Black Jesus, Gay Jesus and Obama

Black Jesus is causing controversy now for U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama. “Jesus was a poor black man who lived in a country and lived in a culture that was controlled by rich, white people,” said Obama’s recently retired pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr. He was preaching to a predominantly black congregation. If you can't see the video above, click here to see it. I appreciate the need for the black Jesus because as a lesbian minister and author I promote the idea of a queer Christ. These radically new Christ figures embody and empower people who are left out when Jesus is shown as a straight man. They can free the minds of everyone. However, some people reacted with outrage when videos of Wright’s preaching were broadcast on national television yesterday. News reports about the controversy focus not only on the black Jesus, but also on his analysis of U.S. politics, which Obama has condemned as “inflammatory and appalling.” Wright recently retired as pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. Watch him on video and judge for yourself. ________ Kittredge Cherry is the author of Art That Dares: Gay Jesus, Woman Christ, and More. She blogs at the Jesus in Love Blog and edits the Jesus in Love Newsletter on queer spirituality and the arts. She offers progressive spiritual resources at JesusInLove.org.