Black Liberation Theology
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Submitted by carissastuart on 01/26/2012 03:23 AM Flag This Paper
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Black Liberation Theology
Carissa Stuart
James Cones Reflection Paper
Christianity
Black Liberation Theology
Black theology, just like Latin American and feminist theology, deal with being oppressed. Black liberation theology is a relatively new theological perspective found in some Christian churches in America. It promotes African Americans to be liberated against political, economical, social and religious discrimination. Cones feels that Jesus is on the side of the ones who are oppressed; so if the African Americans are being treated unfairly, Jesus must be getting treated just as unfairly as they are and is on their side. He states, “What is the significance of the historical and resurrected Jesus for our times? The answer to this question must focus on both the meaning of the historical Jesus and the contemporary significance of the resurrection” (Cones 125). He believes that when we are in the situation where we are the ones being oppressed we can relate to Jesus and say no to oppression and yes to liberation to encounter the significance of the resurrected Jesus. “If he is not black as we are, then the resurrection has little significance for our times. Indeed, if he cannot be what we are, we cannot be who he is.” (Cones 126-127). African Americans follow the historical Jesus, the oppressed one, as an example to live their lives; the life, death and resurrection of Jesus reveals that he tried to help liberate others from oppression. If this is true, then Jesus must be black so that blacks can know that their liberation is his liberation as well.
Cones split Jesus up into two halves, the historical and resurrected Jesus, but what are the meanings of that? The historical Jesus means that black theology “recognizes history as an indispensable foundation of Christology” (Cones 126). From reading through the New Testament, there is no doubt that at his time Jesus was oppressed by his people. During his time, the idea of Christianity as a new religion wasn’t accepted...