SojoMail - A four-letter word from the pulpit

View this email in your browser By Betsy Shirley Editor in Chief, Sojourners This week, Adam Joyce revisits what he calls “one of the most profound and misunderstood sermons in U.S. history.” Spoiler alert: The sermon has swear words. If you remember Barack Obama’s 2008 bid for the presidency, you may know the sermon in question. Preached by Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Obama’s then-pastor, the sermon argued that when it came to how the U.S. has treated Black and Indigenous people, the appropriate response wasn’t “God bless America!” but, ahem, the opposite. But while the sermon elicited a frenzy of pearl-clutching—how could a minister talk like that?!—Joyce points out that the sermon was a pretty biblical response to injustice: The psalms are full of prayers naming enemies, railing against them, and then crying out to God for justice. And though we don’t often hear these passages in church, Joyce thinks maybe we should. Elsewhere, Christians are grappling with the recent Supreme Court decision that felt like an affront to the Black church and what Trump’s would-be assassin got wrong about the Bible. We’re also thinking through what it means to leave your denomination and how to respond as our friends, families, and leaders renounce their allegiance to Trump. Praying The Imprecatory Psalms In The Age Of Empire (by Adam Joyce) Almost 20 years ago, Barack Obama's campaign was rocked by three scathing words from his pastor. Today, those same three words feel prophetic. Read the full article Advertisement Our Latest Stories Trump Defectors Are on the Rise. Do We Welcome Them? (by Bryan Epps) Former followers keep breaking with Trump, but truly repenting from allegiance to MAGA will be a messy process. Read more How the DC Shooting Suspect Misunderstands the Bible (by Mitchell Atencio) Trump's would-be assassin allegedly referenced “turn the other cheek”. We asked an expert to unpack that. Read more You Will Know Them by Their Fruits—and Their Rulings (by Adam Russell Taylor) For me and others in the Black church, the court’s decision on voting rights is an affront to our forebears and to the core values of our faith. Read more From the Magazine: Inside the Grief and Relief of Leaving a Denomination (by Ethan Meyers) The Christian Reformed Church hardened its theology on sexuality, and many congregations were forced to reevaluate denominational ties. Here’s what happened next. Read more Advertisements Catholic Charities: Neighbors Helping Neighbors When neighbors help neighbors, hope blossoms. For more than a century, 169 Catholic Charities agencies have served communities across the country and down the street, no matter beliefs or differences. Be the hope around the corner — in your neighborhood, nationwide. Learn more and volunteer at PeopleofHope.us. Action Alert: No War With Iran! Contact Congress now to demand peace and an end to the war with Iran. As Christians, we know that each and every life is precious and every step must be taken to avoid bloodshed. Instead of recklessly pursuing a policy of escalation, we demand an end to violence and vigorous oversight from Congress in pursuit of peace. Donate Subscribe Copyright © 2026 Sojourners. All rights reserved. Email: sojourners@sojo.net | Tel.: 202.328.8842