About Black Liberation Theology...

[Sheldon]

I've seen several posts say that it's not a legitimate sect of Christianity, or that it's not "completely" Christian.

I have my own thoughts about that assertion, but I'm open to see what others think and why you think that. Heads up, I don't know much about this sect of religion.

A quick rundown from what I understand: It's focused on, in the words of it's founder Rev James Cone, "mainly a theology that sees God as concerned with the poor and the weak", and also that it's an attempt "to teach people how to be both unapologetically black and Christian at the same time".

There's an emphasis on exploring and defining the relationship between the Judeo-Christian God and the state of being black in modern America. Biblical Egypt is used as an analogy for the current US government, and in this analogy blacks are one of the oppressed people, like how the Pharisees treated the Jews.

It's because of Obama's twenty-something years of attendance at a BL church (the same one that Common attends, if you know who that is) that he has drawn suspicions of being a Marxist sympathizer. This is the part of the sect that I have to do some research about when I come back. I don't know to what extent Marxism is preached within the church, if at all.

So I got some questions:
Does the Marxist dialogue within the church, to whatever extent, lessen its credibility to Christianity?
Does the preaching about collective salvation, to whatever extent, lessen its credibility to Christianity?
Does a belief in lower taxes, smaller government, and laissez-faire economics make someone a stronger Christian?
​

The reason I ask that is because I'm seeing Obama's faith being questioned--it's a pointless thing to question imo, but there's some interesting socio-political topics on the side--and in these same posts challenging his faith I also see Marxism or communism being mentioned, so the implication to me is that somehow your socio-political and economic beliefs give or take away from you credibility of being a Christian.

And, just to lob a grenade at my own OP, the broader example is that the GOP identifies more with modern-American Christianity than the Democrats (Christians are the overwhelming majority in the Dems, though, just not as much as the GOP). That statistic could play a role in why Obama's faith to BLT is challenged as somehow less Christian than, say, someone who attended a nice and quiet Evangelical church with a white-picket fence for twenty years; because BLT is not like the mainstream modern-American Christianity. It's different, and, for some, that means lesser.

thank you for reading all that. Thoughts and/or answers?

 

[lizzie]

I've seen several posts say that it's not a legitimate sect of Christianity, or that it's not "completely" Christian.

Hmmm, interesting thread subject, and really not anything I have given much thought to until you posted it.J I grew up heavily indoctrinated in Christianity, and it was never the focus to dwell on what was in it for me, but more in what I could do to be a better individual, so I guess that in effect, it doesn’t seem too “Christian” to me, and is more of a political ideology.

A quick rundown from what I understand: It's focused on, in the words of it's founder Rev James Cone, "mainly a theology that sees God as concerned with the poor and the weak", and also that it's an attempt "to teach people how to be both unapologetically black and Christian at the same time".
So I got some questions:
Does the Marxist dialogue within the church, to whatever extent, lessen its credibility to Christianity?
Does the preaching about collective salvation, to whatever extent, lessen its credibility to Christianity?
Does a belief in lower taxes, smaller government, and laissez-faire economics make someone a stronger Christian?

Imo, religion is about what one gives, and not what one can get. It requires no apology for being anything, except for the action of being guilty of completely human flaws, and seeking answers to questions about the meaning and purpose of life. Religion is (imo) more about personal growth and change as an extension of one’s own heart and mind, and not about trying to gain something earthly.
　
　
　

 

[California Girl]

Christ - personal salvation. Black Liberation Theology - collective salvation.

 

[Sheldon]

Christ - personal salvation. Black Liberation Theology - collective salvation.

Where did you get the information about collective salvation? I looked it up on google and the entire first page is sites that mentioned Glenn Beck, or communism and social justice, and embed the same excerpt for the Glenn Beck show.

collective salvation black liberation theology - Google Search

If this was official doctrine of the sect, I figured it would show up on the at least the first two pages, but the second page is the same.

I'm genuinely interested if you've got any links or evidence that collective salvation is preached in BLT. I've never even heard the term before, so have no idea if it's categorically against the teachings of Christ either. Is there another term for it that would get different hits on a search?