OFF THE SHELF Liberating Black Theology By Anthony B. Bradley Crossway Books Reviewed by Vincent Bacote When members of the media attempted to understand the Reverend Dr. Jeremiah Wright’s comments during the last presidential campaign, the topic of black theology emerged as a focal point for understanding Wright’s homiletical rhetoric. In Liberating Black Theology:The Bible and the Black Experience in America, Anthony B. Bradley presents an analysis and critique of this contextual theology, with a specific focus on the version constructed by James Cone of Union Theological Seminary. The emphasis is on Cone (and his legacy) because his version of black theology had the greatest resonance and impact when it emerged and because it has remained the primary point of reference ever since. Bradley’s central thesis is that Cone’s version of liberation theology is ultimately unhelpful because “it views peo-
ple perpetually as victims.” In six chapters Bradley introduces us to conditions which produced black theology, summarizes Cone’s background and theological method, intriguingly engages the form of Marxism advocated by Cone and others, surveys biblical interpretation in light of the black experience, and finally presents a wide range of critiques from liberal to conservative, while recasting a vision for a more historically orthodox black theology that is centered on God’s redemptive mission as opposed to a victimized black identity. Bradley’s book helps us to see the very real concerns that led James Cone to be critical of the liberal and conservative theologies in the predominantly white academy. Because the concerns of blacks were largely ignored, Cone set out to construct a theology that directly addressed the crises facing blacks, particularly the multifaceted legacy of racism. Bradley argues that while Cone rightly observed a crisis in theology, the efficacy of his theological vision was hampered from the start by making the context of black oppression the controlling principle. He questions how this approach can be helpful when you have the emergence of a successful black middle class and whether it is necessary to jettison historically orthodox theological emphases because of their misuse by white oppressors. The strength in Bradley’s book lies in the fact that it is critical of black theology while maintaining that it is vital to address the crises which catalyzed Cone’s project. The trajectory of Cone’s work should not surprise anyone familiar with his theological training in liberal Protestant institutions. Liberalism places greater authority on human experience and historical context than on the Bible, and one result is that any theology that emerges risks being limited to or confined by a central focus on experiences
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such as victimization. Cone’s theology is the result of his own theological imagination but is built with equipment from the toolbox of liberalism. I had a couple of quibbles with Bradley. One, he labels Cornel West and Cheryl Sanders liberation theologians. Though familiar with the topic, neither would own the label. Second, perhaps the term “victim” is overplayed in Bradley’s critique. Maybe it is better to say that Cone’s work suffers from slavery to its context (which includes the emphasis on “victims”). Aside from these flaws, this introduction to black theology is helpful and worth reading. It is well researched and can help evangelicals move forward in an area we have mostly neglected. n Vincent Bacote is an associate professor of theology and the director of the Center for Applied Christian Ethics at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Ill. He is the author of The Spirit in Public Theology: Appropriating the Legacy of Abraham Kuyper (Baker Academic, 2005).
The Wisdom of Stability By Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove Paraclete Press Reviewed by Rachel Parker In the introduction to The Wisdom of Stability: Rooting Faith in a Mobile Culture, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove writes, “This is a book about staying put and paying attention. In a culture that is characterized by unprecedented mobility and speed, I am convinced that the most important thing most of us can do spiritually is to stay in the place where we are.”Tough words for my generation, which is drawn to the possibilities that