Taste the Irony of Hope

Hope. We hear this a lot with the presidential election. We hope the next president will help our economy. We hope the next president will help us stay safe. We hope. That's all we can do at this low point of our country's history.
The point I am getting at here is that black theology has more to do with this election more than anything. Jeremiah Wright is contributing to this election and is helping Barack Obama. And he will help Obama until the final vote is cast. The same man who was thought to have hurt Obama is helping him every step of the way. In Chapter 2 of LaRue, we hear and learn about the sermons of Alexander Crummel. LaRue states, "While [Crummel's] thinking on nationalism changed, this thoughts on the power of God to effect positive change remained constant." (pg. 38) Positive change? That sounds familiar. That's because it is. Change we can believe in? That slogan is a direct result of black sermon. From Crummel to Jeremiah Wright. We have discussed this in class a little. But only in the patterns of Obama's voice tone. What other things has black sermon influenced in this campaign? Let's dive further into this. In San Antonio, Texas on March4, 2008, Obama gave a speech in front of hundreds of Texans. At the beginning of his speech, he declared, "Si se puede." It means "Yes you can," another slogan he has made his trademark. The point is that San Antonio is mainly hispanic. I am from there. He appealed to his audience and to their emotions. Isn't that what we have discussed as black sermon in class? Isn't that the heart of black preaching? I, as a McCain supporter and closely follow his campaign, have never even heard him say, "Si".
Black theology is helping Obama, and Rev. Wright is the man who brought it on him. Like I said before, the people attacking Wright have to think twice. He's not hurting Obama, he's helping him. They're just too blind to see it.
Another thing: The origin of Obama's book title, "The Audacity of Hope"? Inspired by a Rev. Wright sermon.


Works Cited:

1. LaRue, Cleophus J. 2000. Chapter 2: The Power Motif in Nineteenth Century

African-American Sermon

2. youtube.com. 04 March 2008. Barack Obama: Speech in San Antonio, TX

3. Obama, Barack. 17 October 2006. The Audacity of Hope.

Trust in thee?

"This authority, however, does not arise automatically but must be earned by the preacher through earnest and effective preaching as well as through meaningful association with the 'folks' over a period of time."(LaRue, 12) This part of LaRue's writings was particularly interesting to me because of the "Jeremiah Wright" factor. Yes, it is obvious and almost easy to point out the Rev. Wright when discussing black theology, simply because of the limelight that has been unfairly shown upon him. But I couldn't help but wonder about the connection between an authoritative figure and the Reverend.
Jeremiah Wright has been preaching at the Trinity Church since 1972, and has seen it grow to 8,500 members under his leadership, making it the largest of the "otherwise predominantly white," United Church of Christ demonination. (Moyer) In other words, under the criteria of LaRue, Rev. Wright has "earned" the trust and the association with the "folk." That's weird. Where was the media when this church was growing? Were they there to put out the fire and passion of a man who's supposedly unpatriotic? Shouldn't they have seen this coming?
The fact of the matter, and an obvious fact, is that when black theology is put in the limelight and is associated with people in high power (Barack Obama) the public grow in fear due to the misunderstandings of its ideas. Many figures in the mainstream American public are guilty of this.
"...I think you're absolutely wrong about the context. I think Reverend Wright, if you study his history, he is an anti-American guy. And I think that's going to hurt him." (O'Reilly) Those are the words of Bill O'Reilly, host of Fox News' "The O'Reilly Factor." But if you really study his history, Rev. Wright has allowed women leaders and homosexuals into his church. Isn't that what America-excuse me, the United States of America is about? But then again, there will always be those people who will misunderstand this theology's ideas. Rev. Wright is an authority figure who has gained trust, therefore he is "creative and thoughtprovoking"(Larue, 12) in his preachings. Thought-provoking indeed.


Works Cited:

1. The Heart of Black Preaching. LaRue, Cleophus J. Copyright 2000


2. Reverend Jeremiah Wright. Moyers, Bill. 25 April 2008. Billy Moyers Journal

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/04252008/profile.html


3. Pastors weigh in on Jeremiah Wright Controversy. The O'Reilly Factor. 17 March 2008.

Transcript from Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,339048,00.html