# Revs. Jesse Jackson/Al Sharpton **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 26, 2005, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revs-jesse-jackson-al-sharpton/337282 "2005-12-26T20:52:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2005, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revs-jesse-jackson-al-sharpton/337282/1 "2005-12-26T20:52:41Z")
From reading the Wikipedia articles on [Al Sharpton](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Sharpton) and [Jesse Jackson](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_Jackson) it does not state that either man was a minister at a church. Jackson, indeed, dropped out of divity school. Did Jackson or Sharpton ever hold a postion as pastor of a church? Does either man participate actively with any organized church? ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2005, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revs-jesse-jackson-al-sharpton/337282/2 "2005-12-26T21:28:51Z")
> [@](#): > > After receiving his B.A. in sociology he accepted a Rockefeller grant to attend the Chicago Theological Seminary, where he planned to train for the ministry. Jackson was ordained a Baptist minister in 1968, though he had not finished his course work at CTS, having instead left in 1966 to commit himself full-time to the Civil Rights movement. ([Cite](http://www.gale.com/free_resources/bhm/bio/jackson_j.htm).) > [@](#): > > As a child, Sharpton became an ordained minister and was known as the “boy wonder” preacher of the Washington Temple Church of God. ([Cite](http://www.answers.com/topic/al-sharpton).) Neither man seems to have been the stereotypical clergyman of a local church congregation, but there is a longstanding tradition of men called to the ministry for other functions, social advocacy being high on that list. (Think about Francis of Assisi as a historical parallel.) ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2005, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revs-jesse-jackson-al-sharpton/337282/3 "2005-12-26T21:33:27Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > (Think about Francis of Assisi as a historical parallel.) Al Sharpton, and St. Francis of Assissi? Pardon me while I die laughing. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2005, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revs-jesse-jackson-al-sharpton/337282/4 "2005-12-26T23:14:44Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Al Sharpton, and St. Francis of Assissi? > > Pardon me while I die laughing. > > Regards, > Shodan Ugly. The point was made legitimately. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2005, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revs-jesse-jackson-al-sharpton/337282/5 "2005-12-26T23:33:28Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Al Sharpton, and St. Francis of Assissi? > > Pardon me while I die laughing. > > Regards, > Shodan Wasn’t there something about not bringing political arguments into GQ a while ago? The parallel was that they felt called to ministries that were not the normal “pastor taking care of a parish” type, hence the analogy I drew. Perhaps I should have used the “Rev.” M.G. “Pat” Robertson, multimillionare television executive, or the “Rev.” Donald Wildmon, self-styled arbiter of morals, as ministers doing other work? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ccd318/32.png) [@John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Kentzel-Griffin)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2005, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revs-jesse-jackson-al-sharpton/337282/6 "2005-12-27T00:47:15Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Al Sharpton, and St. Francis of Assissi? > > Pardon me while I die laughing. > > Regards, > Shodan Keep political snipes out of General Questions. Consider youself warned. Don’t do this again. **DrMatrix** - GQ Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2005, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revs-jesse-jackson-al-sharpton/337282/7 "2005-12-27T21:21:37Z")
What about many priests who don’t necessarily have a congregation, but instead teach in various schools, or join holy orders? ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2005, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revs-jesse-jackson-al-sharpton/337282/8 "2005-12-28T02:35:54Z")
Former Senator (also U.N. Ambassador and general “special envoy” for several Presidents) John Danforth is an ordained Episcopalian minister who has never been a minister at a church. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2005, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revs-jesse-jackson-al-sharpton/337282/9 "2005-12-28T02:49:05Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Former Senator (also U.N. Ambassador and general “special envoy” for several Presidents) John Danforth is an ordained Episcopalian minister who has never been a minister at a church. May I ask where you got that information? > [@](#): > > He [Danforth] is ordained to the clergy of the Episcopal Church. He has served as honorary associate at St. Alban’s Church in Washington, a member of the governing board of Washington Cathedral, honorary Canon of Christ Church Cathedral in St. Louis, **associate priest at the Church of the Holy Communion in University City, assistant rector at the Church of St. Michael and St. George in Clayton, associate rector of Grace Episcopal Church in Jefferson City, assistant rector at the Church of the Epiphany in New York City, and assistant chaplain for New York’s Memorial Sloan-Kattering Cancer Center.** ([Source](http://www.un.int/usa/danforth.htm).) The bolded items would be actual work as a priest, perhaps on a part-time basis. ---
**Author:** ![Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sophistry_and_Illusion)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2005, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revs-jesse-jackson-al-sharpton/337282/10 "2005-12-28T09:06:20Z")
And having heard Sharpton preach in Alabama, I can attest to the fact that the man can preach like a mothe…uh, like a person who can preach really, really well. Simply amazing, it was.