Two Sad Parts to the Wright Saga

The first, the political part, has been well-documented here and elsewhere. The second, the spiritual part, has been largerly overlooked. As an American I was obviously dismayed by Wright's comments about America, about white people, 9/11 conspiracy theories and the like. But the real tragedy here is Wright's abdication of his duty to the flock there in Chicago. As a pastor his duty is to preach Christ crucified, not to rail against America--which is, by the way, the very country which protects for him the freedom to preach the Gospel, were he so inclined.

Wright was on my mind when I read the following article by an African-American pastor about the decline of African-American theology. It is a sad tale:

...the decline in African American understandings of the doctrine of Christ positions many unsuspecting and sincere people to fall into idolatry. God does not exist — and Jesus did not tabernacle among men, suffer the agony of crucifixion, and was not raised from the grave — to affirm the ethnic sense of identity and self-worth of any single people. Nor does God so identify with a people, even his sovereignly elected people Israel or the Church, to the point that he becomes one with that people without regard for their holiness and proper worship.

…

This is no victimless crime. Materialism and black nationalism masquerading as Christology overthrow the faith of many — shrouding the cross of Jesus in the temporal affairs of this world, which in turn choke the seeds of the Gospel.

Like most people who follow politics, the Wright saga has about made my blood boil. But after reading this article I was struck that maybe I should be more concerned with the fates of our African-American brothers and sisters who sit in pews every Sunday but who nevertheless may not hear the true Gospel.