NEW YORK: Democrat Presidential front-runner Barack Obama resigned from Chicago's Trinity United Church along with his wife, apparently fearing that its pastor's politically explosive sermons could adversely affect his prospects in the race to the White House.
Obama had attended the church for two decades, but two controversial videos that surfaced recently involving Obama's longtime spiritual guide, Rev Jeremiah A Wright, and another pastor, led the Presidential hopeful to distance himself from the Trinity United.
One of the videos showed his pastor indulging in "anti-American" rhetoric and in the other another pastor tried to run down Hillary Clinton by making racial and gender related remarks.
In a letter to church's current pastor the Rev Otis Moss, Obama explained that his resignation follows the controversial remarks of his former pastor Wright.
But at a news conference, he denied that the resignation was politically motivated and suggested the reason was that Wright's sermons were being dissected.
The former pastor had in one of the sermons blamed the United States policies for the Sept 11, 2001 terrorist attack on New York and Washington in which about 3000 people were killed.
Obama distanced himself from his remarks but has not dissociated with Wright.
"Our relations with Trinity have been strained by the divisive statements of Reverend Wright, which sharply conflict with our own views. These controversies have served as an unfortunate distraction for other Trinity members who seek to worship in peace, and have placed you in an untenable position," Obama and his wife wrote.
At a news conference on Saturday, Obama said he had made this decision with sadness.
"This is where I found Jesus Christ, where we were married, where our children were baptised. We are proud of the extraordinary works of that church."
He said that he is not denouncing the church and added, "I'm not interested in people who want me to denounce the church. It's not a church worthy of denouncing."
Comments by Wright have inflamed racial tensions, posing an unwanted problem for Obama, as he seeks to wrap up the nomination.
