Black Liberation Theology Essay

idea that theology is not universal, but tied to specific historical contexts. In A Black Theology of

Therefore, the God in black theology is the God of and for the oppressed, the God who comes into view in their liberation. Any other approach is a denial of biblical revelation (BTL; Pg.

Liberation is another attribute of African American Christian worship. African-American worship is a celebration of freedom in which people enter and experience the liberating presence of the Holy Spirit. Consequently, known as "black happening, the time when the people gather together in the name of the One who promised that he would not leave the little ones alone in trouble."

Black power is not a form of vengeful racism but a response to the rejection of the white to recognize the humanity of the Negro. He proposes or lays the foundation of black theology, a revolutionary and radical theology when he says “the fact that I’m black is my ultimate reality” , and asks Christians and to the Churches

Black Power became the term used to describe how black used their power politically in making all the changes. There were many forms of racial oppression that whites casted on the blacks. One form of the oppressions had to do with the idea of capitalism. During her lecture, Professor Brown explained that, “a lot of black radical thinking was a critic of capitalism and understanding capitalism as a system of oppression, based on global awareness (cite). According to the point that Professor Brown mentioned above, the idea of capitalism

He then give the implicit example saying that once black liberation is seen as a primary goal for black theology, black suffering becomes a necessary starting point. Jones states that a black theologian must hold the view that black oppression is

However, emergence of negative results due to black liberation was evident. This is because the theory tends to separate the black and white Christian communities thus enhancing racism which is not religious or biblical. By critically analysing the biblical way of life, a level of unity among the people who share the same doctrine of Christ is expected. Black Liberation Theology initially intended to assist the black community, but in reality it ended up hurting the more. It promoted negative values for instance: racial tension, victimization, and Marxism ultimately leading to more oppression.

James Cone is the father of Black Theology on an intellecutual discipline and systematic discourse. He critique Juedo-Christianity because of the racist theological tranditions. He feels that it must talks about the cnditions and struggles of Black people. He say that Black Theology supposed to confront the White society as a racist Antichrist and let the oppressor know that we will fight for our freedom no matter what. James Cone beleieves that God and Jesus has Blackness.

Slavery varied around the world, especially in different cultures. What started in Jamestown, Virginia in 1619 left a lasting impression on the United States of America and most certainty African-Americans for many years. Even after 246 years of being ‘free’, African-Americans still endured oppression. Slavery in the United States was about power and control for slave masters. Slave masters used religion – Christianity – to oppress their slaves. There were laws purposely put in place to limit their slaves from feeling ‘equal’ to their slave masters, or any white counterpart. Despite the hurdles of being prohibited to read, write or even be taught, the slaves found ways to seek the same religion that their slave masters tried to use against them and turn it around. Slaves didn’t give up the desire to learn how to read and write in order to read the Bible. Slave owners feared the idea of slaves’ rebellion against their slave masters. Slaves risked their lives whenever they went to participate in ‘hush harbors’ and ‘invisible institutions.’ Slaves found hope in the ‘Christianity of Christ’ instead of the ‘Christianity of the land.’ All slaves didn’t convert to Christianity, but instead kept their African and Islam beliefs. Many consider Christianity a white man’s religion, however the African immigrants combined their religions traditions with worship through hymns and songs. Many slaves spoke about and against the experiences they endured from their ‘Christian’ slave masters. Even doubted the God of the Bible because of their experiences. Douglass and Walker questioned the religion of the slave masters because of the acts they committed against ‘God’s people.’ Slaves looked to Christianity – especially the story of Exodus – for hope through the

Durkheim illustrates social solidarity as social unity and integration, that uses moral phenomenon to help understand the moral degrees in society. Durkheim suggest social solidarity works under two different types which are mechanical and organic solidarity. Durkheim defines mechanical solidarity as common value and beliefs that are shared within society, that creates unity and shared goals. Organic solidarity is the highest interaction between different groups, with diverse ideologies. Durkheim suggest that the Black Lives Matter movement use their social solidarity to achieve collective awareness of the unjust repressive laws that discriminate against African Americans within the judicial and prison system. Durkheim would suggest that the

This ideology is relative to my prophetic voice as a speaker of truth. In his truth telling, Cone is brass and unapologetically abrasive. Cone states, “Black Theology is a theology of and for black people, an examination of their stories, tales, and sayings. It is an investigation of the mind into the raw materials of our pilgrimage, telling the story of ‘how we got over’.” In this story of “how we got over,” Cone speaks of, to me is about more than the mere essence of the words expressed.

Primarily a means of escape, the oppressed black community utilizes religion throughout their lives for comfort and hope. For instance, the cotton pickers are among those who use their faith to feel worthy of staying alive. These men and women, described as having drooping minds, limp shoulders, and unyielding fatigue, spend their days laboring in the fields only to return with less cotton than needed.

When black slaves were brought from Africa over to the New World, they were ripped away from their cultures, customs, and religion. Most slaves would later become Christians due to colonialist ideology, but the problem with this was that christianized slaves posed a threat to slave systems. Christianity taught blacks to see themselves as equals to their white counterparts in the eyes of God, therefore in the church, blacks began to question the Christian hierarchy imposed by protestant preachers which stated that slaves were bound to obey their masters. White Christians justified their rights to enslave blacks with biblical verses such as those found in Ephesians:

During the Black Lives Movement, people have used their freedom of speech, assembly, and petition to raise awareness for African American lives since they too are human with basic rights. Our society today has been gradually working on the improvement of human rights even before Martin Luther King jr, or Mahatma Gandhi. According to the first Amendment, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances,” meaning, humans have basic rights to speak, press, assemble, and petition. Amendment one has done a gratifying job of improving

Using the historical narrative of the contemporary American Christians as an example, I perceive the same scenario of exchange of roles-the oppressed becoming the oppressors. To clarify, by this, I mean the “white American Christians” of today that were once colonized by the British rulers and sought freedom to build their own nation have now formed their own groups to target and oppress others, the people of color- in this regard the KKK that have successfully burned crosses and lynched the African Americans and seek to up build further the agendas of white Christianity. While reading the article by Dr. Stephen Ray, Jr., the question intrigued me about how the white Christians, for whom the cross has been the object of liberation, have gone to the pathf being the oppressors to the black community? As I observe, the unasked question is: Does Christianity preach and teach hatred, calling judgement upon others, enslaving and burning them? I find the question extremely relevant to the theological