Two competing takes on Obama's speech (via the JOHO blog):

• http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/anderkoo/2008/03/20/obamas-theology-of-reconciliation-and-perfection/
• http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2008/03/19/its_still_a_question_of_wright_and_wrong/

As I read the second one, I asked myself how I would react, whether there was any truth burried beneath the inflamitory language, how much bitterness can be excused, and whether I can trust the news sound bites to be representative of these sermons.

While my experience has shown me that there is still a lot of unresolved (and perhaps well-founded) frustration in the black community, it was refreshing last night to be part of a community that is unified in Christ, as Mt. Level Missionary Baptist Church (predominantly African American) joined Blacknall (predominantly white) in our annual joint Maundy Thursday service. Mt. Level's pastor gave a very challenging message based on 1 John, where he argued that it is easy to love a God that we can't see and don't know very well, but it is much more difficult to love the people around us who we know and who often make us angry or uncomfortable. His challege was to know God better, and to express our love of Him through our love for each other. Those are very conficting arguements for me this season. I usually think of Easter as a time to get dressed up for God (as the pastor put it) by trying to work on my personal relationship with Christ, without really changing my relationship with others. This will be my prayer this Easter.