Q&A with John Thomas, President of the United Church of Christ

By Daniel Burke - Religion News Service
Thursday, March 27, 2008 - Web Link
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March 26, 2008

Even by the standards of his frequently controversial church, it's been an eventful few weeks for the Rev. John Thomas, president and general minister of the United Church of Christ.

In February, the UCC announced it was the subject of an Internal Revenue Service investigation over a speech by presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama at a church convention last summer.

This month, controversy erupted over sermons delivered by Obama's longtime pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, who led a predominantly black UCC congregation in Chicago for 36 years.

Thomas talked about Wright's sermons and the IRS investigation. This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Q: What are people around the UCC saying about the controversy surrounding Wright?

A: Some people are quite upset and outraged at what they heard on these brief little clips on the news. Others are angry because they feel Rev. Wright's views have been taken out of context -- it doesn't reflect the man who's so well known in the UCC. By and large, there's a lot of pain for what he's going through and anger that he's not being treated fairly.

Q: Have you talked to Rev. Wright since the situation erupted?

A: I have not. He's been away and not available for comment.

Q: Do you think there are legitimate reasons to be concerned over some of his remarks and the fact that he's been a longtime spiritual leader to a major presidential candidate?

A: You have to assess the whole body of his preaching and not phrases here and there, like what you've heard on the television. You want to listen to the entire sermon and also look at the congregation he's shaped over the years. It's not shaped around hatred, it's been very supportive of a predominantly white denomination. It's fair game to assess the background of a candidate's spiritual life, but it needs to be a fair assessment.