Faith in Action

I just received word that Dr. Jeremiah Wright will be delivering the 11AM morning message this Sunday, April 13, 2008 at the Historic Bank Street Memorial Baptist Church (Norfolk, VA) where the pastor is Rev. William Dixon.

I’m sure that Wright’s phone is blowing up these days so I wondered how Bank Street confirmed him for this Sunday. According to this article, Bank Street has the hookup. Someone from the church is related to Dr. Wright and the church will be celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Booster’s Ministry.

Kudos to my seminary brother, William Dixon for bringing Dr. Wright to the Norfolk area.

Unfortunately, however not everyone considers Dr. Wright’s presence in Norfolk a blessing. Of course you expect certain folks to frown upon his coming, but another African American pastor?!? Oh come on.

According to Standard Newswire, “Bishop” Earl W. Jackson, Sr. pastor of Exodus Faith Ministries is protesting Wright’s presence by declaring this Sunday, “Unity and Patriotism Day” at his church.

Bishop Jackson has begun a campaign to counter the remarks of Rev. Wright and those who defend him. He argues that Wright’s so called “black liberation theology” is not representative of what African American preachers are offering in pulpits around the country. “We preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified, not hate your country, hate other people and avoid ‘middle class-ness’. The Anti-American, Anti-Israel, pro-Farrakhan message that Wright teaches is heretical to the Bible and Christianity. Christians are too busy teaching what God is doing for us to become obsessed with what real or imagined enemies are doing to us. God commands that we forgive.”

Jackson, an African American Christian Conservative, is a former Marine and “corporate America man” whose bio would be impressive to some, but despite this his inability to engage the issues that Wright raises in a critical way is extremely telling. To sum up Dr. Wright’s three decades of faithful Christian service to being “Anti-American, Anti-Israel, and Pro-Farrakhan” is not much more than what someone on the street corner or Bill O’Reilly would come up with.

It should be interesting to see what happens this Sunday in Norfolk. I have some contacts down there. Perhaps they’ll report back once the dust clears.