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What Can We Learn from Black Theology?

There is no doubt among scholars in the field that the development of black theology has been one of the major developments on the American theological scene in the past decade. The roots of black theology and the major contribution to its development are well known and do not need to be recited here. Today we have a different task: to see how black and white theologians can speak to each other and learn from each other as we do our respective work. It is well recognized that up to this point black theology has developed as a self-conscious articulation of the black community and has not been primarily concerned to be in dialogue with white theologians. Some of the more articulate black spokesmen have, in fact, insisted that black theology is by blacks and for blacks and that it is not intended for edification of, or criticism by, the white community. Some white theologians have nevertheless attempted to understand the issues raised by black theology and have attempted to draw on it for insights into the political and cultural framework of a white society. In my previous work I have explored some of the internal and external tensions raised by black theology; in this paper I propose to extend the parameters of the discussion about the implications of black theology for white theologians. Before we turn our attention to that specifically, however, let me make several preliminary (and precautionary) comments: 1) I recognize that the term "black theology" is distinct from the broader realm of black scholarship. Not every black who is engaged in the study of black religion or religious life would be called a black theologian, and certainly there are blacks who are reflecting upon black experience and using religious but non-Christian categories. For the purposes of this paper, however, I will assume that black theology refers specifically to the attempt to understand the Christian tradition from the vantage point of black history and black experience. I shall not attempt to incorporate some of the distinct movements in African Christian thought, nor am I concerned to dwell on the differences between African and American versions of black theology. 2) I recognize that black theology is, as William Jones pointed out, a growing discipline, and that it cannot at this stage be expected to demonstrate the diversity or nuances which we associate with more established theological positions. This does not mean, of course, that it is