The Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., controversial former pastor of Sen. Barack Obama, told a Richmond suburban audience yesterday why he always talks about politics and faith.

"Because Luke did," he told hundreds of participants during his tightly controlled appearance at the Life Empowerment Super Conference at Saint Paul's Baptist Church on Creighton Road in Henrico County.

Citing Luke 1:5-25 -- which relates how a barren Elizabeth gave birth to John the Baptist -- Wright spoke of impossible situations that can be resolved by prayer and faith.

"John and Jesus were born in a time of chaos and confusion," he said.

"This is a season of chaos and confusion," he said. "But it is also a season of hope."

"Look at the situation. You've got a king who is crazy. You got the murder of individual citizens. You got a commander-in-chief who can do what he wants and not answer to anybody. That's Herod the Great, y'all.

"Does that sound familiar?"

Most of yesterday's sermon, however, focused on faith and prayer, and many who heard him said they found his words inspiring, not inflammatory.

"He is a man of God, a great man of character," said Kevin Baker of Henrico.

Until January, Wright was pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, which Obama attended. Wright is now pastor emeritus and Obama has resigned from the church.

Wright, 67, made headlines this year when controversial segments of his sermons, in which he strongly criticized America and its policies, were publicized during the primary campaign of the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.

Obama condemned Wright's remarks, then later accused the pastor of "giving comfort to those who prey on hate." In May, Obama announced that he had resigned from the church.

Though Wright did not mention Obama by name during his 45-minute appearance, he touched on Obama's candidacy, as he spoke of how faith can outweigh fact.

"The facts said that after 246 years of legalized slavery, legalized segregation, lynching, rapes and inferior schools . . . we're doomed to mediocrity at least and inferiority at the worst. That's what the facts said.

"But faith produced a Nobel-prize winner named Dr. Martin Luther King. . . . Then faith turned around and produced a 42-year-old black senator in the United States Congress. And five years later, look what faith in God can do."

The audience leapt to its feet.

Wright, a mentor to Saint Paul's pastor, the Rev. Lance Watson, has spoken at the church several times.

Church representatives said they did not know whether Wright's appearance yesterday was scheduled before the Obama fracas.

Yesterday's appearance drew media eager to see whether he would ignite any further polemics.

The handful of reporters present were not allowed to question Wright. They also were ushered to a balcony in the 3,000-seat sanctuary and kept away from the congregation during his sermon. Photos, video and audio recording were prohibited, except by official church media.

Most attendees at the three-day conference said they were there for the spirituality, not to see Wright specifically.

"I'm 42. I know a person's character is more than a 10-second sound byte," said Saint Paul's member Jack Joyner.

"He's controversial to the media, but not to me," said Thomas Bradford of Chester, a church member who was attending his first Life Empowerment conference.

"You know, Jesus was controversial, too," said Lindsay Bryant of Richmond, a deacon at Saint Paul's.
Contact Lisa Crutchfield at (804) 649-6362 or lcrutchfield@timesdispatch.com.

Contact Daniel Yates at (804) 649-6331 or dyates@timesdispatch.com.