Status Updates From Farewell to Innocence: A So...

"Black Theology sincerely believes that it is possible to recapture what was sacred in the African community long before white people came-- solidarity, respect for life, humanity, and community ... This need be no other-worldly dream; it is as real as Africa itself." This needs spelling out, but it'll preach.

"While absolutely not minimizing racism as a demonic, pseudo-religious ideology (who, coming from South Africa, can?) we must nonetheless ask: Is racism indeed the only issue?" His answer: No, capitalism undergirds racism, and is more dangerous.

"Integration is irrelevant. For black people who are politically powerless, economically exploited, and culturally deprived, the equitable distribution of decision-making power is of far more importance than physical proximity to white people." V. well spoken this. And if it needed saying: "This does not mean that the alternative is apartheid."

"It seems to us that Cone is speaking far more genuinely for blacks than Williams is able to do, especially for those blacks who are not so fortunate as to belong to the black middle-class society and whose position can be described by no other word than 'oppressed.'" You mean HDS profs are middle-class? :-/

"Black Theology must ask whether the actions of blacks for gaining their liberation are in accord with the divine will of God, a thing that can be done only if the Word of God retains its critical and fulfilling function vis-à-vis all human activity." Critiques Cone on these grounds (see BAMN)-- but thinks Cone has the liberation narrative right anyway, unlike most of his critics.

Quoting Rothuizen: "The Christian tries with all his might to bring heaven on earth-- or to bring it back to earth, for has it not been there once already, in Bethlehem, among the animals and the poor?" Awesome. That'll preach!

Just learned a new word: "subreption". Seems it means deceit through intentional concealment of the facts. Useful!

"[Black Power] is action to achieve justice and liberation for black people. It does not purport to be the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, or the true Christian church. Black Theology is how black theologians understand Jesus Christ, the Spirit, the church, etc., in relation to justice and liberation ..." Interesting distinction. Not sure how to map or evaluate it.

"Blacks realize that apartheid, although it has developed into a most formidable system, has no mythical power of its own. It was designed, carefully planned, and is being ruthlessly executed by people-- white people. Therefore, it can only be changed by human beings, by people committed to gaining their freedom." Yes, and. Where's our ancient foe in this equation?

"The enslaved, in moving to affirm their humanity, have highlighted the enslaved position of the oppressors. It is now they who have to find a way to deal with the contradiction in their lives and this contradiction marks their powerlessness. They are delivered into the autonomy of their own power structure, and they are in need of the other." Echoes of Rom 1, and of the experience of complicity.

"Power, in our understanding, is the courage to be, resulting in the freedom to create the possibilities for the realization of full humanity. It finds its ideal form in serving justice." A definition to train by.

Whoa! "According to A. Kruyswijk ... human beings are the image of God by virtue of the divine power granted us by God which works in us ... 'Man, to a certain measure, acts like God.'" I don't recall this approach in Grenz, and Kruyswijk (perhaps because he wrote in Dutch) isn't cited there. Fascinating.

Citing Locke and Russell: "This relational aspect of power ... presupposes that power has to do with responsive persons, which in turn means that one cannot simply say that power is 'good' or 'evil.' Because power has no existence of its own and is at the disposal of people, its strongest characteristic is its ambivalence." If anything that's a relatively positive read of human nature.

From a Biblical defense of apartheid: "The event in Babel is underlined by Pentecost." underlined s/b replaced

"In South Africa, white theologians have declared themselves prepared to 'accept' Black Theology if it means 'indigenization' (verinheemsing) of the Christian faith-- something they contrast with the 'revolutionary,' 'anti-white,' and 'unchristian' elements in Black Theology." Ohhhhhh. That would explain why missiologically-based discourses still use "indigenization" as their frame.

"We fear that Cone attaches too much theological import to the black experience and the black situation as if these realities within themselves have revelational value on a par with Scripture. God, it seems to us, reveals himself *in* the situation. The black experience provides the framework within which blacks understand the revelation of God in Jesus Christ. No more, no less." Reformed more than liberal

"When people face issues too horrendous to contemplate, they close their eyes to reality and make a virtue out of powerlessness, weakness, and helplessness. This innocence leads to a helpless utopianism ... This pseudoinnocence cannot come to terms with the destructiveness in oneself or in others and hence it actually becomes self-destructive." Sounds familiar. Must watch rhetoric.