Rev. Paul Washington, presente!
By Betsey Piette
Philadelphia
The progressive movement in Philadelphia lost a life-long
friend and advocate with the Oct. 7 death of Rev. Paul
Washington, rector emeritus of the historic Church of the
Advocate in the heart of the African American community. He was
81 years old.
Rev. Washington began his ministry in 1946 at the Church of
the Crucifixion in South Philadelphia. He also served as
Episcopal chaplain at the Eastern State Penitentiary for 10
years. But he is most recognized as one who devoted much of his
ministry to addressing the issues of the poor, the oppressed,
victims of injustice, and for civil and human rights.
In 1980, Washington, former Attorney General Ramsey Clark,
and eight others defied a U.S. travel ban when they attended a
conference in Iran. At the time, Iran was holding U.S.
hostages.
On his return, Washington said the U.S. government could
secure release of the hostages by apologizing for past
interference in Iranian affairs. "We had to go to say to the
world that in this materialist, imperialist civilization, there
is a culture who still cares about humanity," he said in a
sermon upon his return.
In 1968 at the Church of the Advocate, Rev. Washington
hosted the National Black Power Conference. Two years later, at
a time when the organization was coming under increasing police
harassment, he hosted the convention of the Black Panther
Party.
His church also served as a base for students meeting to
protest the war against Vietnam, community activists protesting
police brutality and tenants protesting landlord abuse.
Washington again stood on principal in 1974, when he bucked
church rules and agreed to allow the unprecedented and
unauthorized ordination of the Episcopal Church's first 11
women priests in his church. In the 1990s he lobbied for
domestic-partnership benefits for gay and lesbian city workers,
going head-to-head against the powerful clergy of Philadelphia
who opposed the ordinance.
He was jailed with homeless protesters and criticized for
demanding that the Episcopalian Church pay reparations to the
descendents of African American slaves. He was recognized as a
leader in the movement against apartheid in South Africa.
As a member of the commission that reviewed the city's 1985
bombing of the MOVE headquarters that left 11 people dead and
destroyed 61 homes, he openly criticized police tactics. Father
Washington was a frequent speaker at rallies calling for
freedom for political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal.
In 1995, he joined the Million Man March in Washington.
He had little but scorn for the conservative, evangelical
Promise Keepers. As a member of a clergy group set up to
challenge the fundamentalist men's organization, Father
Washington cracked, "Beware of those who adorn themselves in
personal piety, because they may be seeking power."
Rev. Paul Washington left a legacy as a person of honor and
dignity. He is survived by his wife Christine, sons Paul, Kemah
and Michael, and daughter Donya.
Reprinted from the Oct. 24, 2002, issue of
Workers World newspaper
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