Prophesy Deliverance!

by Cornel West

In this, his premiere work, Cornel West provides readers with a new understanding of the African American experience based largely on his own political and cultural perspectives borne out of his own life's experiences. He challenges African Americans to consider the incorporation of Marxism into their theological perspectives, thereby adopting the mindset that it is class more so than race that renders one powerless in America. Armed with a new introduction by the author, this Twentieth Anniversary Edition of Prophesy Deliverance! is a must have.

Genres: Philosophy, Theology, Religion, Nonfiction, African American, Race, History

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1982

About the author

Cornel Ronald West is an American scholar and public intellectual. Formerly at Harvard University, West is currently a professor of Religion at Princeton. West says his intellectual contributions draw from such diverse traditions as the African American Baptist Church, Marxism, pragmatism, transcendentalism, and Anton Chekhov.

Reviews

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Those who have had Cornel West as their teacher never forget him. For the rest of us, this book is as close as we get to the West of the classroom. We watch him posing questions, opening up problems by typologies, bringing his students immense intellectual distances in a short time, and making it all look easy.

The core argument here is about the roots of White supremacy; the core narrative, about African-Americans' political response to that ideology. West is an independent leftist, beholden to no party or theory: He draws on Foucault, various Marxisms, and most of all (though not always overtly) on the prophetic insight of Black Christians into their spiritual situation. The book makes a terrific conversation-starter. As a scholar, I want something meatier, more complete; but as a teacher, I can't ask for a more inspiring model.

Much of what's in here was West's half of a course, co-taught at Union Theological Seminary with James Cone, on Black theology and Marxism. I mention that, not simply to toot my school's horn, but to explain this book's striking aporias. West is presupposing that you know a particular telling of Black theology and history, represented by Cone's essays of the late '70s and early '80s (if you need something in book form, try God of the Oppressed or For My People) and Gayraud Wilmore's Black Religion and Black Radicalism.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

It seems like it was his college dissertation written in 1980. Since I read it in 2012, it needed an update for the past thirty years. It is basically an explanation of his religious and political views. He thinks liberal Christianity and a certain type of communism combined is the best hope for the world.

[Elliot · Rating 5 out of 5]

A phenomenal book arguing that Christian liberation theologies needs a social and class analysis, particularly a Marxist one.

[Jake · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thisseminal work is a completely unique look at the history of modernity, racism, religion, & marxism through the Afro-American experience. While the book covers a lot of ground, a few of the ideas he develop really stand out.
- West presents a unique genealogy of American racism tying it's develop directly to historical contingencies in the history of the Enlightment. He builds his case for a revolutionary black Christianity by establishing the roots of Modern European modernity, inherited into hegemonic American culture, as inextricably linked to white supremacy and racism (Chapter 2)
- He also does an excellent job of presenting the various strands of marxist thought to mainstream using American mainstream religions as analogies. Falwell's mega churches are to Leninism / Stalism as liberation theology is to Socialist Councilism. Worth reading the last chapter to familiarize this framework (Chapter 5)
- Impressively, West calls his shot 40 years ago by anticipating the rise of an intersectional people's movement towards socialism comprised of different marginalized elements, including ecologists, black marxists, feminists, anti-imperialists / indigenous movements, labor, etc. This argument seems more descriptive than speculative today.

[Sanjay Varma · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading the first few chapters which are West’s survey of Western cultural history, with the inclusion of African-American history. The inclusion is so well placed, that West achieves something remarkable, to break down the academic wall that arbitrarily segregates black studies into its own pond. But these chapters fail in the most important area: West doesn’t seriously even try to prove his thesis that anti-black racism is at the heart of all these Western cultural accomplishments.

I also enjoyed reading West’s framework for understanding the “four traditions” of African-American culture. The first two traditions trace spiritual development which (for West) includes the arts and intellectual ideas. This starts with the creation of segregated black churches that offered black slaves for the first time the ability to choose their own leaders. And it continues with educators, intellectuals, writers, innovative musicians, and ends with what West calls the two traditions Marginalists and Humanists. The Marginalists (e.g. Toni Morrison) are pessimistic and don’t feel like they belong to either black or white culture. The Humanists (e.g. Ralph Ellison or, dare I say it, Cornel West) are optimists who fit into both.

West also traces an additional two traditions of black economic history. This begins with freed blacks who want to attain the same jobs, wages, and lifestyle that whites enjoy, continues to Marxist revolutionary ideas (West reaches here to associate Malcom X and the Black Panther party with this theme), and ends with two traditions that West calls Exceptionalism and Assimilationism. The Exceptionalists are middle-class blacks who want to join the upper class and emphasize pride of being black. Assimilationists are lower-class blacks who want to join the middle-class and feel some shame about being black. While the presentation of these four traditions is very interesting, it should be obvious that it is very reductionist framework that doesn’t quite fit the material. Does West succeed in using this framework to make a larger point? Decisively no, he does not.

The last few chapters are practically unreadable and I skimmed them. The thesis is that christianity and Marxism will merge, and the merger becomes the guiding philosophy of black culture. West bases his thesis on finding common ground in areas of historicity, class awareness, and human potential. But to my ears this thesis seems to rest only on West’s intellectual hopes.

It would be easy for a critic to point out that the book was published in 1980 and the intervening years have squashed any potential that West’s dream would become reality. It would be easy to say that the fall of the Soviet Union and Deng’s economic reforms ended Marxism as a manifest ideology. And that as we recede farther from the Civil Rights era the black churches have shown almost no ability to lead a political and social reform movement. West claims to be part of a prophetic tradition but, as with so many prophets, it has not mattered that his prophecies are demonstrably false.

[Roderick Pounds · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great argument for the Black Churches’ involvement and acceptance of a new all Neo marxists economical theory.

This book helped me to rethink liberalism and its capitalistic connection. A new Marxism seems more attractive as a necessary component the Black Christian prophetic tradition.

[E · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is dense with knowledge. Cornel West summarizes and questions the major thinkers that contribute to the culture of African American revolutionary.
He's open to many ideas and presents them to the reader as a new way of seeing the movement. Mainly he proposes how you can take the Marxism political ideology into a prophecy theology. Cornel West is a major thinker. He did not just present the idea to you, but he challenges the plus and shortcomings of each idea. He gave many examples from reverends, political leaders, writers, and artists.
I would have to revisit the book in the future after I digest all the information. I like the way he summarizes the different movement eras and the leaders and thinkers behind them. West also outlines the different response African American took in response to the systemic racism, sexism, and classism in the States.
He does not have a conclusion on the best approach to revolutionize against the political capitalism that can truly liberate Black people from the systemic racism that kept them in working-class and petite bourgeois. He merely suggested approaching the movement not only in religious thinking but also in socialist and political thinking while also understanding the history.

[Abbey Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cornel West masterfully articulates the necessity of an alliance between the prophetic black theological tradition and progressive Marxism to attempt their mutual vision of liberation and (true) democracy.

This book really served as my introduction to black liberation theology. Toward this end, West's historical overview of both black prophetic tradition and socialism were effective and helpful. I'm eager to study his bibliography now and read some more Du Bois, Malcolm X, George Washington Woodbey, and James Cone (not to mention lit from Baldwin/Morrison) now that I have this essential context.

This summarizes his thesis well: "Revolutionary Christian perspective and praxis must remain anchored in the prophetic Christian tradition in the Afro-American experience which provides the norms of individuality and democracy; guided by the cultural outlook of the Afro-American humanist tradition which promotes the vitality and vigor of black life; and informed by the social theory and political praxis of progressive Marxism which proposes to approximate as close as is humanly possible the precious values of individuality and democracy as soon as God's will be done." (146)

[Miles Trujillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Given the turmoil going on in our world, I decided to give this a read.

I've been in a conundrum lately, because I continue to identify as a believer in the literal resurrection and everything classically considered orthothodox. At the same time, I strongly believe that Jesus preaches a message of the coming of his present kingdom. Christ demands us to live out his reality in the Spirit, and do our best to bring about His kingdom now.

Marxism is a beautiful partner for bringing that about. Our goals may be different, but we share much in common functionally.

But where can an American Christian find a church that is urgent about the gospel, yet also urgent about living it out?

Cornel West provides a way forward. He provides a roadmap for hope.

[NIGEL PEARCE · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cornel West fills this book with his dense with in-depth knowledge of the world's thinkers and summarizes it for us. Cornel West summarizes the major streams which contributed to the culture of African American Christian revolutionary.

West presents the reader with insight into the many movements. Mainly he proposes how we can take the Marxism political ideology into a prophecy theology. Cornel West is a major thinker. He did not just present the idea to you, but he challenges the benefits and the shortcomings of each idea.

[Jon Coutts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent chapter responses are what round out this 40th anniversary edition, but the original text still has a lot going for it. From its review of the stages in modernity's emergence of race to the taxonomies of African American responses and Marxism's variations, it continues to have that blend of prophetic and political specificity that makes Cornel West so helpful and important.

[Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

An engaging premise. The middle chapter on the various strands of resistance, with an emphasis on humanists and art is by far the best. I'd love for someone to compile all of Dr. West's critical writings on literature one day.

[Wissenville · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cornel west is a genius and that’s all I have to say!

[Eli · Rating 5 out of 5]

🔥🔥🔥

[Shay Gabriel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The most academic/dense of Cornel West's books, written before he became the public figure he is today. If his fame has caused anyone to doubt his strong intellectual foundation, this book should remove those doubts.

West lays out his religious-political program thoroughly, pulling from Marxism, Christianity and the Black American experience. He deftly explains both Marxism's failures from a Christian perspective and the necessity of its economic analysis. This is a philosophic theology from the best Black prophetic tradition, and a vital read for those interested in theology, liberation, and leftist thought.

[Drick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Cornel West's first book and lays out a perspective that has infomred his writing over the last three decades even as that perspective has changed and matured. He gives a brilliant overview of Marxism, Prophetic Christianity, radical African American politics, and the influence of Western Culture on all of them. In typical West fashion, he says a bundle in each sentence, so this is not a quick or easy read. However, it is a great introduction to Black Liberation theology from a perspective of someone other than James Cone.

[David Christian · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to give this a higher rating. I'm sympathetic to West's project of starting a dialogue between African American liberation theology and the anti-authoritarian strains of Marxism but as I read it became increasingly obvious that, at least in the subject of Marxism, he was sloppy and ill informed.

[Shannon T.L. · Rating 3 out of 5]

a decent book although he takes a really long time to get to the point and at the end doesn't offer much in way of actual solutions. but an interesting read none-the-less.