UCC, TRINITY CHURCH, FORCE OBAMA OUT

Barack Obama resigned this week from Trinity Church and the United Church of Christ after 20 years of faithful membership because what he called "divisive backward looking rhetoric." In June 2007, Obama elevated his campaign for the presidency with a speech to the General Synod of the United Church of Christ in which he gave his personal testimony about coming to faith in Jesus Christ. The relationship, however, has deteriorated over the past year.

The precipitating event to his resignation was a "sermon" last week at Trinity Church in which Catholic Priest Michael Pfleger graphically accused Hillary Clinton of racism.      michael pfleger on youtube

Obama in his statement, however, said that he and his wife had come to this decision following the divisive press conference held by Jeremiah Wright at the National Press Club several weeks ago. UCC President John Thomas and UCC leaders have vigorously defended Wrights rhetoric and the ideology of Trinity Church even following Wrights National Press Club appearance.

Thomas in fact seized on the opportunity to gain publicity for the UCC by calling for a national dialogue on race throughout the UCC. This call came with some of the very "divisive backward looking rhetoric" Obama decried.

"The ugliness we watched on television as media manipulators tried to scare people from voting for a black candidate by presenting a deliberately frightening caricature of his black pastor reminds us how ugly the conversation on race can be," Thomas said.     John Thomas Speech on Race

He admitted that African Americans in Chicago had asked him not to engage in this activity that would further undermine Obama's candidacy. The Confessing Movement in the UCC also called on Thomas to suspend any further divisive "dialogue."       Call to suspend race dialogue

Following Obama's decision to leave Trinity UCC in Chicago, Thomas issued a statement saying, "we recognize that this has been a difficult, painful decision for the Obamas- and a deeply personal one. It is also sad news for many members of the UCC, who grieve when any or our members chooses to leave our fellowship, especially under such public and painful circumstances."