Hollywood A-Lister Denzel Washington received his minister’s license. The Academy Award winner, who landed his breakthrough role in the medical drama “St. Elsewhere” in 1982, was baptized by Archbishop Christopher Bryant at the Kelly Temple in New York City on Saturday. Washington earned multiple nominations for his work on the show and eventually was able to break into film.
Christopher Bryant announced on Facebook, “We celebrate the addition of Minister Denzel Washington into the clergy, having received his minister’s license in the Church of God in Christ today, in a truly uplifting moment. ” The Church of God in Christ, or COGIC, is a large, predominantly black Pentecostal holiness denomination.
He continued “Both the baptism and the licensing took place at the Historic Kelly Temple in NYC, a place close to his heart. Denzel Washington attended this church as a child and testified to being filled with the Holy Spirit after visiting another church with actor Robert Townsend in the ’80s.” Kelly Temple is a historic black church in Harlem.
According to their website “Kelly Temple Church Of God In Christ has been in the community of Harlem for over seventy-five years. In 1939, it was originally known as “The Mother Church” under the pastorate of Reverend Otha Miema Kelly. ” It is distinctive for being the first Pentecostal Church in Harlem built ” from the ground up.” The church has maintained a large symbolic importance within the COGIC community.
“It took a while, but I’m finally here…If [God] can do this for me, there’s nothing He can’t do for you,” Washington said, according to Bryant. “The sky is the limit.” “Denzel Washington’s recent commitment to faith and service is truly inspiring,” Bryant added in another Facebook post. “His baptism and licensing to preach is the culmination of a life of faith.”
Washington recently stated you “can’t talk” about religion in the industry. “When you see me, you see the best I could do with what I’ve been given by my lord and savior,” the “Gladiator II” star wrote for Esquire. “I’m unafraid.” The A-lister minister’s license will allow him to pursue ordination. “In one week I turn 70,” Washington said. “It took a while, but I’m here.”
I don’t care what anyone thinks. See, talking about the fear part of it – you can’t talk like that and win Oscars. You can’t talk like that and party. You can’t say that in this town,” the actor added. He said, “It’s not like we all meet somewhere and discuss what we believe. So, I don’t know how many other actors have faith. I didn’t do a poll. How would I find that out? I mean, there’s no Church Actor Meetings I’ve been to.”
“I’m free now. It’s not talked about in this town. It’s not talked about. It’s not talked about. It’s not fashionable. It’s not sexy. But that doesn’t mean people in Hollywood don’t believe. There’s no such thing called Hollywood anyway. What does that even mean? That to me means a street called Hollywood Boulevard,” he explains the lack of religion in the movie industry.