Talk:Trinity United Church of Christ, Chicago

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Progress

I'll finish this and tidy thing over the next week or so. Stephen Ewen 14:54, 13 April 2008 (CDT)

Meaty content

Wow, that's a goodly chunk of material, and with a fair amount of serious research behind it. J. Noel Chiappa 13:30, 16 April 2008 (CDT)

Thanks, Noel. I need to finish up the article, the sections on Wright, when I can find the time, or if someone else has the literature, feel free. Stephen Ewen 22:42, 18 April 2008 (CDT)

Stuff on context of spread of Islam in Chicago and TUCC's reaction of Africentricsm to it

the stuff on Muslims is not related to this mainstream Protestant church, so I dropped it. It's leftover from Wikipedia. Richard Jensen 23:12, 25 April 2008 (CDT)

I myself wrote it--I wrote this entire article as it now stands. The material you removed crucially contextualizes Trinity, according to Speller and others. Speller explicitly states that the material you removed are Trinity's contextual backdrops, as I iterated in the material. I'm going to revert your removal and addition but hope you will consider how to incorporate what you added to what I wrote (it is true that forms of Christianity had been spreading in the region, as had black non-Christian religions). To understand Trinity's evolution to Africentrism under Wright, one simply must understand the backdrops Speller takes pains to spell out. You really should carefully read this entire article so far and carefully study the entirety of the cited sources, as I have, before jumping in too much. Stephen Ewen 04:02, 26 April 2008 (CDT)

I read the Speller dissertation and the Muslim stuff is not there. Chicago blacks are 80% Baptists and methodists), with only a tiny number of Muslims. Black nationalism comes from Marcus Garvey in 1920, who was Christian (I'm working on a Garvey article right now--see recent book on GarveyRichard Jensen 17:42, 26 April 2008 (CDT)

the solution to background material is for Steve to write an article on the Black Muslims --they certainly deserve one--and to link to it from here. The ministers were trained, by the way, at U Chicago Divinity School by people like Marty. See Marty's article which I added. There is no Muslim theology at Trinity and the black nationalism is much older--esp Garvey in 1920s but also late 19th century AME theology had separatist /black pride/ back to Africa elements led by Bishop Henry Turner see Henry Turner article Likewise there is little Lutheran influence at Trinity (the UCC later merged with German E and R Calvinists--not Lutherans--but it hard to see much Calvinism at Trinity ) Richard Jensen 17:51, 26 April 2008 (CDT).

That material is in Speller's Walkin' the Talk. Stephen Ewen 18:14, 26 April 2008 (CDT)

thew point is that Muslims were never part of the church that is the topic of the article, and had no direct influence on it. So they belong in a separate article. In a book you might put in filler background material, but in an encyclopedia you use separate articles. (She was not allowed to do that in her dissertation, which Marty directed.) Many other factors are more important (such as belong in the general article on African-American History).

I share the concern about people painting Trinity with an Islamic brush via mis-impression but it is equally of great concern that it not be painted as racist. The enlightenment that disables that impression is to understand the larger social and religious context of Chicago and the nation which drove its shift from an assimilationist strain of Congregationalism to Africentric Christianity. Speller contextualizes that shift by pinpointing "the surge of black nationalism during the early 1970s that instigated Trinity's shift from black face to black pride" (p 103 ff, Speller dissertation). In short, this shift was a reaction to black Islam (and a few other non-Christian groups); an attempt to co-opt the positive elements of black Islam into Chritianity and to form a new missiology; a competition for converts, in short. In the even larger picture the shift was a skirmish in the battle between Christianity and Islam. Stephen Ewen 21:25, 26 April 2008 (CDT)

Speller in her scholarly book mentions Islam in half of one sentence. In a popular non-scholarly study she can add all the stuff she wants but it won't pass CZ expert muster. There are 100++ background factors, and they deserve their own articles. Black Nationalism goes back long before the Muslims, who are very minor players., Look up the Garvey cite I gave, for example, or Bishop Turner. Garvey was real with millins of supporters. The Nation of Islam is a downscale group, mostly ex-criminals, who have little in commonm indeed with the well-to-do highly educated folks at Trinity. I was a professor of history in Chicago 25 years and followed the story closely and directed dissertations on the city and spent a lot of time in Hyde Park. Furthermore CZ really can't afford to promote the false idea that Obama is closely linked to Muslims. (He gave $25,000+ to Trinity last year and that needs mention).Richard Jensen 21:39, 26 April 2008 (CDT)

I am using black Islam with black nationalism interchangeably. The point remains that Speller, in her dissertation, states that it was "the surge of black nationalism during the early 1970s that instigated Trinity's shift from black face to black pride". Also, keep in mind that this is a church's history. What is true of history and what is so to the church as it defines its history will not always be the same. In that vein, Speller, who has been a member at Trinity for some 20 years, is much better positioned to know this church's history than anyone here. Another thing: Walkin the Talk is not "a popular non-scholarly study". It is a scholarly study and Marty Martin wrote the preface. Stephen Ewen 21:52, 26 April 2008 (CDT)

let me backtrack: Spiller does talk about the Black Muslins in her dissertation to say (p 107) that Trinity rejected their approach as well as several other approaches (like Cleague), as Trinity insisted it was "unapologetically Christian" --that is, not Islam at all--and proudly remained in a predominantly white UCC (the great majority of black Protestant churches had broken from white groups, as did Cleague's UCC splitoff). Speller argues (pp 109-118) that the Congregational heritage was less important for Trinity than the Cane Ridge Christian-Connection denomination tradition from the Second Great Revival--but somehow it gets left out of this article. While the black Congregationalists tended to assimilate with whites, the Afro-Christians were always more separate, and more revivalistic and emotional. That is, she argues the Afro-Christian part of UCC is more important that than the Congregational part. She says the story of Trinity is the "reincarnation of the Afro-Christian spirit" (p 117) and I agree with her--the Afro Christian group is central to Trinity and the Muslims are just local color. It is historically quite false to "using black Islam with black nationalism interchangeably". I think that is the problem here. It ignores the black nationalism that was rampant long before the little black muslim sect came along--Turner and his Methodists, Garvey and the millions in his mass movement, the Afro-Christians of UCC, the militants of CORE and related student groups are far more important. Richard Jensen 22:07, 26 April 2008 (CDT)

Speller (pp 108-9) describes black Congregationalism on one hand and the then-called Afro-Christianity on the other and says that they "translated into two differing forms of religious expression--one influenced by the dominant culture and one shaped by African culture." She then says this was a "backdrop" to specifically early Trinitarians who adhered to the assimilationist notions of black Congregationalism as taught by 19th century missionaries to blacks. She then goes on to say that the church underwent a transformation from that assimilationist black Congregationalism to one going back to the Afro-Christian root. What she is saying very clearly is that the Afro-Christian root was initially not at all important to Trinitarians--they initially found their identity in black "middle-classness" and black Congregationalism. How did that change? Speller says that is was "the surge of black nationalism during the early 1970s that instigated Trinity's shift from black face to black pride". This is a crucial point because of how it contextualizes the shift. Stephen Ewen 22:33, 26 April 2008 (CDT)

yes, but after the assassination of Malcolm X in 1965, blacks paid little attention to the Muslims. They were not players in the 1970s. The Afro Christian roots she explains at great length were from the Christian Connection denom. that merged into the UCC. The assassination of King in 1968 and the big riots in Chicago that followeed was probably as important as anything in shaping the mood. Richard Jensen 22:41, 26 April 2008 (CDT)

Given a concession that it was "the surge of black nationalism during the early 1970s that instigated Trinity's shift," a point that cannot be let go, I don't really have any disagreement. Stephen Ewen 22:54, 26 April 2008 (CDT)

yes I agree "the surge of black nationalism during the early 1970s that instigated Trinity's shift"  :) Richard Jensen 22:57, 26 April 2008 (CDT)

Great. Now if only I could get you to concede that certain social-religious occurrences in his time were causative to Noah Webster's undergoing of a religious transformation over time, which explains the "shift" between his earlier Christian-centric statements about his spellers and his later views and statements concerning his work. :) Stephen Ewen 00:57, 27 April 2008 (CDT)

Oh, I think Webster was more influenced by the Hindoos in that regard.  :) Richard Jensen 01:40, 27 April 2008 (CDT)

Editor decision

Let's make this an official editor's decision -- "deep background" especially if weakly integrated in a history article, is removed; it belongs in a separate article. In this case all the Muslim material will mislead readers into thinking there is something Islamic about trinity, which is another one of those misunderstandings.Richard Jensen 20:06, 26 April 2008 (CDT)

Fresh start

The Constabulary has removed a conversation here that either in whole or in part did not meet Citizendium's Professionalism policy. Feel free to remove this template and take up the conversation with a fresh start.

Jensen's contributions are below

excerpts

repudiated Wright's political positions

the

of the 18th century

Background and history

The great majority of Chicago's blacks were Baptists, with a strong representation of Methodists as well as smaller Protestant groups. The Congregationalists had long been active supporters of black churches and schools in the South. Trinity was their major outreach to blacks in Chicago. The Congregational Church itself, and Trinity, later merged into the United Church of Christ, headquatered in Cleveland, Ohio.

2008 election controversy

Trinity's long-time minister Rev. Wright, who was Barack Obama's minister and spiritual advisor for 20 years, became a major issue in the 2008 United States presidential election. Attacks on him are really attacks on the black church, Wright said, as he mounted a spirited defense of views and sermons that have become an issue in the presidential campaign. Obama opponents circulate videos of Wright's slashing attacks on whites and his ridicule and hatred of America as a nation. Obama finally in mid-March disavowed Wright, but observers expect his long-time close association with Wright will be a major campaign issue for Clinton supporters. Polls showed him significantly damaged by the Wright connection, losing support among the independendents who formed a critical part of his base. Republican strategists predict that Wright's rage-filled sermons, in which the minister declares "God damn America", blames American foreign policy for the 9/11 attack, criticises Israel and levels racist insults against the Clintons, represents a powerful weapon against Obama in the fall. In a major speech Obama repudiated Wright but attributed his anger to lingering racism in America, and cited his grandmother's distrust of black men; after initial denials, Obama admitted that he had heard Wright's controversial remarks for years. In a major televised speech to the National Press Club on April 28, 2008, Wright praised Louis Farrakhan, defended the view that Zionism is racism, accused the United States of terrorism, repeated his view that the government created the AIDS virus to cause the genocide of racial minorities, stood by other past statements ("God damn America") and held himself out as a spokesman for the black church in America. "Some of the comments that Reverend Wright has made offended me and I understand why they offend the American people," Obama said on April 28. "He does not speak for me. He does not speak for the campaign."

Bibliography

• Byassee, Jason. "Africentric church: A visit to Chicago's Trinity UCC"

Christian Century May 29, 2007, online

• Marty, Martin E. "Prophet and Pastor," The Chronicle Review (April 11, 2008) online
• Speller, Julia M. Unashamedly Black and Unapologetically Christian: One. Congregation's Quest for Meaning and Belonging. (PhD dissertation U. of Chicago 1996).

Comments

I found this a very interesting, nicely written article. If I may make a couple of comments.

1)The opening alludes to the Presidential election campaign, I think this needs to be made more explicit by mentioning Barrack Obama, but in some "timeless" way rather than in a form that will be subject to the transient vagaries of media attention, and in a way that will be understood by those outside the US who do are not immersed in your local politics. 2) could you avoid the phrase "contextual backdrop" and use more natural language? It feels a bit heavy to me. Speller is introduced without introduction - who is Speller? Could this be explained in the text? 3) As I understand it (from this article), this church evolved its identity in part to counter the attraction of The Nation of Islam, by responding to (and representing) those concerns of the black community that had been exploited by The Nation of Islam, but within a firmly Christian context. I felt that it's much easier to credit this, if true, with a developed historical background. Just passing comments; congratulations on a fascinating article.Gareth Leng 05:55, 1 May 2008 (CDT)

Could I just second this, and add a couple of suggestions? 1) Could be easily fixed by adding a sentence or two between the second and third in the opening paragraph, explaining that this church received media attention begining in [date] because [briefly explain Obama's asssociation]. 2) a) concur b) Speller *is* referred to by profession somewhere, but it's brief and I've forgotten where and what already. Since Speller is so very heavily relied on, I agree that more information about her is necessary. c) on the same subject, here's an illustration of why this habit (Smith, 2003) drives me bats. The rest of us are lost. There's a quote [Byassee (2007)] that preceeds a later note about who he is--an editor at a religious publication. We need to know that and his book/article/amazing body of work *before* you note it. 3) That's my take as well, if so, it wouldn't be the first or last black Christian church to do the same. Maybe explain what was so unique abou the situation in Chicago? Or refer to a (even if yet-to-be-written) more in-depth article about the issues?

I like this article, too, and hope the contentious issues can be cleared up quickly.

Aleta Curry 00:32, 2 May 2008 (CDT)

Article set for referee oversight

On account of recent controversy, this article will be overseen by a referee (yet to be designated). I have restored the last version of the article that appeared before Richard Jensen began editing it. In doing so, I don't mean to prejudice any future decisions about Richard's contributions; I simply want to restore a version that, I think, Steve will be comfortable with, so that we do not have to have a pointless argument about what CC-by-sa does or does not permit.

In the meantime, I'd like to ask both Richard and Steve to take a few days to cool off and not to edit either this article or this talk page. This will give us time to find a referee. Thanks. --Larry Sanger 12:55, 29 April 2008 (CDT)

Sigh... J. Noel Chiappa 13:15, 29 April 2008 (CDT)

Email from a TUCC member, son of someone named in this article

A few days ago, I received an email from the son of someone named in this article (not Wright), who I estimate to be in their mid 50s. The email in part said:

Your account of the history of Trinity is the most accurate and thoughtful that I have ever seen.... The critical issues of the times in the 70's that impacted our church were extremely accurate by your account. Thank you for taking the time to get the true story and challenges behind Trinity United Church of Christ

Stephen Ewen 01:45, 23 June 2008 (CDT)

Well, that's rather good, isn't it? Aleta Curry 23:01, 23 June 2008 (CDT)