Jump to content

Jeremiah Wright: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Shortened lead sentence
Obietom (talk | contribs)
70 edits
Fixed inaccuracy in intro; Wright's sermons were not recently publicized in full, but as segments
Line 1: Line 1:
'''Reverend Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr.''' (born [[September 22]] [[1941]]) is a former pastor of [[Trinity United Church of Christ]] (TUCC), a largely [[African-American]] [[megachurch]] in [[Chicago]] with 10,000 members. He retired on [[February 10]], [[2008]], after 36 years as the senior pastor of that congregation.<ref name="tucc1">[http://www.tucc.org/pastor.htm Pastor] ''Trinity United Church of Christ''</ref><ref>[http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-wright_11feb11,1,4431179.story Barack Obama spiritual mentor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr., preaches last sermon at Trinity United Church of Christ] Margaret Ramirez, ''Chicago Tribune'', February 11, 2008</ref> In 2008, he became the focus of national attention when several controversial sermons were publicized by the media in connection to [[Barack Obama]]'s presidential campaign.
'''Reverend Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr.''' (born [[September 22]] [[1941]]) is a former pastor of [[Trinity United Church of Christ]] (TUCC), a largely [[African-American]] [[megachurch]] in [[Chicago]] with 10,000 members. He retired on [[February 10]], [[2008]], after 36 years as the senior pastor of that congregation.<ref name="tucc1">[http://www.tucc.org/pastor.htm Pastor] ''Trinity United Church of Christ''</ref><ref>[http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-wright_11feb11,1,4431179.story Barack Obama spiritual mentor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr., preaches last sermon at Trinity United Church of Christ] Margaret Ramirez, ''Chicago Tribune'', February 11, 2008</ref> In 2008, he became the focus of national attention when controversial segments from several sermons were publicized by the media in connection to [[Barack Obama]]'s presidential campaign.


==Background==
==Background==

Revision as of 14:27, 20 March 2008

Reverend Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr. (born September 22 1941) is a former pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ (TUCC), a largely African-American megachurch in Chicago with 10,000 members. He retired on February 10, 2008, after 36 years as the senior pastor of that congregation.[1][2] In 2008, he became the focus of national attention when controversial segments from several sermons were publicized by the media in connection to Barack Obama's presidential campaign.

Background

Wright was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His father, Jeremiah Wright, Sr, was a Baptist minister, who pastored Grace Baptist Church of Germantown, from 1938 to 1980.

In 1959, Wright entered Virginia Union University, a historically black university, but became disenchanted and left in 1961.[3] He then joined the United States Marine Corps and later transferred to the United States Navy where he worked as a cardiopulmonary technician.[1] Wright then enrolled at Howard University, where he received a bachelor's degree in 1968 and a Master’s degree in English in 1969. In 1975, he earned an additional Master’s degree from the University of Chicago Divinity School, and a Doctor of Ministry degree from United Theological Seminary in 1990 where he studied under Samuel DeWitt Proctor. He also has eight honorary doctorate degrees and has taught courses at many seminaries and universities in the nation. [4][1]

Wright makes reference to James Cone and Dwight Hopkins for his foundations in black liberation theology.

Other work

Wright has written several books and is featured on Wynton Marsalis's album "The Majesty of the Blues," where he recites a spoken word piece written by Stanley Crouch, entitled "Premature Autopsies".

Relationship with Barack Obama

Barack Obama, a candidate for the Democratic nomination for president, first met Wright and joined his church in the 1980s while he was working as a community organizer in Chicago prior to attending Harvard Law School. Obama and his wife, Michelle, were later married by Wright, and both their children were baptized by him.[3]

The public invocation before Obama's presidential announcement was scheduled to be given by Wright, but Obama withdrew the invitation.[5] Wright was later appointed to Barack Obama's African American Religious Leadership Committee, but is no longer serving.[6][7]

The Rev. Jeremiah Wright's church has criticized the media for recent coverage of his past controversial sermons, saying in a statement that Wright's "character is being assassinated in the public sphere."[8] However, Obama has distanced himself from Wright's political views.

Controversies

During the course of the 2008 campaign, Wright's beliefs and past remarks have become closely scrutinized. Critics have accused Wright's Black liberation theology of promoting black separatism.[9] Wright has rejected this notion by saying that "The African-centered point of view does not assume superiority, nor does it assume separatism. It assumes Africans speaking for themselves as subjects in history, not objects in history."[10]

Wright once stated that Zionism has an element of "white racism", but the Anti-Defamation League says it has no evidence of any anti-Semitism by Wright.[9] In a peace mission that resulted in the freeing of United States Navy pilot, Lt. Robert Goodman who was shot down over Lebanon,[11] [12] Wright traveled to Libya and Syria with Rev. Jesse Jackson and Minister Louis Farrakhan. Twenty three years later, Wright was quoted as saying that "When [Obama’s] enemies find out that in 1984 I went to Tripoli to visit Colonel Gadaffi with Farrakhan, a lot of his Jewish support will dry up quicker than a snowball in hell." He added that his trip implied no endorsement of either Louis Farrakhan’s views or Qaddafi’s.[9][13]

When tapes were put for sale by the church after Wright's retirement, ABC News publicized several controversial sermons. [14] Wright's sermons were heavily critical of the United States Government, saying of the events of September 11, 2001: "The stuff we have done overseas is brought right back into our homes". He also said "people of color had not gone away, faded into the woodwork or just 'disappeared' as the Great White West went on its merry way of ignoring Black concerns."[9]In other sermons, he said "The government lied about inventing the HIV virus as a means of genocide against people of color", referring to AIDS origins theories, and "The government gives them the drugs [referring to the Iran-Contra Affair], builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law and then wants us to sing 'God Bless America.' No, no, no, God damn America, that's in the Bible for killing innocent people...God damn America for treating our citizens as less than human. God damn America for as long as she acts like she is God and she is supreme".[15][16][14]

Works

  • Wright, Jeremiah A. Jr. and Jini Kilgore Ross, What Makes You So Strong?: Sermons of Joy and Strength from Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr., Judson Press, November 1993, ISBN 978-0817011987
  • Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. and Colleen Birchett, Africans Who Shaped Our Faith (Student Guide), Urban Ministries, Inc., May 1995, ISBN 978-0940955295
  • Wright, Jeremiah A. Jr. and Jini Kilgore Ross, Good News!: Sermons of Hope for Today's Families, Judson Press, December 1995, ISBN 978-0817012366
  • William J. Key, Robert Johnson Smith, Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr. and Robert Johnson-Smith, From One Brother to Another: Voices of African American Men, Judson Press, October 1996, ISBN 978-0817012502
  • Jawanza Kunjufu and Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright, Jr., Adam! Where Are You?: Why Most Black Men Don't Go to Church, African American Images, June 1997, ISBN 978-0913543436 (also African American Images, 1994, ISBN B000T6LXPQ)
  • Frank Madison Reid, III, Jeremiah Wright Jr. and Colleen Birchett, When Black Men Stand Up for God: Reflections on the Million Man March, African American Images, December 1997, ISBN 978-0913543481
  • Wright, Jeremiah A. Jr., What Can Happen When We Pray: A Daily Devotional, Augsburg Fortress Publishers, June 2002, ISBN 978-0806634067
  • Wright, Jeremiah A. Jr., From One Brother To Another, Volume 2: Voices of African American Men , Judson Press, January 2003, ISBN 978-0817013622
  • Iva E. Carruthers (Editor), Frederick D. Haynes III (Editor), Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. (Editor), Blow the Trumpet in Zion!: Global Vision and Action for the 21st Century Black Church, Augsburg Fortress Publishers, January 2005, ISBN 978-0800637125
  • Ernest R. Flores and Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., Tempted to Leave the Cross: Renewing the Call to Discipleship, Judson Press, November 2007, ISBN 978-0817015244

Notes

  1. ^ a b c Pastor Trinity United Church of Christ
  2. ^ Barack Obama spiritual mentor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr., preaches last sermon at Trinity United Church of Christ Margaret Ramirez, Chicago Tribune, February 11, 2008
  3. ^ a b Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr.: Pastor inspires Obama's 'audacity' Manya A. Brachear. Chicago Tribune, January 21, 2007
  4. ^ Jeremiah A Wright Jr. Corinthian Baptist Church
  5. ^ Disinvitation by Obama Is Criticized Jodi Kantor, The New York Times, March 6, 2007
  6. ^ Renowned Faith Leaders Come Together to Support Obama, Democracy in Action, December 4, 2007
  7. ^ Wright leaves Obama campaign Ben Smith, Politicio, March 14, 2008
  8. ^ Obama's Church Blames Media, Jake Tapper, ABC News Political Punch, March 16, 2008
  9. ^ a b c d A Candidate, His Minister and the Search for Faith Jodi Kantor, The New York Times, April 30, 2007
  10. ^ Obama's Pastor: Rev. Jeremiah Wright transcript, Fox News: Hannity & Colmes, March 2, 2007
  11. ^ Walters, Ronald (2007). Freedom Is Not Enough: Black Voters, Black Candidates, and American Presidential Politics (American Political Challenges). Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, p. 34. Excerpt at Google Books.
  12. ^ [1] Nostalgia Central
  13. ^ Dirt begins to fly at Obama London Sunday Times, January 13, 2008
  14. ^ a b Obama's Pastor: God Damn America, U.S. to Blame for 9/11 Brian Ross and Rehab el-Buri, ABC News, March 13, 2008
  15. ^ Obama denounces rhetoric but stands behind his pastor Abdon M. Pallasch, Chicago Sun-Times, March 16, 2008
  16. ^ Obama decries pastor's remarks Seattle Times, March 15, 2008
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jeremiah_Wright&oldid=199597802"