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Whither Historic Riverside Church?
The Rev. Brad Braxton's resignation as pastor of The Riverside Church was a sad episode in a battle that has been raging for years over the soul of the historic West Side church.
A concerned group of Riverside members had gone to court seeking to block the installation of the new minister, out of concern over both his pay and his vision for the church's future. They did not succeed, at least not in court. Braxton's alleged $600,000 compensation package made headlines, since the church has struggled financially in recent years, seen its membership decline and its financial campaign fail to reach its goal, been forced to cut funding for church programs, and dug into its endowment to pay operational expenses. While church officials claimed Braxton's actual compensation was much less than had been reported, it still seemed extravagant for a church that is experiencing hard times.
The more serious conflict represented by the Braxton controversy, however, is a long-standing one over whether Riverside will continue to be a liberal, socially activist church that is welcoming to Christians of all races, genders and sexual persuasions, or whether it will take on more of the trappings of a black, evangelical church. Founded as a Baptist church by John D. Rockefeller, Riverside evolved over the years into a non-denominational church famous for its liberal social agenda and its intellectual ministers.
When it hired its first black senior minister almost 20 years ago, it was hailed as another step forward for the open-minded congregation, but internal battles broke out between those who wanted the church to assume a more evangelical and black flavor with longer services, less European and more gospel music, and a bigger national platform for its minister.
Supporters of this new direction accused members who opposed it of being racist, and in the ensuing battle, many long-standing white members left the church Membership went from 60 percent white and 40 percent black to roughly the opposite. While there is nothing wrong with the new racial breakdown, some felt the church had adopted a tone that was more hostile to anything smacking of the European heritage.
One long-time church member who questioned Braxton's suitability for the job said that when he was asked at a church meeting what he meant when he talked about wanting to have diversity at Riverside, he described it as a warm, charismatic, African-American service. That is nice, but it's not exactly inclusive. Braxton also reportedly said he had no interest in the European-type music that is often performed by the church's professional-quality choir, that he prefers foot-stomping gospel music instead. As a former Riverside choir member, I believe that while a variety of music styles have long been performed at Riverside, a steady diet of gospel is inappropriate in a Gothic cathedral-like church.
It's been sad to watch the efforts of some Riversiders to turn it into a black church, but the Rev. Braxton was apparently determined to push ahead with that transformation. He was not the right leader for Riverside, and it's good that he has decided to move on. As one member told me, Riverside needs a pastor who is forward-thinking, and that means not trying to turn a white church or a racially integrated church into a black church, but about moving beyond the boxes of race and evangelism.
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As I stated in my first novel [ http://travelerblue.xanga.com/575973123/book/ ] Riverside was the jewel of Harlem that turned its back on Harlemites a couple of generations ago...so WHY should WE care?
I should also mention that I would not accept a salary of more than $50,000 and possibly a small apartment for my wife and I. She insists that she is not a candidate.But she could be talked in to me having such a munificent salary.
Well first my disclaimer. I did graduate from Union Theological Seminary. I did live with Bill Coffin when he was chaplain of Williams College. And I did work at Riverside when I was at Union. That was in 1960. This was the end of the era when it was possible to believe in liberal theology as it had been handed down. It was the beginning of the great fragmentation that is still underway. Liberalism became the practice of trying to navigate the fissures in society and in the church. I would like to be the minister at Riverside because I think I know the solution to the liberal dilemma. It is to go a step further into an honest agnosticism about all the doctrine we have been given and to embrace without apology an uncompromising universalism in terms of accepting the diversity of our world. I would not go for pomp in worship and stilted music. I would ensure hymn lyrics were not sexist. Or triumphal. I would not engage in liberationist cant or special pleading for any cause. I would join my friend and colleague Will Campbell in saying we are all bastards but God loves us anyway. These are among the reasons I will never be minister of Riverside and perhaps why Riverside will have difficulty moving forward.
How about a church to worship in, how about people being able to go to that church no matter what color you are, how about people who are down trotten being able to come in the house of the lord without being in mess, how about a church where people can feel the presence of god with felloow believers but instead we are running folks away with rituals, legalism, selfism, colorism, ect..... no wonder the church houses are growing because true worshipers were tired of the fights they just want to give god praise and live right in his eyes. Lets stop all this perfecting phoniness.
Excellent post. Historically black evangelical churches are fine, but trying to transform Riverside Church into one is inappropriate, and actually anachronistic, especially at a time when Harlem itself is turning into a mirror of Obama's integrated America.
I grew up attending Riverside Church in the 70's and 80's , and it was a place where the message sent to congregants was that all people merit dignity and self-worth. That the lives of poor Americans were just as valuable as those of wealthy Americans. That there was something amiss in the 1980's with the cutbacks in social programs and skyrocketing defense budget. That we were all the stewards of the earth and of humanity, and simple living and good economic management would create more funds for social justice. Riverside NEVER resembled a 'traditional European church'.
The question that must be asked today is why a church with a huge food pantry and homeless shelter within its walls would pay ministers gluttonous salaries while the endowment that allows for the contribution to charity is drained? Who would pay a minister more than the President of the United States? Why wouldn't a minister live on a teacher's salary, for instance? Their job is not that of a celebrity but that of a teacher and role model in charity. Economic stewardship that enables ongoing good works is vital, and anyone that drains the church does not have the longevity of the church or the broader goal of social justice in mind. I hope that Riverside is able to restore its financial base and return to its work in social and economic justice for ALL people.
Who said, "See the Christians; see how they love one another."? That was a milenium or so in the past. The bit about dignity in Christian worship ignores the reality of the primative experiance of Christians & the Christian church. Christians were hunted, tortured & killed by Rome after Christ died. Christians kept their worship services undercover, hidden from public view. It's difficult to create & have so called dignified worship when the worshipers must be ready to flee at a moments notice & locations for worship must be kept secret & moved often. Dignity, my Crozier!
Churches = socio-political units. Does that mean that God is a politician?
Your story cements the reason why I am not religious or go to church. It's just another institution that divides us.
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