“__________” Theology
What can fill in the blank? Biblical, Systematic, Reformed? What about Black, White, or Latino? Some may put False or True. As a theologian, regardless of of my own theological reflections, I like to know much about the various ways we all do theology.
The following is an interview of a Black theologian, Dr. James Cone. As you see and listen to the interview, ask yourself if there is such a thing as a White Theology, and if so, how would that contrast to Black Theology.
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I agree with his definition of white supremacy. I’m tired of old white men with gray hair running everything and I’m an old white man with gray hair!
Theology, unfortunately, in its current form is inheritantly western and Eurocentric. Look at the very name, “theology,” what language does that word come from?
I think black religious thought is valuable and important, but can it be “theology” and be “black”? Doesn’t black thought, to be true to itself, need a framework that is not based on Greek philosophy? The Bible itself is neither based on or organized by Greek philosophy. What are we really doing when we take the Bible and Hellenize it?
V. Kerry Inman - September 18, 2009 at 4:50 pm
I understand Dr. Cones premise that Black Theology was a merging of Black power and the civil rights movement. This merger was a means to empower Black people and a response to white supremacy. The Christian faith for a long time has been viewed as a white mans religion. However Dr Cone does not go far enough. At some point black people need to embrace their ethnicity. Why because RACE is a limited view and persepctive of ones self. I did’t say that we should ignore Race but there is a broader perspective. The problem is that many Black/African Americans have issues around true identity. Some will fight you up and down that they are not black or African. It just goes to show you that their are various ways black people see themselves. However to deny one pass is to deny ones idenity. At some point we need to know that we are more than (A RACE) of Black people we are African people who were brought here and robbed of our true idenity. This means we had a history prior to America and that we did not always have to address our oppressors in the Manner in which Cone speaks. So while I understand his premise it is limited. Black folk were once Kings and Queens. I know some will argue that White folk took their brand of supremacy and created what is known as colonization. To that point I will not argue but at some point black people have to see themsleves in the light of World History. Which begins to help see are ourselves as more than oppressed people. In some ways we will have to admit that the first man and woman roots can be traced back to Africa. And that means we played a large role in this world being jacked up in the first place but we also play a Larger role in its redemption. Our History is bearing this out from pre-civil right to post civil right Black people have playesd a large role in making America see its true sinful selfs. At the same time black people are helping in the redemtption of a nation from Martin Luther King to Obama. This does not mean all want redemption many want to be stuck in their ideoplogies. One of the most powerful thing that Cone shared is that white people want mercy and forgiveness but not justice and reparations. Until White people understand this they will never really understand true Biblical forgiveness. Congress for the first time recently acknowledged the horror of slavery (IT JUST TOOK THEM HOW MANY YEARS WOW) but know one in congress agreeded that their should be reparations. I really thougtht it was interesting how Cone views the scriptures. I do think that reparations will never happen. So their you go at some point you have to move on. I part ways with Dr.Cone is his view on absolute truth. He doesn’t think any religion is a self contained system of truth not absolute. As far as Im concerned I don’t serve a religion I serve Christ who said he is THE WAY AND THE TRUTH. Another point in which Dr. Cone and I may have disagreement is that when black people were getting killed it was not just religion that influenced and encouraged such behavior but their is was element of evil and SIN which Cone does not talk about. Lucifer may play a tiny little role in influencing people. So to that point I disagree with Cone the enemy is not just a man in a white hood burning a cross it is an evil ideology (SIN) that still continues today. Now to Dr. Cones defense he didn’t say that all white people were evil and racist. And one does not have to look far to know that racism still does exist just ask Jimmy Carter. To that point we are fighting an ideolology. Does this mean that white folk are off the hook NO. As long as this ideology exist and white supremacy exist we all have to fight together to address this evil. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF I MADE ANY SENSE THANKS
MINISTER VICTOR
Victor Gimenez - September 19, 2009 at 2:18 am