A Visit to an Africentric Church


Trinity UCC in Chicago is pastored by Jeremiah Wright. It's membership includes Oprah and Barack Obama. And, it's a distinctly Black church. Now that fact has put it in the cross fires of the Right that wants to turn the racism tables on Black church leaders and in the process tar Barack Obama.


Jason Byasee has written an excellent article for the Christian Century that explores the history of this church, which started out as a middle class Black congregation that would be indistinguishable from most White churches. When Wright came to the church as pastor in 1971 he helped the church set a new course, which has led to its becoming the largest UCC church in the country. It is a church that is in tune with Black Theology (James Cone), is committed to things like family, education, but doesn't by into the Prosperity teachings of other well known Black preachers.

Wright's Associate and successor, Otis Moss III explains how all the church's Africentrism works:

Moss sees Trinity's Africentrism as crucial to its success. "Churches that are, say, Lutheran first, but then just happen to be black secondarily don't grow. We're a black church first—one that just happens historically to be UCC." Moss is troubled when I remind him that Trinity is criticized as being "separatist." Trinity made a conscious decision to serve the community when whites were fleeing to the suburbs. "People who won't even come to the 'hood criticize us for being in the 'hood," he said. Understanding Trinity's social context helps one understand the church's critique of middleclassness. With increased access to prosperity and social status, blacks can imitate the white families who fled the area in the 1950s for the greener pastures of the suburbs.

If one wishes to understand Trinity UCC and Barack Obama's attraction to the church, this is a great article to read.

Gary Dorrien also has a great review of Barack Obama's Audacity of Hope. Take a read here.

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