Rev. Barbara Reynolds: Preachers Would Leave Us At The Back Of The Bus

[the_leander]

There was a time when Black preachers could be counted on to confront the ruling pharaohs of their day when the powerless were receiving a raw deal. But if Black folks had to depend upon today’s clergy for leadership, they would still be confined to the back of the bus.

At a time when black America is in murky, troubled waters, too many of the Black clergy, especially those heading mega-churches, are either apolitical or apologists for the status quo.

The Rev. Clarence James, a social critic and author of the “Lost Generation? Or Left Generation,” says the trouble with today’s clergy is there are too many priests and not enough prophets. “The priests are the servants of the privileged, criticizing little crimes at the bottom while ignoring those at the top. The prophets remind the rulers they are not exempt from the laws of God, but the priests are blinded by wealth and power.”

Full story, as ever here (http://www.chicagodefender.com/page/commentary.cfm?ArticleID=478).

[T_Bone]

Oh crap. That's what everyone needs. Political Militants leading the churches. This is and has been a disaster, that's why we stopped!

[the_leander]

I think thats what the article is getting at...

[T_Bone]

the_leander wrote:
I think thats what the article is getting at...

I was being sarcastic, the woman is deluded.

She misses the civil rights war. The war's over, go home. We're perfectly capable of involving ourselves in politics directly rather than by proxy through a church as if we were some third world tribe.

The problem with black politics today is that the candidates that crossover from the church usually get all the publicity, and therefore votes, than the non-church crossovers. What this means is that it's more of a popularity contest than a political nomination.

Anyway, civil rights arn't a current prority for most blacks nowdays. Jobs, credit, urban developement, and education are, and these are the things that will have the biggest impact on our childrens lives, yet these are not the priorities of most of our church-crossover politicians.

[the_leander]

Anyway, civil rights arn't a current prority for most blacks nowdays. Jobs, credit, urban developement, and education are, and these are the things that will have the biggest impact on our childrens lives, yet these are not the priorities of most of our church-crossover politicians.

And that is what again what I think the article was getting at - that these church crossover politicians are not listening to the needs of their congrigations. Or at least that is what I took from it.