Christian Controversy

Watching the goings-on in the US has got me thinking. Currently, there is a big flap over Rev Wright of Obama's Chicago Church. The man has stood in the tradition of Liberation/Black theology and done a good job of portraying both from the pulpit. The roots of this style of theologizing stems back to the 1800's social justice movement which embraced Marxist critiques of western society. The fullness of Liberation Theology comes from Latin America where God is seen siding with the poor and giving cause to the underclasses to rise up and demand material justice. Translated into Black theology, the tradition is nuanced by adding a return to African culture and roots for the North American black. So, put these two together and Rev. Wright is ...right.

My question is this, are Christians called to to such aggressive posturing? I have trouble finding the delineation of political rhetoric from Christian thought in these traditions. Indeed, I do not find much peacemaking in the brashness of many liberation/black theologians. Fiery politics is one thing, cloaking hate in the mantle of the prophetic tradition is blasphemy. For the most part, I find his style of preaching to perpetuate the hatred among the races and give ammunition to the bigots who think all black people are like Rev Wright. As a brother in Christ, should there not be more salt and light and less piss and vinegar?