±«Óãtv

Dr Wright is clearly an extraordinarily gifted public speaker. His pulpit is a stage for oratory, and he is not afraid to perform. Whatever you think of the content of the pastor's sermons, this is homiletic theatre at its best. One of the difficulties he faces, in terms of his public image, is that white Americans sometimes struggle to understand the black sermon as a form of theatrical exposition. The black preaching tradition unites passion with a kind of rap-oratory. It is earthy and gritty. It is as musical as it is logical. It is interactive in a way that can sometimes confuse white audiences. And, as the black sermon moves a black audience through stages of reflectiveness, excitement, exuberance, and exaltation, audiences rise to their feet at various moments during the performance (and I use that term carefully, not in any way disrespectfully). Audiences communicate their response during the sermon, sometimes visually, sometimes vocally. As an exponent of the black preaching tradition, Jeremiah Wright is undoubtedly in the first rank of orators.

Now, given the cultural context of the black preaching tradition, take a look at the following sermon. This is one of the sermons that has haunted the Obama campaign in recent days. Dr Wright is heard saying, repeatedly, "God damn America". One might conclude from this phrase that the pastor is anti-American. But is he? Listen to the context and bear in mind that Dr Jeremiah Wright is a decorated ex-Marine who volunteered to serve in Vietnam before entering the ministry, and holds four earned theological degrees (and eight honorary doctorates). Is he anti-American, or is he calling America to live up to its own moral ambitions as a nation?