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For My People: Black Theology and the Black Church
Primarily addressing the black church and black community, Cone seeks to provide a theological interpretation of the Civil Rights movement and of other race-related issues stemming from it.
340 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 1984
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About the author
James H. Cone
42 books343 followersJames Hal Cone was an advocate of Black liberation theology, a theology grounded in the experience of African Americans, and related to other Christian liberation theologies. In 1969, his book Black Theology and Black Power provided a new way to articulate the distinctiveness of theology in the black Church. James Cone’s work was influential and political from the time of his first publication, and remains so to this day. His work has been both utilized and critiqued inside and outside of the African American theological community.
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July 4, 2024
A “CRITICAL ASSESSMENT” OF BLACK THEOLOGY BY ONE OF ITS FOUNDERS
James Hal Cone (born 1938) is an American theologian who is Professor of Systematic Theology at Union Theological Seminary, where he has taught since 1970. [NOTE: page numbers below refer to the 271-page paperback edition.]
He wrote in the Introduction to this 1984 book, “Between 1966 and 1984 black theology went through many changes, from hostile rejection by both white and black churches to tolerance by many whites and increasing acceptance by many blacks. It is now time to make a critical assessment of its origin in the 1960s and its development through the 1970s, in order to chart the course of its future in the 1980s and beyond… this book is not, as such, a history of black theology in North America. Rather, it seeks to give a theological interpretation of the civil rights movement and of other race-related issues stemming from it. By the same token, it must explore the civil rights movement of the 1960s and ‘70s as the matrix of black theology. Theology, in turn, reviewing that history, adds---discovers---another dimension that secular involvement and scholarship, by themselves, would overlook.”
He begins Chapter 1 by explaining, “The idea of ‘black theology’ emerged when a small group of radical black clergy began to reinterpret the meaning of the Christian faith from the standpoint of the black struggle for liberation in the United States during the second half of the 1960s. To theologize FROM WITHIN the black experience rather than be confined to duplicating the theology of Europe or white North America was the main objective of the new black theology. It represented the theological reflections of a radical black clergy seeking to interpret the meaning of God’s liberating presence in a society where blacks were being economically exploited and politically marginalized because of their skin color.” (Pg. 5) He adds, “black preachers and civil rights activists of the 1960s initiated the development of a black theology that rejected racism and affirmed the black struggle for liberation as consistent with the gospel of Jesus.” (Pg. 8)
He acknowledges, “I am as much responsible as anyone else for the degeneration of black theology into an academic discipline cut off from the life of the black church and community. Gayraud Wilmore warned us about this danger but we did not listen to him. I myself was too much focused on the internal debates of black theologians… we conducted those debates too much outside of the life of the black community, therefore making black theology an abstract, academic discipline in the worst sense… It was because many of us were so dissatisfied with the academic sterility of black theology that the third stage of black theology was initiated in the mid-1970s with a focus on global issues in relationship to black communities in the U.S.A.” (Pg. 26-27)
He explains, “I connected black theology so closely with black power that many of my critics contended that I had distorted the Christian faith into a ‘religion of black power.’ Almost all wanted to know what was the basic norm in my perspective of black theology---black power or the biblical witness to Jesus Christ? I did not bother to answer my critics until much later, because the urgency of the time in which we lived demanded that my intellectual energies be placed elsewhere. It was not the time to debate fine points of theology… I firmly believed (as I still do) that God’s word was not found in white seminaries and churches or even among middle-class black preachers and their churches. God’s word is always found on the cross, in the ghettoes and poverty-stricken villages of the world, suffering with those who have no power to defend their humanity.” (Pg. 33-34)
He recalls, “Black theologians’ encounter with the scriptures through lenses of black faith disclosed the central theme of the gospel to be the liberation of victims of oppression, and they used it to level a fierce attack on white religion… They acted like children who just discovered that someone had given them an unexpected and precious gift. In moments of uncontrolled ecstasy, they bragged about it and laughed at the whites who were too blinded by their own racism to recognize the value of the new gift. Black ministers now spoke with confidence and walked as if they controlled the space that they occupied, daring whites to even act as if they wanted to move them out of it. Like Luther and Barth, black preachers firmly believed that they were living in a revolutionary time, and era that would eventually lead to a complete transformation of black-white relationships in the U.S.A. and the world.” (Pg. 41-42)
He notes, “The climax of the attack by black clergy radicals on white religion occurred with the appearance of James Forman’s ‘Black Manifesto’ … ‘demanding $500,000,000 from the Christian white churches and the Jewish synagogues… 15 dollars per [black person].’ That event sent shock waves throughout the while religious and theological communities. The very idea of reparations for blacks sounded preposterous to whites, especially to Christians and Jews. Most white religious leaders did not even bother to discuss the matter with him or with persons who supported his views.” (Pg. 44)
He summarizes, “Whether among black Protestants or Catholics, black theology is partly a product of the attack by black clergy radicals on racism in white churches. Indeed it was the presence of racism in white churches that forced black theologians to stand up and say, loud and clear: ‘The white church is not the Christian church!’ The defense of this claim gave birth to black theology.” (Pg. 52)
He points out, “As long as Martin King was the acknowledged symbol and standard-bearer of the movement, it remained Christian, emphasizing love, integration, and nonviolence. But emergence of Malcolm’s philosophy through black power meant the introduction of a radicalization that excluded Christianity. Black theology arose as an attempt to stem the tide of the irrelevance of Christianity by combining both Christianity and blackness, Martin and Malcolm, black church and black power, even though neither side thought it was possible. The early interpreters of black theology were theologians ‘on the boundary’… between integration and separation, between nonviolence and self-defense, ‘love our white enemies and love our black skins.’ They refused to sacrifice either emphasis; they insisted on the absolute necessity of both.” (Pg. 59)
He states, “As long as we blacks located the liberating acts of God for the poor in ancient Hebrew history, that was acceptable biblical exegesis from the viewpoint of white scholars. But when we tried to do systematic theology on the basis of our exegesis… white scholars vehemently rejected both the procedure and the message… Our concern was to locate the dominant theme in scripture and to ask what its message was for the black struggle for freedom today. We black theologians contended that if God sided with the poor and the weak in biblical times, then why not today?... When we pressed these questions on white theologians and preachers, they always turned to the white, meek, pale-faced, blue-eyed Jesus, as if we blacks were expected to embrace him as our Savior. But we vehemently rejected that Jesus. In place of the white Jesus, we insisted that ‘Jesus Christ is black, baby!’ That sent shock waves throughout the white seminary and church communities… But we did not listen to them. We merely searched the scriptures … knowing that in time the truth of our claim would be demonstrated so clearly that even whites would have to take notice of it!” (Pg. 65-66)
But he admits, “a black theological perspective was developing that was shaped almost entirely by its reaction to white racism in the churches and in society. A similar weakness is found in my early texts… It was as if the sole basis for black theology were racism among whites… Black theology, then, was being created out of a negative reaction to whites rather than as a positive reaction to the history and culture of blacks.” (Pg. 87)
He also acknowledges, “I have become convinced that economic analysis is not only an option but a necessity… I am concerned about black theologians’ silence on Marxism. How can we provide a genuine check against the self-interest of black theologians and preachers who merely use the language of liberation and the gospel in order to justify their professional advancement?... The absence of the tools of social analysis may also explain why the black church tends to be as conservative as white churches on other social issues besides racism: women’s rights, gay rights, and similar human concerns. We were also slow in taking a stand against the U.S. involvement in Vietnam… Martin King was miles ahead of us on that issue; and it is ironic that many of us thought he was too conservative!” (Pg. 95-96) Later, he adds, “One of the most effective tools for analyzing problems in the modern world is Marxism. It is unfortunate that the black church has ignored it… Marxism … incorporates a form of social analysis that can help blacks understand capitalist political economy.” (Pg. 174)
He laments, “Even during the earliest stage of black theology, its critique of the churches was always directed more to the white church than to the black church… We spent entirely too much of our time writing protest documents to whites, who, as we should have known, were not going to disinherit themselves of their privileges in order to relieve the suffering of the black poor. Reaction to white racism consumed too much of the mental energies that should have been directed to black churches in an effort to have them make Jesus’ liberating gospel their primary concern.” (Pg. 112-113)
He notes, “The invisibility of black women in both black and feminist theologies is striking… Only black women can do black feminist theology: their experience is truly theirs. Therefore, even if white feminists were not so racist and black males were not so sexist, there would still be a need for a black feminist theology. The need arises from the uniqueness of black women’s experience… there is a need to articulate the faith of black women so that the universal church can learn from their experience with God. Black women, by giving an account of their faith in worship and living out their faith in the world, create the context for authentic theological reflection.” (Pg. 135-136)
He concludes, “Because… I am a Christian whose theological and political perspective has been defined by the black church tradition, my view of a just social order cannot be understood apart from my faith in God’s liberating presence in Jesus… I belong to a Christian community whose members believe that we blacks have come ‘this far by faith.’ …Black Christians do not deny that trouble is present in their lives; we merely insist that ‘trouble does not last always’ and that ‘we’ll understand it better by and by.’” (Pg. 206-207)
This reflective and thought-provoking book will be of great interest and value to anyone interested in Black Theology, and its ongoing development.
James Hal Cone (born 1938) is an American theologian who is Professor of Systematic Theology at Union Theological Seminary, where he has taught since 1970. [NOTE: page numbers below refer to the 271-page paperback edition.]
He wrote in the Introduction to this 1984 book, “Between 1966 and 1984 black theology went through many changes, from hostile rejection by both white and black churches to tolerance by many whites and increasing acceptance by many blacks. It is now time to make a critical assessment of its origin in the 1960s and its development through the 1970s, in order to chart the course of its future in the 1980s and beyond… this book is not, as such, a history of black theology in North America. Rather, it seeks to give a theological interpretation of the civil rights movement and of other race-related issues stemming from it. By the same token, it must explore the civil rights movement of the 1960s and ‘70s as the matrix of black theology. Theology, in turn, reviewing that history, adds---discovers---another dimension that secular involvement and scholarship, by themselves, would overlook.”
He begins Chapter 1 by explaining, “The idea of ‘black theology’ emerged when a small group of radical black clergy began to reinterpret the meaning of the Christian faith from the standpoint of the black struggle for liberation in the United States during the second half of the 1960s. To theologize FROM WITHIN the black experience rather than be confined to duplicating the theology of Europe or white North America was the main objective of the new black theology. It represented the theological reflections of a radical black clergy seeking to interpret the meaning of God’s liberating presence in a society where blacks were being economically exploited and politically marginalized because of their skin color.” (Pg. 5) He adds, “black preachers and civil rights activists of the 1960s initiated the development of a black theology that rejected racism and affirmed the black struggle for liberation as consistent with the gospel of Jesus.” (Pg. 8)
He acknowledges, “I am as much responsible as anyone else for the degeneration of black theology into an academic discipline cut off from the life of the black church and community. Gayraud Wilmore warned us about this danger but we did not listen to him. I myself was too much focused on the internal debates of black theologians… we conducted those debates too much outside of the life of the black community, therefore making black theology an abstract, academic discipline in the worst sense… It was because many of us were so dissatisfied with the academic sterility of black theology that the third stage of black theology was initiated in the mid-1970s with a focus on global issues in relationship to black communities in the U.S.A.” (Pg. 26-27)
He explains, “I connected black theology so closely with black power that many of my critics contended that I had distorted the Christian faith into a ‘religion of black power.’ Almost all wanted to know what was the basic norm in my perspective of black theology---black power or the biblical witness to Jesus Christ? I did not bother to answer my critics until much later, because the urgency of the time in which we lived demanded that my intellectual energies be placed elsewhere. It was not the time to debate fine points of theology… I firmly believed (as I still do) that God’s word was not found in white seminaries and churches or even among middle-class black preachers and their churches. God’s word is always found on the cross, in the ghettoes and poverty-stricken villages of the world, suffering with those who have no power to defend their humanity.” (Pg. 33-34)
He recalls, “Black theologians’ encounter with the scriptures through lenses of black faith disclosed the central theme of the gospel to be the liberation of victims of oppression, and they used it to level a fierce attack on white religion… They acted like children who just discovered that someone had given them an unexpected and precious gift. In moments of uncontrolled ecstasy, they bragged about it and laughed at the whites who were too blinded by their own racism to recognize the value of the new gift. Black ministers now spoke with confidence and walked as if they controlled the space that they occupied, daring whites to even act as if they wanted to move them out of it. Like Luther and Barth, black preachers firmly believed that they were living in a revolutionary time, and era that would eventually lead to a complete transformation of black-white relationships in the U.S.A. and the world.” (Pg. 41-42)
He notes, “The climax of the attack by black clergy radicals on white religion occurred with the appearance of James Forman’s ‘Black Manifesto’ … ‘demanding $500,000,000 from the Christian white churches and the Jewish synagogues… 15 dollars per [black person].’ That event sent shock waves throughout the while religious and theological communities. The very idea of reparations for blacks sounded preposterous to whites, especially to Christians and Jews. Most white religious leaders did not even bother to discuss the matter with him or with persons who supported his views.” (Pg. 44)
He summarizes, “Whether among black Protestants or Catholics, black theology is partly a product of the attack by black clergy radicals on racism in white churches. Indeed it was the presence of racism in white churches that forced black theologians to stand up and say, loud and clear: ‘The white church is not the Christian church!’ The defense of this claim gave birth to black theology.” (Pg. 52)
He points out, “As long as Martin King was the acknowledged symbol and standard-bearer of the movement, it remained Christian, emphasizing love, integration, and nonviolence. But emergence of Malcolm’s philosophy through black power meant the introduction of a radicalization that excluded Christianity. Black theology arose as an attempt to stem the tide of the irrelevance of Christianity by combining both Christianity and blackness, Martin and Malcolm, black church and black power, even though neither side thought it was possible. The early interpreters of black theology were theologians ‘on the boundary’… between integration and separation, between nonviolence and self-defense, ‘love our white enemies and love our black skins.’ They refused to sacrifice either emphasis; they insisted on the absolute necessity of both.” (Pg. 59)
He states, “As long as we blacks located the liberating acts of God for the poor in ancient Hebrew history, that was acceptable biblical exegesis from the viewpoint of white scholars. But when we tried to do systematic theology on the basis of our exegesis… white scholars vehemently rejected both the procedure and the message… Our concern was to locate the dominant theme in scripture and to ask what its message was for the black struggle for freedom today. We black theologians contended that if God sided with the poor and the weak in biblical times, then why not today?... When we pressed these questions on white theologians and preachers, they always turned to the white, meek, pale-faced, blue-eyed Jesus, as if we blacks were expected to embrace him as our Savior. But we vehemently rejected that Jesus. In place of the white Jesus, we insisted that ‘Jesus Christ is black, baby!’ That sent shock waves throughout the white seminary and church communities… But we did not listen to them. We merely searched the scriptures … knowing that in time the truth of our claim would be demonstrated so clearly that even whites would have to take notice of it!” (Pg. 65-66)
But he admits, “a black theological perspective was developing that was shaped almost entirely by its reaction to white racism in the churches and in society. A similar weakness is found in my early texts… It was as if the sole basis for black theology were racism among whites… Black theology, then, was being created out of a negative reaction to whites rather than as a positive reaction to the history and culture of blacks.” (Pg. 87)
He also acknowledges, “I have become convinced that economic analysis is not only an option but a necessity… I am concerned about black theologians’ silence on Marxism. How can we provide a genuine check against the self-interest of black theologians and preachers who merely use the language of liberation and the gospel in order to justify their professional advancement?... The absence of the tools of social analysis may also explain why the black church tends to be as conservative as white churches on other social issues besides racism: women’s rights, gay rights, and similar human concerns. We were also slow in taking a stand against the U.S. involvement in Vietnam… Martin King was miles ahead of us on that issue; and it is ironic that many of us thought he was too conservative!” (Pg. 95-96) Later, he adds, “One of the most effective tools for analyzing problems in the modern world is Marxism. It is unfortunate that the black church has ignored it… Marxism … incorporates a form of social analysis that can help blacks understand capitalist political economy.” (Pg. 174)
He laments, “Even during the earliest stage of black theology, its critique of the churches was always directed more to the white church than to the black church… We spent entirely too much of our time writing protest documents to whites, who, as we should have known, were not going to disinherit themselves of their privileges in order to relieve the suffering of the black poor. Reaction to white racism consumed too much of the mental energies that should have been directed to black churches in an effort to have them make Jesus’ liberating gospel their primary concern.” (Pg. 112-113)
He notes, “The invisibility of black women in both black and feminist theologies is striking… Only black women can do black feminist theology: their experience is truly theirs. Therefore, even if white feminists were not so racist and black males were not so sexist, there would still be a need for a black feminist theology. The need arises from the uniqueness of black women’s experience… there is a need to articulate the faith of black women so that the universal church can learn from their experience with God. Black women, by giving an account of their faith in worship and living out their faith in the world, create the context for authentic theological reflection.” (Pg. 135-136)
He concludes, “Because… I am a Christian whose theological and political perspective has been defined by the black church tradition, my view of a just social order cannot be understood apart from my faith in God’s liberating presence in Jesus… I belong to a Christian community whose members believe that we blacks have come ‘this far by faith.’ …Black Christians do not deny that trouble is present in their lives; we merely insist that ‘trouble does not last always’ and that ‘we’ll understand it better by and by.’” (Pg. 206-207)
This reflective and thought-provoking book will be of great interest and value to anyone interested in Black Theology, and its ongoing development.
August 28, 2020
When one thinks about Christianity, too often the thought process has been dominated by a white Euro-American perspective that either minimizes or eliminates the voices of people of color, particularly Black Christians. But at the same time Black Americans like Stokely Carmichael and Malcom X were raising the cry of "Black Power", especially in the wake of Dr. Martin Luther Jr., Black Christians had to grapple with the history of a Christianity dominated by whiteness and in favor of the status quo that kept whites in power. Perhaps no voice was more prophetic during this period than James H. Cone as one of the first to bridge the gap between Black Power and Black Christianity. This book, written 15 years after Dr. Cone and other Black theologians introduced the concept of Black Theology, looks back on the development of the field, its strengths, its weaknesses, and how to move forward. And while this book is very dated (it refers to Rev. Jesse Jacksons run for the presidency as though it were not over yet), this is an invaluable book for understanding the basic concepts of Black Theology and its early development.
There are three things that I greatly admired about this book: First, Dr. Cone's determination to develop a Black Theology not bound by the white Euro-Americanness of before; Second, Dr. Cone's unwavering commitment that a Black Theology be rooted in the liberation of the black poor, but also supportive of other oppressed groups' striving for liberation; Third, Dr. Cone's willingness to examine the field's and his own shortcomings, particularly when it comes to Black Theology's overlooking of Black women's issues. All of these make for a great read that should help enrich one's understanding of just how far-reaching and empowering Jesus Christ's and the global church's mission can be.
The only drawback of this book is just how dated it is. This was published in 1984 and, as mentioned above, referred to Rev. Jesse Jackson's run for the presidency in the present tense. Thus, there is about 26 years separating this book from the present and I am sure that there are new developments even Dr. Cone could not have predicted. Thus, while this book is good for understanding Black Theology's early history and development, there may be more recent books that do the same thing and take into account recent developments in the field.
As America continue's its racial reckoning in 2020, the American cannot be exempt from this examination. Reading books on Black Theology by Dr. Cone and other Black theologians not only can help us to better understand the moment we are in, but expand our faith beyond the esoteric debates of good vs. evil and soul-winning that white Euro-American theologians have boxed the faith into for too long.
There are three things that I greatly admired about this book: First, Dr. Cone's determination to develop a Black Theology not bound by the white Euro-Americanness of before; Second, Dr. Cone's unwavering commitment that a Black Theology be rooted in the liberation of the black poor, but also supportive of other oppressed groups' striving for liberation; Third, Dr. Cone's willingness to examine the field's and his own shortcomings, particularly when it comes to Black Theology's overlooking of Black women's issues. All of these make for a great read that should help enrich one's understanding of just how far-reaching and empowering Jesus Christ's and the global church's mission can be.
The only drawback of this book is just how dated it is. This was published in 1984 and, as mentioned above, referred to Rev. Jesse Jackson's run for the presidency in the present tense. Thus, there is about 26 years separating this book from the present and I am sure that there are new developments even Dr. Cone could not have predicted. Thus, while this book is good for understanding Black Theology's early history and development, there may be more recent books that do the same thing and take into account recent developments in the field.
As America continue's its racial reckoning in 2020, the American cannot be exempt from this examination. Reading books on Black Theology by Dr. Cone and other Black theologians not only can help us to better understand the moment we are in, but expand our faith beyond the esoteric debates of good vs. evil and soul-winning that white Euro-American theologians have boxed the faith into for too long.
August 25, 2020
In 1984, Cone wrote this history of the first 18 years of the modern movement of Black theology:
to theologize from within the black experience rather than be confined to duplicating the theology of Europe or white North America." (5)
This is a very helpful background of the birth of liberation theology among African-Americans, a movement parallel to while also distinctive from the birth of liberation theology in Latin America.
"The black clergy, in its response to black power, was suggesting fo rate first time that white Christianity and the theology that justified it were bankrupt." (11)
"Just as Luther spoke of 'the Babylonian captivity of the church,' attacking the doctrine of seven sacraments, we saw a similar analogy with the white church, enslaved, as it was, by its own racism." (40)
Cone's summation of liberation theology: "The good news is God, the Holy One of Israel, has entered the human situation in Jesus and has transformed it through his cross and resurrection. The poor no longer have to remain in poverty. They are now free to fight for their freedom, because God is fighting with them. In the U.S.A. this claim meant that God was on the side of oppressed blacks in their struggle for freedom and against whites who victimized them. For black clergy radicals, the best way to describe that insight was to say that 'Jesus is black.'" (67)
Vincent Harding, quoted on p.92
"Shall we continue to be reactors to the thrusts of white racism, producing eloquent protest documents by the tone and alienated black (persons) by the hundreds? Or shall we create programs and organizations and institutions which capture the initiative for our people and provide alternatives to alienation, romanticism, cooptation, and despair?"
"To be sure, the concern for justice is the starting point of Christian obedience. No one can be a follower of Jesus Christ without a political commitment that expresses one's solidarity with victims. But the struggle for justice in this world is not the ultimate goal of faith. The hope engendered by faith is grounded in an eschatological affirmation that reaches beyond this world.... The eschatological theme of the 'home over yonder' is not an opium but a stimulant. It is the good news of the gospel, assuring us that our ultimate future is in the hands of the One who made us all." (187-188)
"Black Christians refuse to allow oppressors to define who we are." (207)
to theologize from within the black experience rather than be confined to duplicating the theology of Europe or white North America." (5)
This is a very helpful background of the birth of liberation theology among African-Americans, a movement parallel to while also distinctive from the birth of liberation theology in Latin America.
"The black clergy, in its response to black power, was suggesting fo rate first time that white Christianity and the theology that justified it were bankrupt." (11)
"Just as Luther spoke of 'the Babylonian captivity of the church,' attacking the doctrine of seven sacraments, we saw a similar analogy with the white church, enslaved, as it was, by its own racism." (40)
Cone's summation of liberation theology: "The good news is God, the Holy One of Israel, has entered the human situation in Jesus and has transformed it through his cross and resurrection. The poor no longer have to remain in poverty. They are now free to fight for their freedom, because God is fighting with them. In the U.S.A. this claim meant that God was on the side of oppressed blacks in their struggle for freedom and against whites who victimized them. For black clergy radicals, the best way to describe that insight was to say that 'Jesus is black.'" (67)
Vincent Harding, quoted on p.92
"Shall we continue to be reactors to the thrusts of white racism, producing eloquent protest documents by the tone and alienated black (persons) by the hundreds? Or shall we create programs and organizations and institutions which capture the initiative for our people and provide alternatives to alienation, romanticism, cooptation, and despair?"
"To be sure, the concern for justice is the starting point of Christian obedience. No one can be a follower of Jesus Christ without a political commitment that expresses one's solidarity with victims. But the struggle for justice in this world is not the ultimate goal of faith. The hope engendered by faith is grounded in an eschatological affirmation that reaches beyond this world.... The eschatological theme of the 'home over yonder' is not an opium but a stimulant. It is the good news of the gospel, assuring us that our ultimate future is in the hands of the One who made us all." (187-188)
"Black Christians refuse to allow oppressors to define who we are." (207)
October 9, 2022
This is definitely Cone out of his element, but it is a great read on the development of Black Theology. This text comes as Cone started developing a particularly global understanding of racism in the public square, and what I found most profound was his public repentance of his disregard for issues related to human sexuality, Women’s rights, and 3rd world exploitation. This is not the exciting roller coaster ride that is his classic systematics texts, but this is a deep dive of the critical issues related to race in this day. The fact that this text came out in 1984, and that the histories uncovered in this text are still relatively untouched in common conversation communicates the prophetic nature of Cone’s work. A must read.
September 1, 2020
Cone wrote this in 1984 and it's still valid today, especially chapters 1-3 that lay out an understanding of Black Theology as attacking White Theology and as Liberation Theology. He writes extensively about the civil rights movements of the 60's, police violence, MLK and Malcolm X, and sadly, not much has changed, but Cone's understanding and theological reflection is still sound and poignant. He writes of Black feminism as it was beginning, but misses a lot of even secular leaders of the time. I imagine he'd write much more extensively on Black Womanist theology today. It's still an excellent, accessible read with extensive notes for further reading.
April 22, 2022
Interesting introduction to the history of black theology from the man who started it. The most interesting part to me was the resistance to liberation theology when it was espoused by Black Americans, but the acceptance of it when it came from their European counterparts, who originally developed it.
October 22, 2024
For My People: Black Theology and the Black Church by James H. Cone is a profound and transformative work that brilliantly articulates the role of Black theology in the struggle for liberation and justice. Cone, a towering figure in theology, combines rigorous scholarship with a deeply passionate plea for the Black church to embrace its prophetic mission. He powerfully argues that Black theology is not just an academic exercise, but a living, breathing call to action rooted in the lived experiences of Black people, particularly in their fight against oppression.
In this book, Cone explores the historical and theological foundations of the Black church, providing a detailed analysis of its unique role as a source of strength and resistance. He passionately critiques the white American church for its complicity in racial oppression, while simultaneously offering a hopeful vision for how the Black church can lead the way toward freedom and justice. Cone’s work is deeply rooted in the Christian gospel, yet his theology challenges readers to see faith as an active force for social transformation.
What sets For My People apart is Cone’s unflinching honesty, his deep commitment to justice, and his ability to weave together theology, history, and personal reflection. His writing is as intellectually engaging as it is spiritually uplifting, calling both individuals and institutions to confront the realities of racism and to work for genuine liberation.
This is essential reading for anyone interested in theology, social justice, and the Black church’s powerful legacy. James Cone’s prophetic voice rings out clearly in this work, making it a must-read for those committed to understanding and dismantling the structures of oppression. A truly remarkable and enduring contribution to both theology and the broader struggle for equality.
In this book, Cone explores the historical and theological foundations of the Black church, providing a detailed analysis of its unique role as a source of strength and resistance. He passionately critiques the white American church for its complicity in racial oppression, while simultaneously offering a hopeful vision for how the Black church can lead the way toward freedom and justice. Cone’s work is deeply rooted in the Christian gospel, yet his theology challenges readers to see faith as an active force for social transformation.
What sets For My People apart is Cone’s unflinching honesty, his deep commitment to justice, and his ability to weave together theology, history, and personal reflection. His writing is as intellectually engaging as it is spiritually uplifting, calling both individuals and institutions to confront the realities of racism and to work for genuine liberation.
This is essential reading for anyone interested in theology, social justice, and the Black church’s powerful legacy. James Cone’s prophetic voice rings out clearly in this work, making it a must-read for those committed to understanding and dismantling the structures of oppression. A truly remarkable and enduring contribution to both theology and the broader struggle for equality.
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