If I were a Christian, I’d belong to the UCC
I admit the “God damn America” bit was a rhetorical step too far. But what I believe Pastor Wright was trying to say, as I have heard him say in many sermons over the years, is that blind patriotism is an offense. It is ahistorical. And it is dangerous. America, great though it is, has plenty of blood on its hands. It has, in many cases, wielded its power unskillfully and to the detriment of powerless people all over the world. To ignore that is abhorrent, unhelpful and it weakens us. It is better to call out your country’s wrongs and work to correct them as Pastor Wright does, than to preach “my country right or wrong,” which is the greater danger to the republic. Pastor Wright speaks truth to power, unfiltered, from a leftist point of view.
Some folks balk at that. I embrace it. Trinity is the first church where I saw women in the pulpit and among the leadership, not relegated to the pews and the kitchen. It is the first church where I heard a male pastor correct the idea, often attributed to the Bible, that women are secondary to men. It is the first church where I heard a pastor preach that everyone doesn’t need to marry or have children. It is the first church I have attended where the pastor refused to castigate gays, even if it meant the loss of membership. It is the first church I have attended that encourages its members to use their faith for strength against racism, but also to help all marginalized people.
It is interesting that we are quite comfortable with radical rightwing preachers. Pat Robertson can blame Hurricane Katrina on homosexuals and still be called for interviews by the mainstream news and embraced by presidents. Bob Jones University, a Christian college visited by George Bush, can ban “unGodly”dalliances between black and white students. John McCain can “welcome”support from Rev. John Hagee, who wants a Biblically prophesied invasion of Iran. But a radical leftist minister is just too, too much.
from What Tami Said
“Trinity is the first church where I saw women in the pulpit and among the leadership, not relegated to the pews and the kitchen. It is the first church where I heard a male pastor correct the idea, often attributed to the Bible, that women are secondary to men. It is the first church where I heard a pastor preach that everyone doesn’t need to marry or have children. It is the first church I have attended where the pastor refused to castigate gays, even if it meant the loss of membership. It is the first church I have attended that encourages its members to use their faith for strength against racism, but also to help all marginalized people.”
True Christianity embraces those things, we won’t Go to a Christian Church that DOESN’T do those things. I’m so sad that someone has never seen this in the Christian community before, I see it many places
Thanks for passing that on.
Well said, Tami.
You know, I have attended churches where women are in leadership positions (generally doing something with kids, but occasionally as pastors), but I have never heard a pastor preach about equality of the sexes. I feel like there is an undercurrent of conservativism (bordering on intolerance) in most of the Christian churches we’ve tried around here. It may be regional– I hear that more liberal areas have more liberal churches.
We’re looking into Unitarianism because we’re not finding a protestant church that reflects our liberal views, and it would be such a relief not to have to pretend to be SOOO sure of what we believe.
It seems that you saw a little “peek” into something good that is labeled “Christian”. How very sad that you have normally seen the opposite.
The Jesus I serve is not racial, not judgmental, not sexist, nor unloving or unwelcoming to anyone, including those who are gay, unmarried, or ‘different’.
I hope you can find His true love and view elsewhere in this world… there really are those out there who represent His pure and lovely life.
thanks for your honest post.
I work for a UCC church. I’m their Admin Asst./Secretary/Clerk/Financial Secretary/Web Designer/Web Master/Newsletter Publisher/ Anything else they can think of for me to do.
I’ll admit that Northern Indiana still swings more conservative than other places in the world but I’m so thrilled to find a church where I feel that my Liberal leanings aren’t totally out of whack. Yes there are disagreements, and yet there are some people who disagree, but it’s been a wonderful experience so far. (I’ve been there since last August.)
I’ll also admit that I was thrilled to hear that Obama was a UCC member. Incidentally, the Pastor used Obama’s race speech as an inspiration for his Good Friday sermon.