Yesterday I caught Rev. Jeremiah Wright's speech to the National Press Club. Initially I was intrigued, as he spoke about the prophetic tradition of the African-American church. He spoke about a theology of liberation, transformation and reconciliation. But once he got the Q & A, it was all Wright!

As much as Americans must welcome prophetic critique and dissent entrepreneurs from religion, we must ever be on our guard against every kind of religious prima donna, whether from the Religious right, or the Activist left.

Tragically, Wright, like other recent pastors, has fallen from his perch. He appears to be a legend in his own mind. In comparison to his own call to be a pastor, he underestimates the high calling to public service, by saying that Obama just says what he has to say to get elected.

Thirty years ago, James McGregor Burns wrote "Leadership" (1978)--the seminal book on political leadership. He notes that transforming leaders raise the "conduct and ethical aspiration of both the leader and the led." In his campaign to lift America, Obama has well matched the profile of transformational leadership.

It remains to be seen now if Obama can demonstrate political leadership to take us beyond the All-Wright road show, or whether transformational leadership of the American journey will come from Clinton or McCain.

- - - -

Two hours after I wrote this Obama held a press conference and denounced the statements of Rev. Wright a day earlier.

May 7th: Christianity Today ran a good editorial, directed to Evangelicals, entitled "Jeremiah Wright: Evangelical's Brother in Christ." The sub-title: Go ahead and disagree with Obama's pastor. But remember: He's family.

June 27: Well, this is all history now. Earlier this week James Dobson hit Obama for saying that the church needs to translate its biblical values into universal ones. Dobson appears to cling to the Sacred square. Some, adverse to people of faith seek to establish a religious free Naked Square. Os Guinness I think has this one right. He claims the church must make its case with persuasion to the Civic square. For more, see his new book: Guinness, O. (2008). The case for civility and why our future depends on it. New York: HarperOne. Years ago I read his Guinness, O. (1993). The American hour: A time of reckoning and the once and future role of faith. New York: Free Press, and found it quite illuminating on this matter. I have to think further on this, but I tend to lean with Guinness, and maybe Obama. Making a case from the Biblle is not exclusive of making the case in universal values, or in the Civic square. It is what democracy, rather than theocracy is built upon. Don't you think?