Black TheologyBlack TheologyMust God Be Black?Must God Be Black?

ABSOLUTELYABSOLUTELY

Black TheologyBlack TheologyGod’s concern for God’s God’s concern for God’s

peoplepeople

                                                                           

Black Theology & Black Theology & Black Power Black Power

Black Power “ . . . mean(s) complete Black Power “ . . . mean(s) complete emancipation of black people from emancipation of black people from white oppression by whatever means white oppression by whatever means black people deem necessary.”black people deem necessary.”

It could mean economic boycotts, It could mean economic boycotts, protests or rebellion.protests or rebellion.

A protest might draw worldwide A protest might draw worldwide attention to the cause. For example, attention to the cause. For example, Mexico City 1968Mexico City 1968

Black TheologyBlack Theology ““Black theology is an attempt to Black theology is an attempt to

analyze the nature of that reality analyze the nature of that reality [reality of God], asking what we can [reality of God], asking what we can say about the nature of God in view say about the nature of God in view of God’s self-disclosure in biblical of God’s self-disclosure in biblical history and the oppressed condition history and the oppressed condition of black Americans.”of black Americans.” James ConeJames Cone

The GospelThe Gospel Same Gospel + Different Experience Same Gospel + Different Experience

= Black Theology= Black Theology The DifferenceThe Difference

SourcesSources There are six sources of Black There are six sources of Black

TheologyTheology Black ExperienceBlack Experience Black HistoryBlack History Black CultureBlack Culture RevelationRevelation ScriptureScripture TraditionTradition

Black ExperienceBlack Experience The life of Blacks as The life of Blacks as

they have they have experienced it. A life experienced it. A life of suffering and of suffering and exploitation. “What exploitation. “What does God mean does God mean when a police officer when a police officer whacks you over the whacks you over the head because you head because you are black?” are black?” ABTL 25ABTL 25

http://www.mccunetv.com/black.jpg

Black HistoryBlack History The way that Blacks The way that Blacks

were brought to this were brought to this land and were land and were treated in this land.treated in this land.

http://www.kyrene.org/schools/brisas/sunda/bhistory/blacks.jpg

Black CultureBlack Culture It is the “creative It is the “creative

forms of expression forms of expression as one reflects on as one reflects on history, endures history, endures pain, and pain, and experiences joy.” experiences joy.” ABTL 27ABTL 27

http://www.blackstockphotos.com/images/background/montage.jpg

RevelationRevelation In the face of the In the face of the

Black experience, Black experience, Black history and Black history and Black culture God Black culture God has acted and this has acted and this is the revelation. It is the revelation. It is what Black is what Black people have done people have done and our doing about and our doing about their own liberation.their own liberation.

Truth Seekers Truth Seekers SymbolSymbol

http://african-american.truthseekersusa.net/widgets/gen_125.1.gif

ScriptureScripture Scriptures record Scriptures record

God’s acts of God’s acts of liberation of those liberation of those who are oppressed. who are oppressed. The history of God’s The history of God’s action in the world action in the world demonstrate the demonstrate the power and reality of power and reality of God in the struggle God in the struggle for freedom of for freedom of oppression.oppression. http://www.littleafrica.com/biblecovers/

TraditionTradition ““The theological The theological

reflection of the reflection of the church upon the church upon the nature of nature of Christianity from Christianity from the time of the the time of the early church to the early church to the present day.” present day.” ABTL 33ABTL 33

http://www.asne.org/index.cfm?ID=3330