A PCUSA Perspective on Jeremiah Wright

The president of the National Black Presbyterian Caucus, the Rev. Gregory Bentley, has written a letter to African-American Presbyterians in which he takes up the cause of racist conspiracy-monger Jeremiah Wright. Bentley writes:

The Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright Jr. was neither polite nor genteel in the sound bites that have recently caused such a firestorm. However, Dr. Wright stands squarely within the Prophetic Black Church Tradition with an authentic passion that emanates from the reality of America’s history of racism and oppression. He spoke the truth. Now, this truth may be abrasive and objectionable to some, but to others it is a validation of the point of view of many African Americans and other marginalized and oppressed peoples.

The Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright’s ministry has effectively served as [a catalyst for a more accurate assessment of America’s racial past and the remedies needed to correct the debilitating consequences of that shameful legacy]. As a frequent preacher and lecturer at National Black Presbyterian Caucus conventions, Dr. Wright has inspired and enlightened us about what it means to be “unashamedly black and unapologetically Christian.” He has helped many of us come to grips with the fact that being black and Presbyterian is not an either/or proposition, it is a both/and reality. Just as Dr. Wright has stood firmly with us we now stand firmly with him and the Prophetic Black Church Tradition that will continue to bear witness until indeed justice “rolls down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”

So, what is it that the Rev. Bentley believes is true in the “sound bites that have recently caused such a firestorm”? Is it:

•That the U.S. government developed the AIDS virus as a weapon to destroy African-Americans?

•That Louis Farrakhan is one of the great voices of the last century, and that he wasn’t talking about Judaism but Zionism all those times he referred to “the Jews” and Judaism as a “gutter religion”?

•That blacks are inherently right-brained, while whites are inherently left-brained?

•That America got what it deserved on 9/11?

•That Zionism is racism?

Which of these statements is true, Rev. Bentley? Because if they aren’t, you’re defending a preacher who is seriously unhinged.

United Methodists Hold the Line

The quadrennial General Conference of the United Methodist Church is meeting this week in Fort Worth, Texas, and yesterday rejected a series of attempts to change the Methodist Book of Discipline in a more gay-friendly direction. According to the United Methodist News Service:

Delegates to the 2008 General Conference on April 30 rejected changes to the United Methodist Social Principles that would have acknowledged that church members disagree on homosexuality.

Delegates instead adopted a minority report that retained language in the denomination’s 2004 Book of Discipline describing homosexual practice as “incompatible with Christian teaching.”

In its majority report, the legislative committee, chaired by Frederick Brewington, New York Conference, recommended that delegates delete the incompatibility sentence and adopt the statement, “Faithful, thoughtful people who have grappled with this issue deeply disagree with one another; yet all seek a faithful witness.”

The revision also would have asked United Methodists and others “to refrain from judgment regarding homosexual persons and practices as the Spirit leads us to a new insight.”

Since previous direct assaults on the “incompatible” language had failed, this seems to have been an effort at going at it from the flank. The language would have been deleted and replaced by an acknowledgment of division on the question. While that would have been an accurate description of the state of debate among Methodists, it hardly constitute a statement of principle. And to call for those who believe homosexuality to be wrong and contrary to Scripture to “refrain from judgment” would have undoubtedly been a case of the camel sticking its nose in the tent, so as to push further and further inside over time.

The UMNS indicated that several other actions were taken on sexuality issues:

• Add the words “sexual orientation” to an existing resolution regarding a commitment to educational opportunity regardless of gender, sexual orientation, ethnic origin or economic or social background

• Retain language of Paragraph 341.6 in the Discipline that prohibits United Methodist ministers from conducting ceremonies that celebrate homosexual unions

• Reject a proposal to add “civil unions” to a list of basic civil liberties in Paragraph 162.H because delegates felt the language was already inclusive

• Reject amending Paragraph 161.C to include “committed unions” in a section describing the sanctity of the marriage covenant.

Well done, UMs. Let’s hope that the PCUSA, when it meets next month in San Jose, follows the lead of their Arminian brothers and sisters.