Senator Obama and his wife Michelle have now resigned their membership from Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.
Given the outrageous and incendiary statements made from the pulpit by Rev. Wright and repeated with evident relish from the podium of the National Press Club, perhaps the Obamas’ resignation was inevitable. I personally thought the most disgraceful part of Wright’s performance at the National Press Club was his throwing of his parishioner (Sen. Obama) under the bus by saying that in distancing himself from Rev. Wright’s statements, Senator Obama was just “doing what politicians do” (calling into question Senator Obama’s veracity and integrity). With a shepherd like this, who needs wolves?
I suspect the final straw for Senator Obama was the disgraceful and sickening rant by Father Michael Pfleger, the Catholic priest, whose racist and sexist mocking of Senator Hillary Clinton from any pulpit of any church by any clergyman would be sacrilegious because of its content, tone, and spirit.
I’m glad that Senator Obama has severed his ties with Trinity Church. However, many Americans find the senator’s long-term relationships with Rev. Wright, Father Pfleger and Trinity Church disquieting. Why?
Rev. Wright and Father Pfleger didn’t just engage in drive-by pulpit muggings of Senator Obama. Rev. Wright was Obama’s pastor for 20 years, and the senator had called him a “mentor” who led him to Christ. As a pastor myself, I know that the pastor-church member relationship is very personal and intimate.
Senator Obama’s relationship with Father Pfleger, the controversial Catholic priest, also is a long-term one. Pfleger has contributed to Senator Obama’s political campaigns, and as a state legislator Senator Obama directed nearly a quarter of a million dollars in government grant money to social programs at St. Sabina’s, Father Pfleger’s parish church. The priest endorsed Senator Obama’s candidacy, and the Obama campaign even brought him to Iowa last September to host an interfaith forum.
Did Senator Obama never have an inkling of Rev. Wright’s and Father Pfleger’s radical and incendiary views over the many years of his relationships with both clergymen?
And most disturbing of all is the enthusiastic and exuberant response demonstrated by many Trinity Church members to Wright’s and Pfleger’s outrageous comments. In discussions of this issue with friends and colleagues, that is the question that most often arises. Why were the church members so enthusiastic in their response, and what does it tell us about Senator Obama that he and his family remained in such a church for two decades?
Most people compare the Trinity Church members’ reaction to what their own response would have been. I know I do. If I were ever witness to a rant such as the one Father Pfleger spewed out, I would get up and leave immediately, lest my continued presence be mistaken as silent agreement with such hateful racist and sexist speech. Why were so many present cheering?
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Diana Butler Bass is a religion scholar and author of Christianity for the Rest of Us: How the Neighborhood Church is Transforming the Faith. She blogs at 
Tony Campolo is Professor Emeritus at Eastern University and author of The God of Intimacy and Action: Reconnecting Ancient Spiritual Practices, Evangelism, and Justice, with Mary Darling. He blogs at 
Rod Dreher is a columnist for The Dallas Morning News and author of Crunchy Cons: The New Conservative Counterculture and Its Return to Roots. He blogs at 
Bruce Feiler is the author of seven books, including Walking the Bible: A Journey by Land Through the Five Books of Moses. He blogs at 
Dan Gilgoff is Politics Editor at Beliefnet and author of The Jesus Machine: How James Dobson, Focus on the Family, and Evangelical America are Winning the Culture War. He blogs at 
David Kuo served as a special assistant to President George W. Bush and is the author of Tempting Faith: An Inside Story of Political Seduction. He blogs at 
Dr. Richard Land is president of The Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission and author of The Divided States of America? What Liberals AND Conservatives are missing in the God-and-country shouting match!
Michele McGinty is a mom and a student at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. She blogs at 
Brian McLaren is a pastor, musician, and author of Everything Must Change: Jesus, Global Crises, and a Revolution of Hope. He blogs at 
Steven Waldman is co-founder, CEO, and Editor-in-Chief of Beliefnet. His book Founding Faith will be published in March, and he can be reached through 
Jim Wallis is executive director of Sojourners/Call to Renewal and author of God’s Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn’t Get It. He blogs at
The Deception that has ran in Washington is in McClellans book. When the crowd was agreeing is the sentiments of black people about their state of affairs. If you cannot understand that then there is a lot you have to learn about the black perspective. And if one moment like that can make you wonder...try suffering 400 yrs of slavery and unequal rights and tell me you would be ok. Those lies outlined in this book has been known to most due to the obvious deception of washington leadership. Just try another perspective...the black perspective and you will learn alot about america. To be amongst such congregants would enlight you about the sentiments of being black. It is from here that you can be in touch with other realities. In my opinion, its better to deal with the venting than to endure the hate crimes.
Dr. Land,
Thanks for your thoughts. I wonder if you have not answered your final question yourself:
"As a pastor myself, I know that the pastor-church member relationship is very personal and intimate."
Not only are the individual relationships very personal and intimate but so too are those of the collective church community. Perhaps a better hypothetical question would be what would I, Richard Land 20 year member of Trinity United Church of Christ, have done in such a circumstance, not what would I, Richard Land president of the ERLC would do? Neither Obama nor his fellow congregants have the advantage of "objective distance" in these incidents, in the same way that you or I do not have such perspective when trying to make sense of the failings of our own loved ones. We view them and interpret them through the lens of our relationship to them and that of our shared history. The hope is that when we need to do so, for their good, for the collective good, for our own good we can achieve a level of objectivity and "speak the truth in love" but we should not be surprised when that same love impairs our own vision or that of others. Especially, as you said, in the midst of such a "personal and intimate" relationship.
Thanks again for the contribution.
Otieno,
Black perspective? Violence, immorality, drugs, thugs and guns, abortion or fatherless children? No snitching in the hood? All you need to know about Obama and his Church is from the condition of the community they fail. THEIR OWN COMMUNITY. No whites need be blamed.
And what did Obama say about disconnecting himself from Wright? Lying is not change. Not in politics anyway. Same old song and dance.
Today's child:
You speak as if such problems were exclusive to black people.
News flash- they are not. Are you responsible for the actions of others? Even the actions of others in your church?
This isn't black or white perspective- this is, to a greater or lesser extent , the human condition.
This is an attempt to smear a man for partisan political gain- nothing more or less. Lying about that isn't change either- it's also the same old smear and fear dance.
To Otieno
I will tell you that I am white, always have been and always will be. I have a question for you. What exactly is it that blacks seem to think they don't have??? You can get any job you want, go to any school, get any education, buy any house, live anywhere you want, shop at any store, grocery, bakery etc. There are black senator, black congressmen, blacks in the cabinet, blacks as ambassadors. In this present day you have not been a slave, nor beaten in public, or killed. You have every right that anyone else does including the muslims who bombed the towers. I am not proud of what my ancestors did, however it is 200 years later and I for one don't see how "hard" you have it. I am not being sarcastic and would really like to know just what it is you wish you had. If we can give it to you then will you accept the fact that you are citizens of United States with inalienable rights the same as for the white man? Please tell me so we can work on it, otherwise I think it is a mantra that you grew up with and believe it and don't know how to get around it. May God bless you though as you endeavor to work it out.
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