Black Liberation Theology



Posted: Saturday, May 03, 2008

by
firstcenturychristian

When he was interviewed by Sean Hannity, "Rev. Jeremiah Wright" let it be known that his message was that of "Black Liberation Theology." He insisted that one could not appreciate his message without first understanding Black Liberation Theology. A check of the Internet revealed the following information about his movement and its beliefs.

Liberation theology was born as part of the Marxist revolution in South and Central America in the 1950s. It emphasized class-struggle, redistribution of wealth and a replacement of existing government with rulers embracing Marxist socialism. For several years the movement received support and encouragement from many Roman Catholic churchmen. When in the 1980s the Catholic hierarchy repudiated the "Liberation Theology Movement" it lost its momentum in Latin America.

The Black Liberation Movement was born in America in 1966. James Cone and Dwight Hopkins are credited as the leading theologians of this movement. Cone's books, "Black Theology and Black Power" (1969) and Black Theology of Liberation (1970) are the books that set forth the beliefs of Black Liberation movement. James H. Cone is the Charles A. Briggs Distinguished Professor of Systematic Theology professor at Union Theological Seminary in New York.

1. This movement is based on the view that Black people must struggle daily against White oppression. Cone says, they are "threatened on a daily basis by the insidious tentacles of White power"

2. It holds a world view that is distinctive. Proponents of Black liberation argue that White Christians see the world differently than do Blacks. According to them, Whites are interested in the world to come, while African spirituality is focused on the present world.

3.They complain that White Christians emphasize faith and grace, while Black liberation spokesmen emphasize liberation from oppression. To determine which of these approaches is in harmony with God's will, one need only read the New Testament of Christ. The Black Liberation approach is just the old social gospel of liberal Protestantism renamed and applied specifically to one ethnic group.

3. They argue that "Christianity is hopelessly associated with slavery and segregation."

4. They complain about what they call a "moral or theological appeal based on a White definition of morality or theology." (Cone). Of course every thinking person knows there is no Black or White interpretation of morality or the Bible. The Scripture has the same message for every nation and race. Any man's interpretation and application of it is either right or wrong; right if it correctly understands and applies the sacred message and wrong if it does not!

4. They have a growing appreciation for the Black Muslim religion. Jeremiah Wright's Church recently awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award to Louis Farrakhan, the head of the Nation of Islam. The two men have also traveled together to Muslim nations.

5. Cone writes, "Theologically, Malcom X was not far wrong when he called the White man the devil."(Black Theology and Black Power, pp. 39-41). White hatred is a basic plank in the platform of this movement. Followers are taught that all of their misery and misfortune is the fault of White society. They make no distinction between the bad White man who despises or abuses them, and the good White man who is their benefactor and friend or is at least neutral in his attitude. Little is said about the misery that is a consequence of one's personal choices and actions. Again Cone writes, "All White men are responsible for White oppression." (Black Theology and Black Power, p. 24).

6. Those embracing this doctrine live in the past. They celebrate past abuses and refuse to acknowledge the great progress that has been made in race relations. They reveal little or no appreciation for all the benefits that have been afforded members of their ethnic group in the last 40 years.

7. They complain about the many Black men filling jails and prisons as a sign of White oppression. But only those convicted of crime are sent to jail or prison. Large numbers of people who commit crime are never apprehended or convicted. Many who are incarcerate for a particular crime have committed numerous crimes previous to their conviction for which they were not tried. True, there are inequities in our justice system, but they extend much farther than the Black community.

8. They accuse those who reach out to assist their Black neighbors of "sentimental, condescending love" that salves their White conscience. They blame those who do not assist them as racists. The conclusion is they really do not want a peaceful, brotherly community where each assists the other and they live in harmony. They prefer to promote race and class resentment for their own political purposes.

9. They complain that Blacks have been denied power in White America. Yes, that was true in the past. But today Blacks serve as mayors of many of our largest cities. Some as governors, and others occupy high offices in state and local government and in the president's cabinet. One is currently running for President with much assistance from White Americans.

10. They take no pride in the attainments of Blacks like Gen. Colin Powell or Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice but they highly regard the hateful message of Louis Farrakhan.

11. Black theology refuses to accept a God who is not identified totally with the goals of the Black community. "If God is not for us and against White people, then he is a murderer and we had better kill him. The task of black theology is to kill Gods who do not belong to the black community...Black theology will accept only the love of God which participates in the destruction of the White enemy" (Cone, Black Liberation Theology).

12. They depict Jesus as a poor Black man (or man of color) living under oppressive white European rule (the Romans).

13. They like to use the name of Jesus Christ and a few selected lines of his teaching, but they twist his message of love for all men, even for one's enemies (Matt. 5:43-46; Matt. 22:39; Matt. 7:12; Gal. 6:10).

14. "There is no use for a God who loves White oppressors the same as oppressed Blacks. We have had too much of White love, the love that tells Blacks to turn the other check and go the second mile." (Cone, A Black Theology for Liberation, p. 70).

15 Like the Black Muslim Movement, The Black Liberation Movement is a militant ideological and political movement that finds its philosophical roots in Marxist revolutionary thought. It's leaders disguise themselves and their message with Christian terminology and symbols. By deceit it hijacks churches and uses them to accomplish it radical social and political agenda.

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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)
» left by Anonymous 3 years 172 days ago.
If Barak Obama claims Black Liberation Theology as his "religion" and becomes President of the USA, we as a nation with not only white, but the whole melting pot of nations within our borders and all that we stand for historically will be at great risk. We will lose everything we stand for.
» left by John Waddey from Arizona 3 years 172 days ago.
Your observations are very wise.  Twenty years of indoctrination in this false theology for Mr. & Ms. Obama will not be easily forgotten.  This theology melds nicely with the extreme liberalism of Mr. Obama.  Note that there has been little or no criticism of his connection with Rev. Wright from his liberal base.   John
» left by Anonymous 3 years 91 days ago.
First of all, there's no evidence to suggest that Jesus was a white man, and if he was. then he would surely have come from a tradition of hebrew slaves out of egypt.
It makes perfect sense that "Black Liberation Theology" is a reaction to white oppression, and surely as night follows day, an (eventually) black president will surely rule one day too, but Barack is not a "black" president in the way that you suggest, and have you ever looked closely at the reverend Wright? He's about as white a black guy as you can get!
Stop fussing. The way you win this war is by coming to peace within yourself and start noticing the wonderous variety of humanity around you. We live in the time of cheap air travel, you can be born in one country, grow up in another, work in yet another, marry and sire children in another, and die in still another country, not to mention the beauty of internet communications.
Its time to stop holding onto your boundaries as if they somehow define all that you are.
You are defined by your relationships with the world, with people of different types.
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