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No Time for Foolishness: On the Prophetic and Progressive Projects of James A. Forbes Jr.

2016; Wiley; Volume: 66; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1111/cros.12176

1939-3881

Akintunde E. Akinade,

American Constitutional Law and Politics

I want to use my energy, my voice for spiritual revitalization. Whatever I do next is designed to call the nation to moral sensitivity; to challenge the nation to address the gap between the haves and the have-nots. -James A. Forbes1 It is not enough to be busy. So are ants. The question is: what are you busy about? -Henry Thoreau An uncanny sense of serendipity hovers over the conception, development, and birth of this article. I have always contemplated writing a piece that will establish the enduring linkages between ecclesiology and social, economic, and political realities in the United States.2 In my mind, the best approach would be to identify either a case study or a personality that exemplifies this phenomenon. In order words, I have always been drawn to the idea of articulating a new narrative that refocuses the relevance of the sacred and public theology within the American landscape. The reality of secularity has not eviscerated the affinity between religion and America's legacy of freedom, justice, and liberty. Far from being an intellectual accident, I have ruminated about such a project since my graduate school days at Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York. Union provided the auspicious context to grapple with matters concerning the fluid intersections between matters of faith and justice. The transformative ideas of Bonheoffer, Tillich, Niebuhr, and Cone boldly defined Union's theological landscape. My experience at Union provided the necessary foundation for engaging the intersections between theology and social concerns. On December 20, 2015, the fourth Sunday of Advent, this nascent idea received a bold baptism of affirmation. On this Sunday of love, I was sitting in silent meditation at Riverside Church, gently trying to transcend the stress associated with a fourteen-hours non-stop flight to New York the previous day and James Forbes quietly walked in and sat in the pew directly in front of me. I jumped out of my short reverie and thought to myself: sitting in front me is a man that quintessentially exemplifies the writing project that has tugged away at my soul for two decades. Lo and behold, it dawned on me that here is a man whose odyssey, ministry, and vocation embody an idea that I have been wrestling with for a long time. Finally, a respite from a subject that had been simmering in my mind and soul. I gently leaned forward to convey my greetings and best wishes for the holidays. “Coincidence” is a pessimist lingo for “providence.” God's grace has a way of making all things cohere together. It was liberating to realize that an idea that had lurked in the deepest crevices of my mind for many years finally became real and tangible. It was gratifying that this eureka moment came within a few yards from Union, the center of progressive Protestantism in the USA, and it reconnected me with one of my mentors from the school. Once again, my association with this fine institution enabled me to fully develop an important intellectual thought with ease. With time, an issue that constituted itself as a conundrum was finally resolved. Although over the years, because of other professional demands, other assignments have taken precedence over this idea, it has never been totally expunged from my “to-do list.” This paper therefore focuses on an important voice in contemporary American Christianity: that of James A. Forbes, the Senior Minister Emeritus of The Riverside Church in New York City. For eighteen years, he captivated, rejuvenated, and inspired America with his profound prophetic insights on peace and the common good. The pulpit is the ideal home for James Forbes. His messages and vision go beyond mere theological emotionalism or sophistry; they are deeply rooted in the religious, social, cultural, political, and economic realities of America in particular and the world as a whole. The Riverside Church has always been identified with freedom, peace, and liberation, but it is my contention that James Forbes redefined and refined the mission of the Church because of his unflinching faithfulness to the prophetic tradition in the Bible and within the historic Black Church in America. In this paper, I argue that Forbes’ holistic vision of the Christian Church and its ministry provides the foundation for a sound ecclesiology for the twenty-first century. Riverside church is an inter-denominational, interracial, and international church built by John D. Rockefeller Jr. in 1927. The 2,400-member church is affiliated with the American Baptist Churches and the United Church of Christ, and it has provided a home for prominent pastors such as William Sloane Coffin Jr. and Harry Emerson Fosdick. It has also provided a forum for world leaders such as Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Jr., Desmond Tutu, the Dalai Lama, and Fidel Castro. Riverside is blessed with a legacy of providing a forum for peace activists and proponents. Riverside lauds itself as a congregation that is inter-denominational, interracial, international, open, affirming, and welcoming. Riverside therefore has provided a sacred and a very public space for leaders to construct a prophetic ecclesiology and public theology in America. In order to highlight what has happened within that sacred space, I will examine the life and work of James Forbes as an effective heuristic device for grappling with the profound challenges, constraints, and concerns that are germane to being a church in the twenty-first century within the American context. One of the central questions that drives this paper is: What is the Church and its concomitant connections with the daily experiences of people? In other words, how has The Riverside Church implemented the three functions of the Church: preaching (kerygma), service (diakonia), and fellowship (koinonia) within the American context? These are the factors that have shaped James Forbes’ prophetic profile, theological fidelity, and his stupendous faith in the transformative power of the Good News of Jesus Christ. He effectively used Riverside as an auspicious forum to proclaim and promote his thoughts concerning public theology in America. This is a theological exercise that engages America's social, economic, and political realities. In national and international circles, James Forbes has been described as the preacher's preacher because of his passionate, charismatic, and effective styles. In their March 4, 1996, issue, Newsweek magazine recognized him as one of the twelve “most effective preachers” in the English-speaking world. In 1984 and 1993, Ebony magazine described him as one of America's greatest Black preachers. In 1995, he was recognized in the Baylor University Survey as one of the twelve remarkable and most effective preachers in the English-speaking world.3 The late African American church historian James Melvin Washington once remarked that James Forbes “would preach to clear his sinuses.”4 In both the Baptist tradition and in the African American religious experience, preaching, from preparation to delivery, is considered the finest of the arts.5 With the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, preaching, with its attendant style, mannerisms, diction, cadence, theme, and illustrations must captivate the audience. It must invoke in them a new consciousness that transcends the mundane sphere of everyday life. Far from seeing religion as the “opium of the people,” the experience of this sacred moment enables people to establish their connections with the divine. The words “intensive involvement” encapsulate the various elements in this sacred performance. The preacher is energized by the boisterous affirmation of the congregation. Their loud amen urges him or her to go deeper into the exposition of the words of God. In the context of preaching, the relationship between the preacher and the congregation is neither prefabricated nor concocted in heaven. Rather, it is structured within a specific ethereal time and space and it calls for a dynamic mutuality and interdependence. Forbes is truly a master in the art of preaching. He perfectly understood the benefits of the art of “call and response,” and he used it skillfully in his sermons and speech. His penchant for heart-warming anecdotes garnered from his childhood experience in North Carolina is extraordinary. His preaching style is unique. He slowly gets into his narrative, paces, engages, sings, and recites a poem, soon his voice gets into a pulsating crescendo.6 He delivers his carefully crafted message with resounding ease and authority. The spirit of the congregation is renewed and recharged. From his “Hannah Rose” to “The Healing Hands of my Father,” he has been conveying his message for a need for a spiritual rebirth in America with gusto. James Forbes truly feels at home in the pulpit and in the academy. He served as the Brown and Sockman Associate Professor of Preaching at Union Theological Seminary in New York from 1976 to 1985. From 1985 to 1989, he was Union's first Joe R. Engle Professor of Preaching. Union also appointed him the first Harry Emerson Fosdick Adjunct Professor of Preaching in 1989, when he accepted the pastorate at Riverside. He has led numerous workshops, retreats, consultations, and conferences for the National Association of Campus Ministry, the American Baptist Churches, the United Church of Christ, the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the Episcopal Church, the Roman Catholic Church, the United Methodist Church, and the Presbyterian Church (USA). There's a song inside of me I can hardly wait to see What it is I have to say Or the music I will play. It's been so long in coming First the thought and then some humming, But before I find my key Something stifles it in me. What keeps my song from being sung? Past hurts, deep fears, a timid tongue? What makes my song come so hard? A self-made live-in prison guard? Meanwhile the song still groans in me I can't be me ‘till it is free Debating, hesitating, getting ready to sing, The song could die like a stillborn thing. “Release your song,” said the Spirit to me. “Be free! Be free! It's Jubilee. Cast out each fearsome song patrol. Proclaim deliverance to your soul.” The Spirit of life flowed through my blood. I said “Yes” — something broke It came like a flood. Up from within, down from above, A kingdom built on the power of love. Thank God my song has been set free. The rhythm and the words are right for me. I'm finally ready to sing out strong. My soul is saying, “This is my song!”7 This paper valorizes Forbes’ robust sense of loyalty to right beliefs as contained in the traditional creeds of the Church and as they are espoused in the scriptures—orthodoxy and his unalloyed commitment to freedom and justice—orthopraxis. These are the two seamless garments of Forbes’ theological commitment and prophetic legacy. No doubt, the pulpit provides a veritable context for confronting and dealing with the demons of injustice and war, the ugly specter of discrimination, debilitating poverty, and oppression. The main question that drives his spirituality is: What does it mean to be the Church in America today? The response to this question must entail an affirmation of theological orthodoxy and an unalloyed commitment to social transformation. It would amount to preaching the gospel with “the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other.”8 This statement provides a useful lens for understanding the raison d’être of the Church in the world today. This task is particularly crucial in a cosmopolitan setting like New York City. From his rostrum at The Riverside Church, Forbes challenged theologians and church leaders to move beyond soporific conformity and intellectual laziness. He also believes that the phrase “we the people” that is enshrined in the American Constitution is a bold affirmation of the God-given rights of the people to justice, equality, and freedom. Forbes’ prophetic legacy and passion are deeply embedded within his liberative understanding of the Gospels. This is a phenomenon that resonates with the African American appropriation of the transformative dimension of the good news. Forbes was raised and nurtured within the Black Church. His theological posture grew out of this tradition. In radical departure from the slave masters that used the Gospels to promote injustice and slavery, African Americans interpreted the Bible through the prism of the Exodus experience and the good news of Jesus Christ. This was a message that proclaimed release for people in bondage and the recovery of sight for the blind. It was indeed the good news within the good news. In contemporary times, this historical legacy has been challenged by the wave of prosperity Gospel, spiritual lethargy, neo-conservatism, and organizational inertia. Eddie Glaude has courageously proclaimed that the “Black Church is dead.” In spite of these monumental setbacks and missteps, the black church must regain its prophetic voice. According to Glaude, “the death of the black church as we have known it occasions an opportunity to breathe new life into what it means to be black and Christian. Black churches and preachers must find their prophetic voices in this momentous present.”9 No doubt, Forbes inherited some of the fiery posture of the Black Church on national issues. He naturally utilized this gift within Riverside's inter-denominational setting. Forbes believes that America's sanctimonious posture on many issues smack of insincerity. America is not an innocent nation. This perspective resonates the views of Reinhold Niebuhr in his The Irony of American History. A Niebuhrian realism offers a wake-up call to America to come to terms with some of her original sin concerning slavery, genocide, and domination. Naom Chomsky described them as “normal imperial practice.”10 Thus, America cannot parade herself with the hubris, glee, and façade of an innocent bystander on global affairs. Forbes offers a hermeneutics of suspicion that challenges the dominant narrative concerning America's puritanical posture. This is not however an indication of the collective guilt of the entire nation. Rather, it is about specific sins associated with the lures and trappings of an empire. The sinister motive to dominate lurks very deep in the DNA of this great empire. In her effort to bestride the whole world like a colossus, America has inevitably contravened a prophetic vision that valorizes compassion, forgiveness, justice, and mercy. A constellation of other initiatives underscore a consistent prophetic vision in the ministerial vocation of James Forbes. A fitting example of one of these initiatives was the Mobilization 2004 initiative at The Riverside Church. Forbes also used the “Let Justice Roll” tour sponsored by the National Council of Churches to give national attention to poverty and the condition of the “wretched of the earth” in America. In August 2004, he addressed the Democratic National Convention. This gave him the opportunity to speak on several matters of national and international concerns such as poverty, immigration, global peace, and health care. He is truly a captive to the Word of God and societal transformation. For him, it is not just about pontificating about the plight of the poor and the voiceless, but about engaging in a deep analysis of the socioeconomic policies that contribute to their plight. He challenges the oppressive structures of the American Empire and the capitalist structures that create human misery. Since the time of slavery, Black reflections on the Christian faith have been couched in the language of freedom and liberation. Black theologians have maintained that a social analysis of the Church must precede a doctrine of the Church. Wealthy getting richer Poor getting poorer Rats and homeless Living in the Sewer Housing prices Going sky high Nothing to rent And can't afford to buy Spousal, parental System abuse Sometimes you wonder What's the use? Now I don't mean To be uncouth All I'm asking for Is tell me the truth What time is it, y'all No time for foolishness.12 The lackluster attitude of many churches in America toward blatant injustice is quite frightening. The task of resisting imperial Christianity requires boldness and a firm commitment to the unequivocal prophetic tradition of Jesus Christ. From a theological vantage point, America is saddled with the onerous task of dealing with the challenges of sin, which is humanity's greatest enemy. Sin is humanity's deep sense of alienation from one another and from God. However, there is a global dimension to this problem. Ta-Nehisi Coates has observed that “America's heresies—torture, theft, enslavement—are specimens of sin, so common among individuals and nations that none can declare themselves immune.”13 Therefore, it is imperative to understand that dealing with this fundamental problem requires honesty, empathy, faith, and global solidarity. Lastly, Forbes’ modus operandi concerning preaching is deeply enriched by his flair for scientific reasoning. He majored in Chemistry in college. In fact, he had the goal of becoming a medical doctor before experiencing a divine call to preach. His background has enabled him to have scientific views on issues such as sexuality, global warming, and aging. He does not see any rigid chasm between science and religion. For him, the two are indispensable for comprehending reality. For Forbes, God talk is not a docile acceptance of things as they are. Rather, it is about asking critical questions that can engender positive transformation in the world. Instead of making dogmatic assumptions about the mind of God, he calls upon people to be very critical and creative in matters of faith. He has a sound renaissance mind that is is reflected in his mastery of the art of preaching. The Church exists to proclaim and bear witness to the kingdom of God. The idea of the kingdom of God is central in the teachings of Jesus and basic to His ethics. Mark introduced his narrative of the mission of Jesus by summarizing His message: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent and believe in the good news” (Mark 1:15). Everything that Jesus Christ taught about God and human beings, about the practices of personal piety and about communal responsibility must be understood in light of the concept of the kingdom: the inauguration of a new order over which God would rule. A Christian sense of responsibility is deeply rooted in the conviction that the new age of the reign of God has dawned. This is not about some future agenda, but about the here and now. Hope has become a reality and anticipation has become fulfillment. The prophetic claims of God on people are made not in terms of what is yet to be, but in terms of what actually is. While we must come to terms with the futuristic aspect of the kingdom, it does not contradict the urgency of transforming the present circumstances in which people find themselves. The Church as the body of Christ must by word and deed initiate the sacrament of justice and liberation in the world. The crux of the issue is how the Church can balance the future eschatological hope with the transformation of the present. Forbes’ construction of a spirituality of social engagement and his prophetic vision is an affirmation and extension of some of the theological ideas in American classics such as Walter Rauschenbusch's A Theology for the Social Gospel and H. Richard Niebuhr's The Kingdom of God in America. Forbes’ effective utilization of the resources from the Black Church tradition adds more breadth, depth, and a “human face” to the profound pioneering theological insights into the writings of these outstanding theologians. In his classic study, Models of the Church, Avery Dulles identified five models of the church. The five models are as follows: (1) the church as institution, (2) as community of the Spirit, (3) as sacrament, (4) as assembly of believers in Jesus Christ, and (5) as community of liberation.14 These five ecclesiological paradigms are very useful for understanding the dynamic roles of the church in the world. They also offer a helpful heuristic device for grappling with both the spiritual and existential implications of the church. The last model of the church as community of liberation deeply resonates with Forbes’ progressive agenda. He sees amazing potential in the church for providing an effective balm in Gilead for the marginalized communities in the USA and all over the world. One cannot underestimate his profound frustration with America's insensitivity and hypocrisy on issues concerning social justice. It is a kairos moment for America to engage in sincere soul-searching and embark on a new transformative agenda. In a world yearning to breath free on many levels, the Gospels offer constructive and critical perspectives on power vis-à-vis people's well-being. This progressive agenda is an opportunity for America to be a source of light in the midst of global darkness and despair. This is an enormous responsibility that calls for a new direction in terms of America's policies and programs. In his visit to the USA in September 2015, Pope Francis added more weight to this appeal. In his speech to a joint session of the Congress, he urged America to “break out its cycle of paralysis and use its power to heal the open wounds of a planet torn by hatred, greed, poverty, and pollution.”15 Forbes would offer a resounding amen to this bold assertion. In a season characterized by unprecedented bigotry, racial prejudice, neglect of the poor, financial recklessness, America is truly confronted with many formidable challenges. When all the chips are down, America must confront its nightmares and make concrete changes that will contribute to human wholeness. It is not a time for America to be either foolish or foolhardy. Rather, America must take advantage of its enormous power and prestige to set a new global record in human well-being and welfare. Having a posture that smacks of that of an unrepentant bully or a sanctimonious watchdog would only accentuate existing global fissiparous tendencies. By striving to feel the heartbeat of the downtrodden and the least of these, America can experience a new awakening or a rebirth that is consistent with the prophetic pronouncements in the Gospels. This agenda was an essential part of Forbes’ ministry at Riverside. He continues to promote this message through his Healing of the Nations Foundation. The essence of the foundation is to encourage each person to be a leaf of healing in his or her community. This is a clarion call for people to become agents of new possibilities. In his book, Whose Gospel?: A Concise Guide to Progressive Protestantism, Forbes clearly spells out the salient themes for his prophetic engagement. They are a new discourse on sexuality, gender equality, race matters, economic justice, a new orientation concerning war, and ecological consciousness. He used scripture, science, unconventional wisdom, and critical reasoning for providing a new interpretative lens for viewing these important issues. He offers a hermeneutical framework that is both progressive and transformative. In his discourse on war, he affirms his views on pacifism and peace. He elaborates on the futility of war and the need to create a global space where peace and human solidarity abide. According to him, “war makes race, creed, class, nationality, national interest, natural resources, land, or national security into a kind of god, putting creature ahead of the creator.”16 This reckless idolatry goes against the cardinal commandment: You shall have no other gods before me. In his Mount Fuji and Mount Sinai: A Critique of Idols, Kosuke Koyama offered a compelling critique of the idolatry of power, one of the hallmarks of the ideology of imperial prerogative.17 Forbes cautions America to be wary of this grave sin. It seems to me that Forbes’ grand vision about progressive theology is a work in progress. He has definitely probed the first layer of consciousness which deals with an acute awareness and knowledge of the real problematique in the social, economic, and political landscape in America and in the world. The next stage is to develop meaningful collaborative projects that will bring his plans to fruition. This stage will require prayer and concrete plans about how to achieve his prophetic vision within America and in the world. This task is not for the weary or the faint-hearted. His foundation provides an auspicious context for harnessing all the necessary resources that can contribute to human wholeness and flourishing. At this point, his vision begs for more collaboration. An African proverb states that “if you want to walk fast, walk alone, but if you want to walk far, walk with others.” This collaborative agenda is sorely needed in a world torn by greed, terror, fear, poverty, and war. However, we cannot dismiss the fact that Forbes has taken important first steps by identifying critical concerns for the church and the world. After all, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. He has provided a good map for the journey of transformation for America and the rest of the world. However, he needs more committed people to work and walk with him on this road of authentic liberation. Forbes has planted the seed of a transformative agenda for America and the world. Naturally, it will require time, fertile soil, and constant gardeners to enable it to germinate, grow, and blossom. This metaphor resonates with a Biblical parable18 and Forbes’ passion for Botanical Science. It is also apposite to add here that Forbes seems to underestimate the overwhelming power of evil in the world. This is a nagging issue that accentuates the perplexing paradoxes in the world. This factor often complicates global politics and interpersonal relationships. Forbes’ affirmation of humanity's fundamental goodness contributes to his flawed perspective on the problem of theodicy. This is an issue that warrants continuous theological engagement and interpretation. Anthony Pinn in his book, Why, Lord?: Suffering and Evil in Black Theology has affirmed that Black theologians have not fully come to terms with the problem of evil in their theological discourse. Using insights from Black humanism, Pinn offers new arguments to move the discourse on theodicy beyond the normative notion of redemptive suffering. This paper has grappled with the parameters and processes of a prophetic ecclesiology in the twenty-first century. Such a “listening church” is terribly needed in our present world that is tormented by bigotry, violence, and hatred. Through his holistic understanding and vision of the kingdom of God, Forbes has boldly challenged Christians to rethink the mission and purpose of the Church in a stupendously powerful nation like America. His work as the President of the Healing of the Nations Foundation, and host of “The Time is Now” on Air America Radio, attests to the fact that the struggle to incorporate spirituality and service is his life. It is my hope that his enduring voice would help in understanding the urgency and requirements for a global prophetic ecclesiology for the twenty-first century. Forbes unshaken trust in this abiding hope continues to shape his prophetic vision. He concludes his Whose Gospel?: A Concise Guide to Progressive Protestantism with an epilogue entitled “Trusting God Enough to Go Forth.” He used the call and trust of Abraham to express this confidence. According to him, “the story of Abraham belongs to us all. If we review our own traditions, we should be able to see that his DNA of courage, trust, and blessedness can be found in our spiritual genome.”19 This is a worthy benediction to a vocation characterized by service, commitment, and love. This is also a telling testimony to his abiding trust in the human capacity to be agents of peace and goodwill in the world. In his final State of the Union address, President Barack Obama urged Americans to reject the politics of provincialism and paranoia that have trailed the campaign to find his successor and to build a “clear-eyed, big-hearted, and optimistic nation.”20 This pronouncement offers an unequivocal Presidential seal to an agenda that is both prophetic and progressive.