By Dr. Y’Shua Yisrael
The greatest mathematician ever is without a doubt, Sir Isaac Newton. Two of the greatest chemists are Michael Faraday and Marie Curie. Mohammed Ali, Mike Tyson, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Kobe Bryant are indubitably some of the most superior athletes. Mahalia Jackson and Clara Ward are facedown, two of the greatest Black- American female gospel singers. Blues singers are uniquely Black American, the deep-spirited moaning and groans of great blues artists is borderline sacred when it is accompanied by the incomparable guitar of the musical geniuses such as Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Robert Johnson, and the Howlin Wolf.
The above accolades paid to great individuals are not a revelation to anyone because greatness is identified through exceptionality and non-conformity. Albert Einstein, so truthfully and eloquently stated, “Great men of necessity, walk, alone“. Great men have both, the audacity and temerity required to leave their marks on the corridor of time. In his day, Yeshua (Jesus) walked alone because his words and actions were a great offense to the religious tradition into which he was born. For example, he unhesitatingly dared to call himself the son of God. When criticized for such he referenced their own scriptures, Psalms, 82:6 which says, “Ye are gods”. His characterization, and preaching about the godhead were unlike his predecessors in Israel who taught that God was an exogenous, angry, jealous, vindictive, and often tyrannical Being that imposes heavy laws upon humanity. For instance, according to the law, an adulteress woman should be stoned. However, when he was asked how to respond when a woman was caught in adultery, Yeshua simply stated, “Let him without sin cast the first stone”. The implications are, that humanity by virtue of its nature commits sin. He, unlike his contemporaries, demonstrated forgiveness and compassion which are the traits of a loving father; the true nature of God. The level of consciousness of great people affords an extraordinary vision through which to perceive the essential nature of God, which is, unconditional love. Yeshua (Jesus) was unlike the scribes and Pharisees; the religious authorities of his culture who saw Heaven as a far-off place that would someday manifest on earth with visible signs. However, in Luke 17: 20-21, Yeshua (Jesus) teaches that the kingdom of heaven will not come with observable signs. His teachings challenged the age-old acceptance by crushing ignorance in order to establish a new humanity. Heaven he taught is right here and now. He taught, “The kingdom of heaven is within you”. In Matthew 23:38 he abraded the religious authorities by rejecting them by saying, “Your house is left unto you desolate.” The teachings within the Black American church were conceived in slavery, which itself constitutes a godless act. Nevertheless, African Americans have whole heartedly accepted white theology as the words of God.
At the propitious season, the universe will always restore the truth. The experience of the descendants of slavery is seemingly consistent with that of an angry God, but truthfully, it wasn’t God that terrorized our forefathers. rather, it was the actions of impious men. The Bible was inherited and taught to African American communities as infallible, and in errant. For 400 years, Black American ministers have been culpable by perpetuating the spiritual superstition taught to them by white preachers. Time itself will not permit the darkness to prevail, the light of truth inevitably will shine dispelling half-truths, fallacies, and superstitions. Approximately 71 years ago, a soul that was destined for greatness was born into the Black Pentecostal church; his name was Carlton Pearson. Carlton was intelligent and witty he was formed and shaped into the tradition of the Black Pentecostal church.
He was ordained at age 15 and began preaching what he would later call superstitions, tears, metaphors, and mythology about Hell. Carlton Pearson, like all black men who obtain a measure of notoriety in Christendom, was groomed and approved by the established white Christian conservative Church. In Carlton’s case, the renowned Televangelist, Oral Roberts embraced him and facilitated his admission into Oral Robert’s University, and later would make him a member of the board of regents. Pastor Oral Roberts’s mentorship was, in part, the reason for his national visibility. African Americans, in order to succeed, must always have White approval. Owing to his immaturity and eagerness to demonstrate his extraordinary Charismatic preaching, he failed to complete his education at Oral Roberts University. He dropped out and started his own church, regurgitating White conservative theology about Hell and the infallibility of the Bible. His light was brilliant which made him sparkle and shine, earning him the theological distinction of “Bishop”. His singing and high-spirited preaching sent Black and white Americans into spiritual ecstasy. He was the first to have a mega-church with weekly proceeds that exceeded $60,000. His holy ghost-filled, devil-rebuking, and Hellfire hallelujah preaching was blitzing and was seemingly unstoppable. That is, until one night when he reportedly was visited by God who told him, in effect, to stop preaching about Hell.
According to Bishop Pearson, the essence of God’s message was, that there is no Hell; Hell does not exist. Afterward, Bishop Carlton Pearson was deeply disturbed and conflicted owing to his inability to reconcile what God had revealed to him with the traditional Pentecostal teachings of Hell. He could no longer reconcile the concept of Hell with the moral character of a God of love. As his contemplation grew deeper, he questioned the infallibility of the Bible and the notion that this book was “inerrant”. For example, in one scripture the Bible says that God’s mercy endures forever, Psalms 136. However, in another, Matthew 25:41, “God will say to those on his left depart from me, you cursed into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels”; these scriptures are contradictory. Bishop Pearson emerged from his intrapersonal conundrum with a new resolve and conviction to preach that there is no Hell. This was unprecedented and unheard of. Never had a Christian man of God who was a descendant of slavery, and a renowned public figure, taught against the Bible. The traditional Black Church was taken aback in disbelief by his posture and abandoned him forthwith. The community moved with vigor and alacrity to disavow him as a” Man of God”. The white Christian conservative Church implemented a strategy to divest Bishop Pearson of his credibility by sullying his name and removing him from public visibility. He lost his church, his home, his finances and his position on the board of regents at Oral Roberts University.
Abandoned by fellow clergymen, he was left to drown in the sea of ill repute. However, he refused to capitulate owing to his revelation and faith in the words of Yeshua (Jesus). “I will never leave or forsake you.” The Bishop persevered by taking his inclusive revelation to those who were marginalized on the periphery of Christianity. He found new meaning and purpose and was rewarded with the wisdom of King David who said in Psalms 118:20-24, “the stone that the builders rejected, has become the cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in his eyes”. In this author’s view, history will record Bishop Carlton Pearson as, one of the most enlightened Black theologians in the American saga.
Dr. Yisrael offers individualized instructions in the Hebrew alphabet and teaches an individualized course and self-reflection. Interested parties should contact: Babayshua@gmail.com