Wright says Obama erred by staying away

CHICAGO, Dec. 8 (UPI) -- The Rev. Jeremiah Wright, returning to Chicago's Trinity Church of Christ, advised U.S. President-elect Barack Obama he had made a "bad decision."

Wright criticized Obama's distancing himself from the controversial preacher and his church after Wright's inflammatory words, but said that's OK because "he's still my child," The Chicago Sun-Times said Monday.

Wright preached at three services at Trinity's 47th anniversary Sunday in his first appearance since retirement, blending history, mimicry, singing and contempt.

Wright said he was proud of "the only church that produced the first and only African-American president in the 211-year history of the United States.

"The hatred of the media and the haters in politics may have caused him to distance himself from us, but the love of Christ will never allow me to distance myself from him,'' Wright said of Obama. "I can no more disown him than I can disown any other child of mine who makes (a) bad decision. He made a bad decision, but he's still my child."