“Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s,” goes the scriptural aphorism, “and to God the things that are God’s.”
As sometimes happens to people in high ecclesiastical positions, Rev. Henry J. Lyons, president of the National Baptist Convention, had trouble after a while distinguishing between himself and God. He rendered rather too liberally to himself and now, pursuant to a jury’s finding of guilt on charges of racketeering and grand theft, will probably have to spend some time rendering to Caesar as a result.
The protestations of his supporters notwithstanding, that verdict and that result are entirely appropriate. Lyons not only broke the law; he also degraded the black church, an institution that, more than any other, has been responsible for the survival and progress of this nation’s largest minority.
Lyons was convicted a week ago after a federal trial in Florida during which he offered the preposterous defense that certain of the actions that the government called misappropriation of church funds were, in fact, accepted practice in the black church and, thus, not really offenses.
The government produced volumes of evidence that Lyons played fast and loose with the money and the good name of the National Baptist Convention to provide himself a lavish lifestyle, including luxury cars, fancy homes and even mistresses. Among his peculations: $250,000 that had been donated to rebuild torched black churches.
Lyons’ actions came to public attention after his wife, Deborah, set fire to a $700,000 waterfront home that, unbeknownst to her, he had bought along with Bernice Edwards, a church aide and his co-defendant in the trial. Edwards was acquitted.
Mrs. Lyons stood by her husband during the trial, as has a large and very vocal contingent of church members. But while they may be prepared to forgive and forget, Caesar, quite properly, requires an accounting–and penance.
