Thinking about what to read: Black Liberation Theology

I want to start my explorations of the Reading Pods with Black Liberation Theology. I think this theology is very important for every American Christian to read. We Americans have a tendency to be very a-historical and, as James Cone puts it, "America likes to be innocent, it likes to be the exception." The truth is, America is what it is because of the clash of cultures, because of our past, because our greatest moments, and because our greatest trespasses. 

The men and women in the Black Liberation Theology group want to do theology from this place of remembrance. They ask the question, "what does the gospel mean in the context of black oppression in American history?" 

What often catches me off-guard when I read Black Theology is the freshness of the gospel, the renewal of the identity of Jesus, and the solidity of the presence of the Spirit with us in the day to day of this crazy world. I have found that I need these theological voices in my life and in my heart. My faith and my assumptions are challenged and revived in the presence of my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. 

May we learn to stop and listen to one another, because I know that the Spirit is listening...

Interviews with James Cone and Dwight Hopkins:

To get a taste of Black Liberation Theology, here is a short Fresh Air interview with James Cone. It was done in the wake of the controversy around the Rev. Jeremiah Wright as Obama's pastor, before Obama was elected president:

If you want to hear more from Dr. Cone, check out this interview with Bill Moyers on PBS. (Be warned, there are some disturbing images included in the video, since Cone is talking about the culture of lynching after the Civil War.)

Bill Moyers Journal: James H. Cone from BillMoyers.com on Vimeo.