America's Preacher Problem

First there was Rev. Jeremiah Wright; Obama’s pastor for over twenty years whose combustible rhetoric confronted America with its lingering terminal disease called racism; and now its Rev. Rick Warren, the purpose driven pastor of a purpose driven church named Saddleback. President-elect Obama’s choice of Pastor Warren to give the invocation at his inaugural represents another conundrum in post-Christian America: homosexual rights.

It’s funny after all the kumbaya and pontifications about the election of Obama being the beginning of a post-racial era, that these two “men of God,” invoke demons that our nation has failed to confront historically, namely race and sex.

During the Wright crisis (no pun intended), our nation was slapped with the lingering reality that race and racism continues to be a problem for many people of color. Jeremiah’s words damning America, if the truth be told, were felt at times in spirit by those whose historical experience was one of hate and repetitive discrimination in the “land of the free and the home of the brave.”
Scholar Michael Eric Dyson wrote in a Time magazine article in response to Wright’s verbal fuselage that it was “the pain of spurned lover which echoed from a wound soul.”

The issue in Warren’s case was his support of Proposition 8, the anti- gay marriage bill which triggered vehement opposition from the gay and lesbian community.

Some might dare to argue that president-elect Obama is a political opportunist in his choice of Rick Warren; a gesture of bridge building to an otherwise skeptical evangelical Christian community, who were tepid in their support for him.

On the other hand, I sense something ominous; something happening much deeper than mere politics. The anger, the strong hostility boarding on insanity, the vitriol and meanness heaped upon these two preachers, I believe is an expression of contempt for religion.

The journalistic assassination of the clergy in today’s world, in my opinion, is an attempt by society to control what comes from the pulpit on the weekends. It is group think terrorism which attempts to intimidate preachers from speaking truth to power.

Those in the pulpit and the pew should not be surprised by society’s callous attitude toward them. The Bible, both one of the most revered and hated religious documents, predicted this several centuries ago. It said, “men’s hearts would grow cold (Matthew 24:12). It also said that people would be looking for preachers “to say what their itching ears want to hear,” (2Timothy 4:3).
Make no mistake about it; the church is living in these times. Wright and Warren, while having differences of opinion based on their experiences, represent in the minds of many in this post-Christian era, a disdain for the sacred values of Christianity.

Even recent concerns about Rev. Warren’s possible use of Jesus’ name in the inaugural invocation confirm this reality.
What are preachers to make of society’s aggressive anger against Christian’s pastors?
Take the advice of the one whose name you preach in. Jesus said be wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove. These times demand that those who proclaim God’s word fall not into paralyzing fear that leads to compromise.
Preach the word with power and clarity, but remember: Watch Your Back.