Black Liberation Churches?
 

Hi everyone, long time no post.

I have recently moved to MS and I am slowly adjusting to the way things run here. I have missed the converstion, so I thought I would try my hand at it again.

With this whole incident concerning Barack Obama and Jeremiah Wright, I have been talking to people here in MS about liberation theology (which seems to be lost on most church going black folks here). Most say that they don't think that Christians should be "that political" and that Wright's church is at least atypical of most black churches (I had one sister try to call it a "Christian-Muslim" church).

During Wright's appearance at the National press Club this morning, he noted that he felt that the attacks in the media on his sermons were an attack on the black church, not so much Obama or him. One black commentator on CNN noted that nothing like what Wright has stated ever came from her church. I remember that Dr. Jawanza Kunjufu noted that there were basically 3 types of black churches, churches that entertain their congregants every Sunday with good singing and "preachin'" that is strickly other-wordly and apolitical. Then there are accomodationalist churches that serve more affluent blacks with traditional messages and moralism and provide these blacks with opportunities to continue in the faith traditions that they were raised in, without risking anything politically (for those who have high profile jobs), and do some community work (mostly charity). Then there are the liberation churches who pride themselves on speaking truth to power, with liberation theology as a chief hermeneutic. These churches are typically smaller and are more progressive in their messages and ministry.

Question, do you consider the church you attend to be a Liberation church, an accomodation church, or a entertainment church (with thanks to Dr. Jawanza Kunjufu from his book Adam Where are you, Why Black Men Don't Go To Church).

Well, as the church I was raised in and most frequently attend is TUCC, my church is a liberation church. Granted, I did not know a lot about the tradition until this thing with Rev. Wright blew up (so thanks to the media for that), I just knew that was how Rev. Wright preached and I know that it has been difficult for me to find another church (outside of Chicago) that I like half as much.

I'm hoping "black liberation theology" doesn't become just a catch phrase. I was a theology student once upon a time and my personal truth is a lot of different things.

You've got to reach people where they are. If folks in one faith community are not moved by the theology of social justice, so be it. God speaks to them in a different way and that is to be respected. They may feel as though social justice is a secular animal.

I don't know what my home church was growing up. I don't recall any messages other than biblical ones. Salvation was a theme, not necessarily liberation.

From there, I investigated Islam and would have con/reverted had I been able to assume the burden of being a triple minority of black/queer/muslim. I wasn't ready. I remained spiritual for years, finally ascribing to Quaker theology recently.

Welcome back, Cushite,

I think the primary purpose of the black church is the preaching of the Gospel and the saving of souls. Secondarily, it’s about how to live more abundant lives while we remain here – more abundant spiritually, socially, economically, politically, which is where the “liberation” part comes in.

I found the “accomodationist” and “entertainment” working definitions too rigid. Cannot an “entertaining” church also urge its members to vote, to work for better community schools, and reinvest in its own community? While these “styles” may take root in some places, I think it’s more the fact that people come from varying walks of life, so, if they’re doing anything besides a drive-by on Sunday morning, then their resultant work in the church will reflect that. What draws people to a church varies with the people themselves. For some it’s “the family church” for others maybe it was a ministry that met a need at a critical point in life. Who knows?

Because I don’t think the black church is any more monolithic than the black community itself, I don’t know how much credence can be given to the claim of a direct attack on the black church. Mainstream media has yet to accurately gauge and reflect black culture. It is perpetually a beat slow, yet always claiming to lead the band. (nothing new there.)

Whether the preaching style is fiery and confrontational or professorial and analytical, if you’re about yours (II Tim 2:15), then the preaching style is just a matter of what you like. I’m the grandson of a Baptist preacher/Pastor and have seen many styles. The key is not the delivery, but the message. And how that message, properly interpreted, delivered, and received in the pews, inspires people to live, and work, after the benediction.

Amen!

I totally agree. The church that I belong to now as well as the church that I grew up in has always challenged its members to be involved in the community and to say what you mean and mean what you say.

If a messanger from God were to curtail his message because of fear of what others may say about them, then they would not be doing their job or living up to their call from God. I mean, people thought that Jesus was crazy and didn't agree with what he said and he is the Son of God.

I really don't see this "black liberation theology" as something new. Of course, people take notice to things when you give them a fancy title, but within my community, the church has been the biggest advocate of the community and expressing what it is to be black in America.

Such eloquence good Bro. TonyB 06
 

I agree that the characterizations are very rigid, and I never meant that your church had to fit the discription to a "T". Just a general assessment would do.

I also agree that the message is prime. What I am asking about is the content of the message. Some preachers can preach a message in such away and support that message through dynamic ministry, and the message and ministry still renders the church as an entertainment type or accomodationalist type of church. Prime example is the ministry of T.D. Jakes. Now, I ain't against his ministry, I thank God for it. He has touched thousands, maybe millions with his message of economic empowerment through investing and "pop-psychology" or positive thinking. What makes his message accomodating as opposed to liberating is that he rarely questions powers that be. He hardly ever poses critical questions about criminal justice, economic disparity (other than his message of individual accumulation as opposed to economic justice), public educational quality, etc. This has real implications in the black community.

Now, this aspect of ministry is what seperates accomodationalist churches from liberation churches, like the qualitative difference between the Potters' House and Trinity UCC. So, I think that a distinction must be made, and not just rest on arguments about what people get from the message, but what message is being preached.

Blackwatch!!!!!!

I don't think that it is anything new either, but rather something that has had it's roots in the earliest experiences of African descended people in America. What is new, or at least in a new cycle is white America's most recent collective exposure to it. In a few years, when this comes up, again, people will pretend like they have never heard of it and don't understand it, again. You know this country loves its amnesia.

I think the problem in the approach that Dr.Kwanzaa takes is that his categories are limited and the very titles of 2 of them already prejudices one against them because they pre-suppose a certain amount of negativity. "Entertainment" connotes a certain vacuousness or emptiness. Where a church may just have a great speaker as a Pastor and an awesome choir. Every Pastor is not called on or is qualified to be a Politician, an Activist, or Christ Himself. THE CHurch first and foremost is teach the word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Yes, it is to speak Truth to Power but that Truth IS JESUS and His Saving Grace, not to take sides in political disputes.

Secondly, the title Accomadationalist is a negative in that the Church is passive, co-opted to the status quo, as if that Church is wrong for singing "Amazing Grace", rather than "Fight the Power".

Having said all of that, I do favor Churches that practice Liberation Theology. There is tremendous strength and activism in the Gospels and while I don't mind entertainment on Sunday morning, I need a 24/7, 365 GOSPEL preached and acted act everday. I find entertainment empty and accomodation weak.

I am not the biggest fan of T.D. Jakes, but it is no denying that he has done what Jesus asks of his ministers.

Indeed.

This reminds me of how the Irish conveniently forget the history behind how hard they worked to be considered "white" and used the Catholic church, in addition to labor unions and the Democratic Party, to do so. Churches have always been used for purposes beyond religion, especially for minority groups (which includes the Irish when they were considered "white Negroes" before they assimilated into "whiteness") who needed a safe outlet and network source where none were available.

However, I feel that The Church's role in the Black Community has shifted as other outlets are available to us. It still has an important role but it's not as central to every aspect of our lives as it used to be. The role of the institution changed even if the role of spirituality hasn't. I have never attended a church that has beaten the congregation over the head with social issues and politics. The church I was raised in had some of the most influential blacks in the congregation, including politicians. We were told to vote and to serve the community. We had discussions of health issues and so forth. Never lectures on social issues like sexual orientation or speeches about politics beyond saying stuff like "pray for our country and for our President." The pastor assumed that an educated congregation with opportunities and access to information doesn't need the same guidance and resources that blacks have needed from The Church in the past.

With what the OP defines as liberation churches, and certainly in the case of Trinity, I think it is less about guiding the congregation when it comes to politics and more about a way of demostrating the ways that the lessons of the Bible play out in the modern world. It is sort of like preaching to the choir, because most who attend the church tend to have a certain political perspective already. It is more about situating that world view in a Biblical context.

Just like the other types of church are more effective with certain people, "black liberation churches" are particularly effective for making the gospel relevant to their congregations, and, in the case of Trinity, that congregation also tends to many of the highly educated power players in the Chicago community.

Also, I agree with Tony B. I would think that all black churches function more on a continuum, rather than being always one or the other.

I have no idea about these categories. I just know that The Black Church has always had a political role in the community, even if every black church didn't utilize this.

I know of black churches where the congregation is inundated with political messages that are rarely tied to the Bible every Sunday--sometimes there is no mention of Scripture at all before the pastor goes on political rants or rants against certain lifestyles. I wouldn't last long in such churches.

the denomination i am affiliated with has a strong social action foundation (AME).

i am accustomed to sermons being part history lesson, part call to action --- but that might just be my pastor's style of delivery.

When I used to attend, an accomodation church.

It's time for our people to wake up & discard ALL of these MAN MADE Indo-european religions & get back to our endwelling Afrikan Spirituality..

TOO MANY of us, as a by-product of slavery, suffer from a disease called "Dedicated To Ignorance-itis". This is where black folks are COMMITTED to being UNAWARE & UNINFORMED about something they "believe" in, especially when it comes to Afrikan History & Religion.

This is the PRIMARY reason "WHY" we're STILL in the condition we're in. We're OBSESSED with these euro-gentile religions that were FORCED on us as a means of control & as a result, we've LITERALLY come to DEPEND on them & EXPECT the supernatural event or "Divine Intervention" to raise us up outta the pitiful condition we're in.

Our dedication to IGNORANCE & NON-RESEARCH & acceptance of our conqurer's eurocentric religion(s) as FACT & the ONLY way out, has REMOVED us from our PRIMARY frame of reference & DETACHED us from reality.

These euro-gentile religions (christianity, islam & judaism) have black people worshipping what we "Claim" we're trying to FREE ourselves of: white-anglo saxon/indo-european "Enslavement".

The BEST religion if U will, is education through field research, fact finding, or as my dad calls it: "Right Knowledge".

Those who do this can "SEE" the deception behind the facade of these MAN MADE religions & the tools (i.e. the bible, quran, torah, etc.) being used to spiritually enslave & manipulate the minds of the masses for control by the ruling elite who KNOW the truth.

Until one studies the history & the origin of these religions, they'll continue to make fools of & confuse their ignorant believers..

Now don't get it twisted, I'm no Atheist..I am convinced BEYOND DOUBT in the existence of a higher power or higher intelligence & feel there's NO WORDS to describe its Greatness..

Religion is the number #1 killer of our black people mentally & spiritually. It was FORCEFULLY pushed on us as a "Psychological Narcotic" to DEADEN the pain of our ancestors "Oppressed" existence.


"..To win a people for our Christ, it is necessary to Europeanize them. Behind ALL systems of administrations lies the fundamental question of what we intend to make of the Afrikan. One possible and largely practiced policy is that of REPRESSION, which means keeping the native Afrikan in a subjected and inferior position as a mere slave of the dominant culture & race."


-- Edwin W. Smith's "The Golden Stool" (christianizing the Afrikan) p. 173



That ought to SUM UP for black folks what has has been done to us in the name of the white man's religion(s).


"Now that you [Afrikan] have NO remembrance of where you came from, nor whom you were, nor any remembrance of your father or his tongue, now that you are without pride & are humbled, I give you this book, the bible, that you may know OUR God & know that I [slave master] were created in his image & remember that all 'Good' things come from me [slave master], so long as you are obedient, otherwise, God's Wrath will be upon you. Take it & preach it among your brothers & that they may FEAR the cross in humility."


-- Dec. 12, 2004 Life Magazine; "How the Negro got religion"



But this is the NONSENSE we'll disown family members & friends over?

We'll condemn people to hell for NOT accepting something that to be perfectly honest about, is NOTHING MORE, than copied, stolen & plagiarized North Afrikan spiritual STORIES & FOLKLORE that existed THOUSANDS of years BEFORE there was a christianity, islam & judaism.. They've been re-presented to the descendants of the Afrikan slaves (us), under a eurocentric ethnicity in the guise of religion..

It's TRULY TIME to wake up family..