News

Dear CRCDS Alumni/ae:

Over the past few weeks, the United States presidential nomination process has brought the name of the Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright, Jr., pastor for 36 years of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, to the forefront of national attention.  Sound bites from Dr. Wright’s sermon continue to be aired by the media, sound bites that misinform and misrepresent the ministry, faith commitment, and prophetic preaching of Dr. Wright and the work of the congregation he has served.  As Dr. Gay Byron, member of the CRCDS faculty, stated in a recent article in the Democrat and Chronicle, “Unfortunately, the media have not entered the doors of Trinity [United Church of Christ] for the purpose of salvation, hope, social uplift, or a prophetic word from the Lord, but rather through the doors of cryptic sound bites that depict [Dr.]) Wright’s sermons as “hate speech,” “divisive,” “incendiary,” ‘inflammatory.”

 In her article, Dr. Byron goes on to write, “There is no way to understand [Dr.] Wright’s comments through casual readings of Google searches, through listening to YouTube clips, or through the many radio and TV pundits who have caricatured his remarks.  One must deal with the entire message of his sermon in light of the liberating gospel of Jesus Christ.”  Proclaiming a gospel that liberates, pursuing a ministry that promotes justice and instilling the courage to speak prophetically is the legacy of Colgate Rochester Crozer. 

It is imperative that CRCDS join its voice with those who decry the misuse and abuse of Rev. Wright’s preaching, ministry and fidelity to the Lord’s call to preach the gospel both in season and out.  The Office of Alumni/ae and Church Relations has compiled three articles which we believe speak directly to the issue.  In sharing these articles (please click on the name to read the article in its entirety) of  Dr. Gay Byron, Rev. John Thomas and Rev. Dr. Samuel McKinney CRDS '75, we want to acknowledge and thank the Rev. Dr. Aidsand Wright-Riggins, III, Executive Director of National Ministries, ABC-USA for his leadership in addressing this issue and for making the articles of Rev. Thomas and Rev. Dr. McKinney CRDS '75 available.  We likewise thank the Dr. Gay Byron for the leadership she has evinced in her article and for allowing us to share it with you.  We are sure these articles will compliment material that you have already begun to study so that these mis-characterizations can be addressed.  The vilification of Dr. Wright and Trinity UCC is an injustice on which CRCDS cannot remain silent.

Sincerely,

Patrick A. Hanley
Vice President of Institutional Advancement

Ashley Smith
Director of Alumni/ae and Church Relations