Tcu To Honor Rev. Wright

DeepGreen · March 19, 2008

TCU's Brite Divinity School still plans to honor Obama's fiery pastor, Jeremiah Wright

07:14 AM CDT on Tuesday, March 18, 2008

By SAM HODGES / The Dallas Morning News

samhodges@dallasnews.com

Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth is sticking by a decision to honor Chicago pastor Jeremiah Wright despite controversy over his pulpit rhetoric and relationship to presidential candidate Barack Obama.

The school, at Texas Christian University, decided months ago to salute Dr. Wright at an event later this month for his long career in ministry.

According to a statement posted Monday on its Web site, Brite affirmed its decision "after careful review" and "understanding the sincere concerns many have voiced in response to recent media reports."

The statement continues:

"Contrary to media claims that Wright preaches racial hatred, church leaders who have observed his ministry describe him as a faithful preacher of the gospel who has ministered in a context radically different from that of many middle class Americans."

Dr. Wright recently retired after more than three decades as pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, whose members include Mr. Obama.

Mr. Obama has long cited Dr. Wright as an important influence, but controversy about their relationship has simmered for months and finally boiled over last week when television stations began airing video of the pastor's condemnation of American racism and U.S. foreign policy.

In the video clips, Dr. Wright insisted that the United States brought the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorism attacks upon itself because of a corrupt foreign policy.

In a 2006 speech he said, "Racism is how this country was founded and how this country was run. ... We believe in white supremacy and black inferiority and believe it more than we believe in God."

Dr. Wright has called America the "No. 1 killer in the world" and in a 2003 sermon said, "The government gives them the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law and then wants us to sing 'God Bless America.' "

Mr. Obama issued a statement Friday repudiating as "inflammatory and appalling" remarks by the pastor that had escalated the controversy.

He repeated Monday that he thinks Dr. Wright's statements are "wrong, and I strongly condemn them." He added, though, "The caricature that has been painted of him is not accurate."

Newell Williams, president of Brite, said the controversy prompted him to spend part of the weekend reviewing texts and audio of Dr. Wright's remarks.

After that review, he and other administrators decided to go forward with honoring the pastor.

"As a historian, I think that the particular setting and moment and audience and issues to which a speech is directed ... are critical for understanding any particular text," Dr. Williams said by phone.

The Web site statement emphasizes Dr. Wright's role in building Trinity from a tiny church to one of several thousand members, with numerous community service programs, as well as missions in Africa. The statement also noted that Brite sponsors Ministers Week at TCU.

Dr. Wright was the Wells Preacher for the 2001 Ministers Week, meaning he held an endowed speakership named for L.N.D. Wells, who was a pastor at East Dallas Christian Church.

"No Wells Preacher in recent years has been better received than Dr. Wright," according to the statement.

Frederick Haynes III, pastor of Friendship-West Baptist Church in Dallas, is among the black pastors who revere Dr. Wright.

He said recent coverage of Dr. Wright amounts to a "media lynching" in which sound bites have substituted for serious analysis of preaching that speaks to and from the black experience in America.

"The experience is rooted in what has taken place in ... [America] for 400 years," he said. "Before you judge the expression, you really need to be aware of the experience."

Dr. Haynes praised Brite for holding to its decision to salute Dr. Wright.

"They see him in context, and the context is 36 phenomenal years of growing a ministry that has had worldwide impact," Dr. Haynes said. "I believe if Martin Luther King Jr. were alive and pastoring, his ministry would look like Jeremiah Wright's."

Brite will host the fourth annual State of the Black Church Summit and Awards Banquet on March 29.

Dr. Wright is to participate in a luncheon panel discussion. He is to be honored that night at a $125-per-person banquet. Previous honorees include longtime Dallas pastor Zan Holmes.

Dr. Williams acknowledged that he's already hearing about the decision to honor Dr. Wright.

"Of course there are people who have expressed in e-mail messages their displeasure," he said. "There also have been people who have written to say we're so pleased with the decision you've made."

Although Brite is on the TCU campus, it's a separate school with its own officers and board. Dr. Williams emphasized that the decision to honor Dr. Wright was Brite's alone.

TCU Chancellor Victor J. Boschini Jr. said Monday that "TCU supports the right of free speech even when the opinions expressed are controversial. That is what a university is about. But giving an award is another matter, and in this specific case in light of Reverend Wright's recently discovered remarks, TCU would not give such an award."

The Philadelphia Inquirer contributed to this report.

untbowler · March 19, 2008

hmmm, what he was spewing was pure hate not freedom of speech.

Whatever gets this school into the paper I guess. :angry:

BeanCounterGrad'03 · March 19, 2008

I trust a seminary president's deeper research and examination of the pastor's sermons and ministry much more than a media report dictating quotes from 2 or 3 of his sermons.

That being said, before taking a stedfast, unchanging, and strong opinion on issues of this nature (race relations, US foreign policy, etc.), one should do further research on their own terms rather than being spoon-fed it from the media (left or right-wing slanted). I personally have not had the time to do this because of work, family, and church obligations and I'm sure the same goes for a large majority of other Americans. This can lead to "blind" development of opinions based on what is being repeated on the news or on what you want to hear/believe, which I believe is a huge problem for American society. [steps off soap-box] Just my opinion and random thoughts on a sloooooooow Wednesday morning.

God! I can't wait for football season! <_<

NTPhiKap99 · March 19, 2008

So you're telling me TCU hates America too.

Censored by Laurie · March 19, 2008

I trust a seminary president's deeper research and examination of the pastor's sermons and ministry much more than a media report dictating quotes from 2 or 3 of his sermons.

But that requires logic.

FirefightnRick · March 20, 2008

I trust a seminary president's deeper research and examination of the pastor's sermons and ministry much more than a media report dictating quotes from 2 or 3 of his sermons.

Or better yet, you could simply trust a man who has spent the past 20 some odd years personally counseling with him spiritually, emotionally and on every personal level that could possibly evolve between a man and wife and their children and their pastor, Barrack Obama, who told the nation yesterday that he condemned the Rev's hate speech we have all been learning about recently from Chicago Illinois. Of course it's not the first time the senator has tried to distance himself from JW and his reputation.

Rick

Edited March 20, 2008 by FirefightnRick

BeanCounterGrad'03 · March 20, 2008

Or better yet, you could simply trust a man who has spent the past 20 some odd years personally counseling with him spiritually, emotionally and on every personal level that could possibly evolve between a man and wife and their children and their pastor, Barrack Obama, who told the nation yesterday that he condemned the Rev's hate speech we have all been learning about recently from Chicago Illinois. Of course it's not the first time the senator has tried to distance himself from JW and his reputation.
Rick

Personally, I trust him because I believe he thinks for himself and has his own opinions of which some may differ from his former pastor...I know I don't agree with everything that all of my former and current pastors have said, some of which I've been very close to. Granted, none of them are as firey as Mr. Wright.

KRAM1 · March 20, 2008

Too bad this type of rethoric is spewed anywhere or anytime. For the life of me I cannot find an instance where I would condider that sort of rethoric beneficial.

I personally think TCU should forget the presentation....if George Bush had made similar statements...taken out of context or not...I wonder what the press would be saying...not to mention Mr. Obama and Ms Clinton! Think GW would get a "pass" from the majority of the media and be invited to receive an award at a divinity school?

Just wondering..... :blink:

Quoner · March 20, 2008

NEVERMIND

Edited March 20, 2008 by Quoner

meangreendork · March 20, 2008

Or better yet, you could simply trust a man who has spent the past 20 some odd years personally counseling with him spiritually, emotionally and on every personal level that could possibly evolve between a man and wife and their children and their pastor, Barrack Obama, who told the nation yesterday that he condemned the Rev's hate speech we have all been learning about recently from Chicago Illinois. Of course it's not the first time the senator has tried to distance himself from JW and his reputation.
Rick

Sounds good. Obama (IIRC) condemned what Wright said but still supports and appreciates Wright. Hey, if it works, it works.

That said, I have some agreement with what Wright said. America does have a huge laundry list of problems that are everywhere from the criminal system and that reach into foreign diplomacy and intelligence gathering (both of which contributed to the 9-11 attacks). That doesn't mean I want to condemn this country because we are far ahead of many other nations.

Edited March 20, 2008 by meangreendork