Black Liberation Theology

[madanthonywayne]

There's been a lot of talk about statements made by Obama's minister and mentor, Jeremiah Wright. Well, I've heard that these statements are rooted in a doctrine known as Black Liberation Theology.

Now I've heard of Liberation Theology. It was the union of Marxism and Catholicism seen in some central/south American countries. I believe it gave rise to the Shinning Path terrorist group.

But I've never before heard of a "Black" version of this. Are we talking about a religion based on race, marxism, and Christianity? WTF?

Does anyone know anything about this doctrine? Is it common among black churches in the US? Around the world?

"There is no denying, however, that a strand of radical black political theology influences Trinity [UCC]. James Cone, the pioneer of black liberation theology, is a much-admired figure at Trinity. Cone told me that when he's asked where his theology is institutionally embodied, he always mentions Trinity. Cone's groundbreaking 1969 book Black Theology and Black Power announced: "The time has come for white America to be silent and listen to black people. . . . All white men are responsible for white oppression. . . . Theologically, Malcolm X was not far wrong when he called the white man 'the devil.'. . . Any advice from whites to blacks on how to deal with white oppression is automatically under suspicion as a clever device to further enslavement." Contending that the structures of a still-racist society need to be dismantled, Cone is impatient with claims that the race situation in America has improved. In a 2004 essay he wrote, "Black suffering is getting worse, not better. . . . White supremacy is so clever and evasive that we can hardly name it. It claims not to exist, even though black people are dying daily from its poison" (in Living Stones in the Household of God)." http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/02/obamas_mentors_mentor.html

 

[iceaura]

Now I've heard of Liberation Theology. It was the union of Marxism and Catholicism seen in some central/south American countries. I believe it gave rise to the Shinning Path terrorist group.

I believe that is crap. The Shining Path assassinated several priests and others connected with Liberation Theology, and was/is Maoist rather than Marxist - much less Catholic.

The only "terrorism" to come out of Liberation Theology that I know of was some strikes and agitations for land reform, and a concerted opposition to the inroads of foreign corporations in the politics and lives of the rural poor.

For a while, in the 80s, the US was basically at war - in the "counter-insrugency" sense - with the Catholic Church in Central and South America. US trained and equipped paramilitaries and National Guards murdered priests, murdered and raped nuns, assassinated trade union leaders, killed journalists and aid workes and clinic nurses and schoolteachers, and created macabre scenes of terrorism in South and Central America - on top of the standard economic muscle re cropland, other resources, etc. The US won - Liberation Theology is as of now pretty much defeated in those palces of US involvement, although I've heard significant Christian socialist and Bible-based populist organizations remain in Brazil and other places not dominated by the US in SA.

 

[sowhatifit'sdark]

Now I've heard of Liberation Theology. It was the union of Marxism and Catholicism seen in some central/south American countries. I believe it gave rise to the Shinning Path terrorist group.

I am also pretty sure this is crap. It also sweeps under the rug the work of LT priests and nuns across Latin America who, often at the cost of death, supported the poor and Native Americans against fascist dicatatorships, death squads and often their own church.