Rev. Kirbyjon Caldwell takes on a controversial topic

Kirbyjon Caldwell officiating at jenna Bush's weddingJenna Bush's wedding on May 10, 2008 was officiated by a prominent Houston-based minister named the Reverend Kirbyjon Caldwell. Somewhat surprisingly, he was Black— and he was in fact a Black minister in the mode of Barack Obama's former pastor Dr. Jeremiah Wright. (Yes, Caldwell has endorsed Obama in the 2008 election— but that was not a problem. He was the minister Jenna chose. He happens to be an old friend of the Bush family, and he gave benedictions at both of Bush II's inaugurals.)

Rev. Caldwell is somewhat less politically controversial than Rev. Wright— but they both have rather confrontational styles and their ministries are both very much rooted in the African American community. In this YouTube video, recorded in November 2007, Rev. Caldwell takes on the tragic case of Michael Vick, a brilliant quarterback who destroyed his career (and ended up going to prison for at least one or two seasons) by getting mixed up in a dogfighting ring. Caldwell expresses the hope that Vick does "some of the time and not all the time," and he prays for Vick's repentance and redemption. Caldwell closes by pointing out that there is plenty of evil in even the best of us, and plenty of good in even the worst of us. (This is a rather inadequate summary of a fairly long and wide-ranging discourse.) He was speaking at the Houston Touchdown Club. (Since this is a football-based social club, the Pastor also reminds his audience that they can thank Vick for the presence of starting QB Matt Schaub on their hometown Houston Texans roster: Schaub began his career as Vick's backup with the Atlanta Falcons.)




See Also:


Barbara Bush for the "New Yorkers for Marriage Equality" campaign; January 31, 2011

  On January 31, 2011, Barbara Bush endorsed marriage equality



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