Protagonist of Black Liberation Theology

1. James h.cone

2. James Hall Cone was
born in
Fordyce, Arkansas,
on August 5, 1938.

3. Shorter College (two years)
North Little Rock, Arkansas
B.A., Philander Smith College (1958)
Little Rock, Arkansas
B.D., Garrett Theological Seminary (1961)
Evanston, Illinois
M.A., Northwestern University (1963)
Ph.D., Northwestern University (1965)

4. He was visiting professor at several colleges and
universities throughout the United States, including
Drew University, Princeton Theological Seminary,
University of Notre Dame, and Howard University. He
lectured throughout the world .
Cone received the American Black Achievement
Award, in the category of Religion in 1992.

5. James Cone became the preeminent
Black theologian in the United States
and the leading exponent for what is
termed Black theology.

6. Black theology

7. Cone’s black theology began with what is called
as
“Black experience” while growing up as a child in
Arkansas
This black experience he says “ "It meant
attending 'separate but equal' schools, going
to the balcony when attending a movie, and
drinking water from a 'coloured' fountain.

8. It meant refusing to retaliate when called a nigger
unless you were prepared to leave town at the
precise moment of your rebellion. You had no
name except for your first name of 'boy...‘”
(James H. Cone, God of the Oppressed)

9. Based on the preeminence of "black
experience," Cone defines theology as "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.“
(James H. Cone, A Black Theology of Liberation )

10. Cone says that black power is a phrase that
represents both black freedom and black self-
determination "wherein black people no longer
view themselves as without human dignity but
as men, human beings with the ability to carve
out their own destiny."
Black theology and black power

11. Black Theology is the theological arm of
Black Power,
Black Power is the political arm of Black
Theology.

12. Cone bases much of his liberationist theology on
God's deliverance of Israel from oppression under
the Egyptians.
Cone argues, is working for the deliverance of
oppressed blacks in twentieth-century America.
Because God is helping oppressed blacks and has
identified with them, God Himself is spoken of as
"black."

13. Role of Jesus is to liberate people . And he finds
Jesus as “black”
"The 'raceless' American Christ has a light skin,
wavy brown hair, and sometimes - wonder of
wonders - blue eyes. For whites to find him with
big lips and kinky hair is as offensive as it was
for the Pharisees to find him partying with tax-
collectors.

14. But whether whites want to hear it or not,
Christ is black, baby, with all of the
features which are so detestable to
white society"
Cone believes it is very important for black
people to view Jesus as black.

15. According to him sin is anything that is contrary
to the oppressed community or its liberation.
Salvation for Cone primarily has to do with
earthly reality, not heavenly hopes.

16. Cone rejects what he terms the "white lie" that
Christianity is primarily concerned with life in
the next world: "If eschatology means that one
believes that God is totally uninvolved in the
suffering of man because he is preparing them
for another world, then black theology is not
eschatological. Black theology has hope for
this life."

17. Cone defines liberation as the "emancipation of
black people from white oppression by whatever
means black people deem necessary."[42] This
definition would seem to allow for the use of
violence.
Cone does not advocate armed revolution against
white society. But some violence, he says, seems
unavoidable.

18.  Black Theology and Black Power (1969,)
 A Black Theology of Liberation (1970,
 The Spirituals and the Blues: An Interpretation (1972 )
 God of the Oppressed (1975,)
 For My People: Black Theology and the Black Church (Where
Have We Been and Where Are We Going?) (1984,)
 Speaking the Truth: Ecumenism, Liberation, and Black
Theology (1986,)
 Martin & Malcolm & America: A Dream or a Nightmare? (1992,)
 Risks of Faith: The Emergence of a Black Theology of Liberation,
1(968-1998 )
 The Cross and the Lynching Tree (2011,)
 My Soul Looks Back

19. THANKS!