Rhetoric Race and Religion
R3 Contributor
Read Part 1 here
Needless to say, it was a bit awkward to see such a wordsmith as Bishop Noel Jones apparently forget that “no” is both a complete sentence and a viable option when it comes to his zealous female fans. But there were other challenges I had with the pilot episode as well. Bishop McClendon’s exegesis of 3 John 1:2 stands out in particular, as well as the subtle suggestion that having expensive material possessions is an indicator of God’s favor. The pilot episode showcased a discussion among the preachers about whether their messages could be construed as “prosperity preaching” and whether or not they should ask for honorariums up front. This conversation took place in the “man cave” (the man cave is actually the former home of Bishop Ron Gibson and his wife LaVette, who have apparently outgrown the place. It is now the meeting space for the preachers to discuss their issues). I am not a fan of the prosperity message, or any message, where God’s favor falls in one direction. Show me a church where everybody has a Bentley and a private jet, and then we can talk about it. I do not believe that wealth is the measuring stick of God’s blessings, favor, or presence in a believer’s life.
Needless to say, it was a bit awkward to see such a wordsmith as Bishop Noel Jones apparently forget that “no” is both a complete sentence and a viable option when it comes to his zealous female fans. But there were other challenges I had with the pilot episode as well. Bishop McClendon’s exegesis of 3 John 1:2 stands out in particular, as well as the subtle suggestion that having expensive material possessions is an indicator of God’s favor. The pilot episode showcased a discussion among the preachers about whether their messages could be construed as “prosperity preaching” and whether or not they should ask for honorariums up front. This conversation took place in the “man cave” (the man cave is actually the former home of Bishop Ron Gibson and his wife LaVette, who have apparently outgrown the place. It is now the meeting space for the preachers to discuss their issues). I am not a fan of the prosperity message, or any message, where God’s favor falls in one direction. Show me a church where everybody has a Bentley and a private jet, and then we can talk about it. I do not believe that wealth is the measuring stick of God’s blessings, favor, or presence in a believer’s life.
It is difficult to hold up a single television show as the definitive model of Black Christianity in America. The Black church began with the blending of the European worship tradition of slaveholders with African religious traditions. After American slavery ended (on paper, anyway), segregation made integrated worship impossible, and Black believers established their own churches. In most cases only Black men led them. Some of this can be attributed to the intentional stepping aside of Black women from leadership positions so that Black men could finally lead something. There was a time in American history when the only place a Black man could hold a position of authority was in the Black church. Many homiletically gifted Black women sat on their preaching gifts in order to provide Black men with an opportunity to lead. We saw this tendency again during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, when ringleaders like Ella Baker and Septima Clark took a back seat (or were gently pushed into it) so that men could be front and center at a time when the whole world had eyes on the Black church, seeing images of fire hoses and dogs unleashed upon Black men, women and children legally protesting against the racial discrimination laws of the South.
The Black church became a place not only for social justice, but also a place where Black manhood was affirmed. A Black man may have been “boy” out in the street, but he was “Reverend” in the church. A Black man may not have been allowed to own real estate, but he could make fiscal decisions in the church. A Black man may not have been allowed in anybody’s graduate school, but he was called “Doc” in the church. I believe the oft-maligned ideals about Black masculinity in Americaalso deserve a hearing, particularly in Preachers of L.A. From American slavery to segregation to lynching, to the night rides of the Ku Klux Klan to the assassinations of Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Medgar Evers, from the Tuskegee experiments to Fred Hampton to mandatory minimums to “stop and frisk” laws; Black manhood remains under attack. It is easy to see how the Black church could become a space for Black male celebration…but perhaps it is time to take Bishop Jones’ advice and pull the pastor off the pedestal. Perhaps we are so conditioned to holding up our Black men at all costs, that we forgot to allow them the space to be human…and this is why it is difficult for some to see church leaders presented with all of the frailties of humanity.
The Preachers of L.A.presents us with an opportunity to see how a handful of Black preachers relate to each other, their congregations and their families, flaws and all. Even if you find this reality show offensive, I still think church folk should at least watch a single episode. It is highly probable that there are sheep in every shepherd’s flock watching it, or at least discussing it. Yes, it is a reality show that might not paint certain things held sacred in the best light. The bottom line for any television show about the Black church (or any other topic) is not to make it look as positively as possible; the bottom line is to generate advertising revenue for its network. But it may trigger some church discussion in needed areas: sexual ethics and conduct in the church and beyond, gender roles and taking definitive steps to decrease patriarchy in the church, giving church leaders practice in listening and keeping confidence, and for the scores of men, women and children who have suffered abuse in all of its forms, a safe space to heal and be affirmed. At one time, the Black church was very much about the business of affirming Black manhood. In order for the church to remain relevant in the 21st century, it may be time to consider broadening that scope. Just one church discussion could be the breakthrough moment somebody is waiting for.
Follow Kimberly on Twitter @kpringer
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