What is Black Liberation Theology? (OBAMA)

What is Black Liberation Theology?

By Anthony B. Bradley

http://www.glennbeck.com

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Wright's Black Liberation Theology By Anthony B. Bradley

What is Black liberation theology anyway? Barrack Obama's

former pastor, Jeremiah Wright catapulted black liberation

theology onto a national stage, when America discovered

Trinity United Church of Christ. Understanding the

background of the movement might give better clarity into

Wright's recent vitriolic preaching. A clear definition of

Black theology was first given formulation in 1969 by the

National Committee of Black Church Men in the midst of the

civil-rights movement:

"Black theology is a theology of black liberation. It seeks

to plumb the black condition in the light of God's

revelation in Jesus Christ, so that the black community can

see that the gospel is commensurate with the achievements

of black humanity. Black theology is a theology of

'blackness.' It is the affirmation of black humanity that

emancipates black people from White racism, thus providing

authentic freedom for both White and black people. It

affirms the humanity of White people in that it says 'No'

to the encroachment of White oppression."

In the 1960s, Black churches began to focus their attention

beyond helping Blacks cope with national racial

discrimination particularly in urban areas.

The notion of "Blackness" is not merely a reference to skin

color, but rather is a symbol of oppression that can be

applied to all persons of color who have a history of

oppression (except Whites, of course). So in this sense, as

Wright notes, "Jesus was a poor black man" because he lived

in oppression at the hands of "rich White people." The

overall emphasis of Black liberation theology is the Black

struggle for liberation from various forms of "White

racism" and oppression.

James Cone, the chief architect of black liberation

theology in his book A Black Theology of Liberation (1970),

develops Black theology as a system. In this new

formulation, Christian theology is a theology of liberation

-- "a rational study of the being of God in the world in

light of the existential situation of an oppressed

community, relating the forces of liberation to the essence

of the gospel, which is Jesus Christ," writes Cone. Black

consciousness and the Black experience of oppression orient

black liberation theology -- i.e., one of victimization

from White oppression.

One of the tasks of Black theology, says Cone, is to

analyze the nature of the gospel of Jesus Christ in light

of the experience of oppressed Blacks. For Cone, no

theology is Christian theology unless it arises from

oppressed communities and interprets Jesus' work as that of

liberation. Christian theology is understood in terms of

systemic and structural relationships between two main

groups: victims (the oppressed) and victimizers

(oppressors). In Cone's context, writing in the late 1960s

and early 1970s, the great event of Christ's liberation was

freeing African Americans from the centuries-old tyranny of

White racism and White oppression.

American White theology, which Cone never clearly defines,

is charged with having failed to help Blacks in the

struggle for liberation. Black theology exists because

"White religionists" failed to relate the gospel of Jesus

to the pain of being Black in a White racist society.

For Black theologians White Americans do not have the

ability to recognize the humanity in persons of color,

Blacks need their own theology to affirm their identity in

terms of a reality that is anti-Black -- Blackness stands

for all victims of White oppression. "White theology," when

formed in isolation from the Black experience, becomes a

theology of White oppressors, serving as divine sanction

from criminal acts committed against Blacks. Cone argues

that even those White theologians who try to connect

theology to Black suffering rarely utter a word that is

relevant to the Black experience in America. White theology

is not Christian theology at all. There is but one guiding

principle of Black theology: an unqualified commitment to

the Black community as that community seeks to define its

existence in the light of God's liberating work in the

world.

As such, Black theology is a survival theology because it

helps Blacks navigate White dominance in American culture.

In Cone's view, Whites consider Blacks animals, outside of

the realm of humanity, and attempted to destroy Black

identity through racial assimilation and integration

programs -- as if Blacks have no legitimate existence apart

from Whiteness. Black theology is the theological

expression of a people deprived of social and political

power. God is not the God of White religion but the God of

Black existence. In Cone's understanding, truth is not

objective but subjective -- a personal experience of the

Ultimate in the midst of degradation.

The echoes of Cone's theology bled through, the now

infamous, anti-Hilary excerpt by Rev. Wright. Clinton is

among the oppressing class ("rich White people") and is

incapable of understanding oppression ("ain't never been

called a n-gg-r") but Jesus knows what it was like because

he was "a poor black man" oppressed by "rich White people."

While black liberation theology is not main stream in most

black churches, many pastors in Wright's generation are

burdened by Cone's categories which laid the foundation for

many to embrace Marxism and a distorted self-image of

perpetual "victim" which we be explored in the next two

columns.

Anthony B. Bradley is a research fellow at the Acton

Institute, and assistant professor of theology at Covenant

Theological Seminary in St. Louis. His PhD dissertation is

titled, "Victimology in Black Liberation Theology."

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This is part one of three. Ma apologies if previously

posted. In my view, missing a couple of sermons which just

happened to be the ones shown all over new and old media

does not in and of irself excuse 20+ years of attendance as

a congrgant. A $22,500 donation to the church also says

much....

1 Posted on 3/26/2008 6:03:43 PM PDT by The Forgotten Man

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-To: The Forgotten Man

So does being married by the man, and having him baptize

your two daughters!

2 Posted on 3/26/2008 6:05:50 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin

(Save The Earth. It's The Only Planet With Chocolate.)

Reply to 1

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-To: The Forgotten Man

So much for Martin Luther Kings's dream of everyone being

color blind...

3 Posted on 3/26/2008 6:09:36 PM PDT by AmericaUnited

Reply to 1

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-To: The Forgotten Man

Obama certainly knows what his church believes. Personally

I doubt if he does believes a lot of this himself. His

membership was to get a political power base upon which he

could build a political career.

4 Posted on 3/26/2008 6:10:14 PM PDT by Anti-Bubba182

Reply to 1

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-To: The Forgotten Man

Good post.

5 Posted on 3/26/2008 6:11:27 PM PDT by marktwain

Reply to 1

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-To: AmericaUnited

Obama and his mentor Wright want to turn MLK's dream into a

national nightmare.

6 Posted on 3/26/2008 6:12:38 PM PDT by Free ThinkerNY

((((Truth to a Liberal, is like a crucifix to a

vampire))))

Reply to 3

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-To: Free ThinkerNY

They are invested in continued racial turmoil.

7 Posted on 3/26/2008 6:14:06 PM PDT by unkus

Reply to 6

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-To: The Forgotten Man

bump

8 Posted on 3/26/2008 6:22:03 PM PDT by Bronzewound

Reply to 1

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-To: Anti-Bubba182

I am not so sure. He has made some self incriminating

comments recently that have many questioning exactly what

his beliefs may be. Albeit, he joined this church at a time

when as a community organizer, it gave him street cred.

However, if he had any future political aspirations, his

qualitative judgment comes into question. If he did not

recognize that the potential train wreck his involvement in

the church may been prohibitive for potential electable

viability, one has to critically question his judgment.

9 Posted on 3/26/2008 6:26:25 PM PDT by The Forgotten Man

(He works, he votes, generally he prays -- but he always

pays....)

Reply to 4

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-To: The Forgotten Man

Does this make Barack a "Conehead". This is the real

problem, these churches aren't interested in the word of

God and Jesus, they are political units to attack the

Republican party and to intimidate black people into

socialism.

They have been created as a propaganda tool to divert

attention away from the Democrat Party that supported

slavery and segregation.

10 Posted on 3/26/2008 6:26:40 PM PDT by TheEaglehasLanded

Reply to 1

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-To: The Forgotten Man

Caused me to remember the old Doobie Brothers song, "Jesus

Is Just All White With Me." Anybody else remember that one?

11 Posted on 3/26/2008 6:30:03 PM PDT by Bronzewound

Reply to 1

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-To: Bronzewound

> Does this make Barack a "Conehead".

Beldar and his wife Primat Obama? It does make sense, them

being from France and all.....

12 Posted on 3/26/2008 6:36:57 PM PDT by HerrBlucher

Reply to 11

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-To: The Forgotten Man

Google hits for "Black Liberation Theology":

03/21/08 - 250K

03/26/08 - 345K

Whatever it is, Americans are learning more about it.

This can't be good for Hussein.

13 Posted on 3/26/2008 6:37:00 PM PDT by rogue yam

Reply to 1

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-To: The Forgotten Man

The problem with leaving the church is that he would lose

the base he had and he can't afford to. Obama is stuck. He

is attached to a politcal tradition of

Forwarded messages continue:

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-To: The Forgotten Man

I think that this Black liberation Theology is more

widespread than many commentators want to admit. I have

been hearing this stuff being parroted by many of the

blacks I have worked with over the years. Wouldn

"Liberalism is a Mental Disorder" <talkradiotruth100@gmail.com> wrote

in message

news:f389550c-d481-4ed9-8e47-5143c8131828@x41g2000hsb.googlegroups.com...

On Mar 26, 10:19 pm, use...@mantra.com and/or http://www.mantra.com/jai (Dr.

Jai Maharaj) wrote:

> What is Black Liberation Theology?

>

> By Anthony B. Bradleyhttp://www.glennbeck.com

> Tuesday, March 25, 2008

>

> Wright's Black Liberation Theology By Anthony B. Bradley

>

> What is Black liberation theology anyway? Barrack Obama's

> former pastor, Jeremiah Wright catapulted black liberation

> theology onto a national stage, when America discovered

> Trinity United Church of Christ. Understanding the

> background of the movement might give better clarity into

> Wright's recent vitriolic preaching. A clear definition of

> Black theology was first given formulation in 1969 by the

> National Committee of Black Church Men in the midst of the

> civil-rights movement:

>

> "Black theology is a theology of black liberation. It

It's time to clean house!! Time to get all the dirt out of America!!

Sign me up!!

Start with the coward who hides behind "Liberalism is a Mental

Disorder".

If he had a bcackbone he would have been proud to use the name his

father gave him!

"Frank Arthur" <Art@Arthurian.com> used a stick in the sand to babble

>If he had a bcackbone he would have been proud to use the name his

>father gave him!

Sue?

Swill

--

It's rainin' McCain!