Obama and his church

Many observers say Barack Obama could have chosen to leave Rev. Wright's church when the reverend's odious political views became clear. True, but Father Raymond J. de Souza explains why it isn't that simple:

In Philadelphia, Obama sought to explain, but not excuse, his pastor’s comments. In refusing to cast aside the Reverend Jeremiah Wright, Obama made an important point about what it means to belong to a community, and to belong to a church.

“He contains within him the contradictions — the good and the bad — of the community that he has served diligently for so many years,” Obama said of Wright. “I can no more disown him than I can disown the black community.” Later the same day, speaking to ABC News, Obama added: “You certainly don’t disown the church.”

That alone was a refreshing contrast from the usual campaign practise, in which even long-time friends are casually cast aside if they become a political liability. Obama offers a stark contrast to the Clintons, who do not think twice about jettisoning either personnel or principle in their lifelong pursuit of power.

Obama’s point is that he belongs to a certain community, to a certain church, and he carries with him both their strengths and weaknesses. Many critics have said that while you don’t choose your family, you do choose your church, and so it says something about Obama that he chose the Reverend Wright’s congregation. Yet even in black America, where the pastor defines to a great degree his congregation, the church is more than its pastor.

Indeed, at times the congregation is what it is in spite of its pastor. The church is the body of Christ, not a mere collection of like-minded souls, and to belong to Him means belonging, in part, to the other sinners who He also claims as His own.

In choosing to “condemn the words, but not condemn the man” Obama may have exposed himself to political danger. Yet it showed a deeper understanding of the church, and not only the black church. If we are bold enough to claim for ourselves some share in the merit of the saints, we too are implicated in the shame of the sinners. Sin ought to have no friend in the church — including the sin of prejudice and hatred — but if sinners have no friend in the church, then it will be a very empty place indeed.

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...Barack Obama long ago decided that he belonged to the black community despite his white upbringing, and that at the heart of the black community was the black church. It was there that he learned about Jesus Christ and came to faith. It has sustained him since and, no doubt, helped his political career. He has stood with it in good times; it does credit to him that he still stands firm now.

Damian P.

Posted by damian at March 20, 2008 04:42 PM