RSS Feed
Reverend Wright's Black Liberation Theology
"We Latin Americans were very interested in Black Liberation theology," said the Chilean theologian, Martin Garate, "but now we know it is more about 'black' than about 'liberation.' " This was the critique delivered long ago in 1975 at the Theology in the Americas' meeting held in Detroit's Catholic seminary. I was there opposite Dr. James Cone, the originator of Black Liberation Theology, who was the target for Garate's evaluation. Garate might just as well have targeted the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Senator Obama's former pastor in Chicago.
At that 1975 meeting, Liberation Theology and Black Power Theology crossed paths. While Garate had protested Cone's expressed desire to have African-Americans sit on corporate boards, take power at the upper levels of Washington and the like, Cone -- at that time - considered that an African American on the Supreme Court would represent black liberation. The mostly Catholic Latin American theologians in 1975 were wary of class attachments and predicted that an upper-class African-American would likely have the same values as an upper-class Euro-American, and thus bring no liberation.
Professor James Cone understood that the United States differed profoundly from Latin America. In the United States, race was a strong if imperfect predictor of class interest. While Karl Marx significantly influenced the Latin Americans, the largest shadow cast on Black Liberation Theology was by Marcus Garvey (1887-1940), whose Universal Negro Improvement Association grew spectacularly until brought down by J. Edgar Hoover in 1923. It was from prison that he wrote his now famous lines: "Look for me in the whirlwind or the storm, look for me all around you, for, with God's grace, I shall come and bring with me countless millions of black slaves who have died in America and the West Indies and the millions in Africa to aid you in the fight for Liberty, Freedom and Life."
This was an instance where the movement was greater than the man. Garveyism rose as quickly as any populist movement of its times. Although scorned by black liberals like W. B. DuBois and the NAACP, it instilled pride and self-worth among America's blacks and created capital and enterprise for a population segregated at that time into economic, social and political inferiority within the United States. From Garveyism came Elijah Muhammad and the Nation of Islam and also the Reverend Wright's Christian brand of Black Liberation Theology.
These are radically conservative movements when compared to Latin American Liberation Theology, which runs to the left. Garvey wanted to preserve a cultural and racial identity rather than fomenting class struggle. He wanted his followers to "out-work ethic" the American system and become upwardly mobile. There were complaints about the unfairness of Capitalism, but usually because this economic system has also been racist.
The Christian version of Black Liberation refutes a basic element of Garveyism when it holds out hope that whites may also come to fight against racism. The Promised Land image from scripture develops the contours of this Christian hope, which is admittedly "audacious." Like Jesus condemning Jerusalem while bringing about its salvation (Matthew 23:37-39, 24:1-4; Luke 19:41-44), Black Liberation Theology and the Rev. Wright condemn America to save it. Ironically, far from promoting a radical and anti-American theology, the Rev. Wright falls within the grand tradition of American reformists who seek gradual changes towards the ideal of "liberty and justice for all." It is Garveyism Lite. Ironically, purged of its Black Nationalist tendency, this conservative theology rings true to the quintessential American theology that says: "God helps those who help themselves."
If you were a segregationist redneck who wanted African Americans to stay in their own churches and develop their own institutions separated from yours, Wright would be one of your favorite Black pastors. His message of self-help, suspicion of white liberals, and lack of confidence in the U.S. government would be themes familiar to the right-wing conservatives. Ironically, the visceral horror Rev. Wright provokes from today's unperceptive white-wing conservatives proves he was correct to say with Malcolm X, "The chickens have come home to roost."
BY
Anthony M. Stevens-Arroyo
| Permalink
| Comments (10)
Share: Email a Friend | 
Technorati
| Del.icio.us | Digg | Facebook
Posted by: marcedward1 | October 27, 2008 11:01 AM
Report Offensive Comment
No one needs to apologize for him. His kind of theology is about empowering the disenfranchised and those who have been left behind. Look up his accomplishments in the community, his military service, and his comments in context.
It's amazing how fast all the white folk (and I am white, FYI), jumped all over him, shrieking racist while for years the Dobsons, the Falwells, the Grhaams, the Robertsons, the Haggees, the Parsleys all got a free pass to be anti-Semitic, anti-Muslim, anti gay, anti-women's rights,pretty much anti-everything that didn't fit into their rigid little philosophies. A bigger group of religious hypocrites are not to be found. with far more than their fair share of real racists too.
Posted by: sparrow4 | October 26, 2008 11:46 AM
Report Offensive Comment
Apologists for the racist "Reverend" Wright?
Did you listen the man? Were his words of peace and love that Jesus spoke about?
He is no less hateful, intolerant and divisive than is "Reverend" Dobson.
Posted by: coloradodog | October 26, 2008 8:56 AM
Report Offensive Comment
Hermano Anthony
Time has proven Garate right.
A Christian theology that ignores the Greatest Commandment abides in darkness.
Even though its devotees are focused on liberation, through their allegiance to such self-centered ideology they unwittingly, enslave themselves to something --- other than Christ.
Posted by: 4thwatch | October 24, 2008 11:30 PM
Report Offensive Comment
"Anyway, the most disturbing thing is that the "liberal" (in fact, they are godless socialists) media outlets are in the tank of the party of hate, racism, slavery, intimidation, and violence -- the Democrats."
gee- where have you been for the last 150 years? So much has changed and the republican party is now the party of choice for white supremacists, right wing religious nutballs, congenital Nazis, and a happy band of merry, gun-totin',swear word spoutin', G-d floutin' bigots and racists whose level of education seems to have gone no higher than 6th grade.
Posted by: sparrow4 | October 24, 2008 8:34 AM
Report Offensive Comment
Back in the 1930's, the "liberal" media outlets supported the socialist Hitler and trashed the conservatives.
Today, the "liberal" media outlets support the socialist Obama and trash the conservatives.
But, here is the difference. Hitler came to power and Obama will not.
Anyway, the most disturbing thing is that the "liberal" (in fact, they are godless socialists) media outlets are in the tank of the party of hate, racism, slavery, intimidation, and violence -- the Democrats.
Setting the Record Straight (part 1)
http://www.freedomsjournalmagazine.com/blog/?p=207
The President Who Stole Christmas! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doChINcDTJU
The Antichrist Has Come! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7vh5LJjJhc
Posted by: loan4ever | October 23, 2008 8:40 PM
Report Offensive Comment
Black America from another perspective:
Posted by: thescoop1 | October 21, 2008 6:34 PM
Report Offensive Comment
Jerusalem Indicted: (1) 2Q: Luke 13:34-35 = Matt 22Q: Luke 13:34-35 = Matt 23:37-39
was as per many contemporary historic Jesus exegetes (e.g. Professor JD Crossan) not said by the simple preacher man aka Jesus i.e. more embellishment by the authors of the NT.
= Matt 23:37-39
23:37 "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 23:38 See, your house is left to you, desolate. 23:39 For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.'"
Luke 19: 41-44 and Matt 24: 1-4 are also, as per many historic Jesus exegetes (e.g. Professor Marcus Borg), not from the historic Jesus but add-ons to embellish the life of the simple preacher man.
Posted by: CCNL | October 21, 2008 11:48 AM
Report Offensive Comment
More about Social Studies/Conditions than Theology and not much Christian Theology left after you reveiw the history of it:
Jesus was an illiterate Jewish peasant/carpenter/simple preacher man who suffered from hallucinations and who has been characterized anywhere from the Messiah from Nazareth to a mythical character from mythical Nazareth to a mamzer from Nazareth (Professor Bruce Chilton, in his book Rabbi Jesus). Analyses of Jesus’ life by many contemporary NT scholars (e.g. Professors Crossan, Borg and Fredriksen, On Faith panelists) via the NT and related documents have concluded that only about 30% of Jesus' sayings and ways noted in the NT were authentic. The rest being embellishments (e.g. miracles)/hallucinations made/had by the NT authors to impress various Christian, Jewish and Pagan sects.
The 30% of the NT that is "authentic Jesus" like everything in life was borrowed/plagiarized and/or improved from those who came before. In Jesus' case, it was the ways and sayings of the Babylonians, Greeks, Persians, Egyptians, Hittites, Canaanites, OT, John the Baptizer and possibly the ways and sayings of traveling Greek Cynics. www. earlychristianwritings.com/theories.html
For added "pizzazz", Catholic/Christian theologians divided god the singularity into three persons and invented atonement as an added guilt trip for the "pew people" to go along with this trinity of overseers. By doing so, they made god the padre into god the "filicider".
Current crises:
Pedophiliac priests, atonement theology and original sin!!!!
Luther, Calvin, Smith, Henry VIII, Wesley et al, founders of Christian-based religions, also suffered from the belief in/hallucinations of "pretty wingie thingie" visits and "prophecies" for profits analogous to the myths of Catholicism (resurrections, apparitions, ascensions and immaculate conceptions).
Current crises:
Adulterous preachers, "propheteering/ profiteering" evangelicals (e.g. the Osteens and Grahams) and atonement theology. .
Posted by: CCNL | October 21, 2008 10:44 AM
Report Offensive Comment
very interesting article- I have been unable to really explain rev. wright to those people who seem to think he should be used as a political expletive, and I think he has been very unjustly treated by the conservatives and the McCain campaign (of course, this seems to be their m.o.). rev. wright's biggest problem is his mouth, however. Had he just stopped talking, instead of pushing the issue of his relationship with the Obamas, it would not have ended so painfully for all concerned. That said, considering the things said about him but the republicans and the clinton campaign. I can understand his anger and refusal to put up or shut up.
Most people don't know this man was a proud Marine and Navy man who served on President Johnson's medical team. If you know anything about Marines, you know they are patriotic in the extreme- to have his patriotism questioned for out of context statements he made after 9-11 must have been an abomination to him. Yet there was not nearly so much outrage over Falwell and Robertson's comments that 9-11 was brought on ourselves by our pro-homosexual and pro-life stances. Says something about American racism, doesn't it?
Which is the real explanation for the Rev. wright issue- No one is pointing out Hagee's and Parlsey's, and Franklyn Graham's heinous statements about Jews and Muslims, but then again- they're all white men.
Posted by: sparrow4 | October 21, 2008 10:15 AM
Report Offensive Comment
The comments to this entry are closed.
loan4ever writes
"Back in the 1930's, the "liberal" media outlets supported the socialist Hitler and trashed the conservatives."
1) Do you copy and paste all your posts to every thread?
2) You have no idea what you're talking about. Everything in that sentense is wrong except the spelling. At no time did you say anything that made sense or was in any way true. Everyone here is dumber for having wasted the time to read it. It amazes me that you have the brains to turn on a computer, that post was just that stupid and full of absolute horse crap.
Just remember, God lists lying next to murder - see ya in Hell!