typical' of "black" churches. It seems to me that asking the question itself at least hints at a latent racist attitude. It certainly betrays gross ignorance to ask those kind of questions for it assumes that all so-called "black" churches follow the same teaching. Granted there is similarities in many churches characterized as "black," but I would submit that these similarities are predominantly manifested in style rather than substance.

I must at this point give the qualifier that I am a white pastor. I am conservative and evangelical in my theology, with a strong belief in the inerrancy of the Scriptures as originally given. I have, however, both attended "black" churches and been privileged to preach at "black" churches as well. In every case, the experience was a strongly positive one. Yes, the style of music and preaching and worship was different than what I was mostly familiar with, but the theology was solidly conservative and I would not hesitate to endorse those churches.

The problem with the church Senator Obama has been a member of has never been a racial one. It has always been a theological one. It begins with the belief, preaching and application of "Black Liberation Theology" that Rev. Wright espouses. This is not a theology that Rev. Wright invented, simply one that he adheres to. In seminary, I read some of this theology as written by perhaps its leading champion, James Cone. In a nutshell, this theology is overtly racist in both tone and substance. One way to describe it would be as a slightly christianized version of the Nation of Islam's philosophy. I won't go into detail in this post, but in several future posts I will.

Giving credit where credit is due, I have found one TV program that seems to understand the problem of theology as important here. The Glenn Beck show on CNN is doing a series this week on Black Liberation Theology. I will try to watch and see if they really do "get it."

IJHN,

LEE