I just finished reading Liberating Black Theology: The Bible and the Black Experience in America, by Anthony Bradley. The book is a little under 200 pages – not too long – but has some significant profundity to it.
While Bradley is a good writer and writes with accessible prose, because of the nature of the book and his critique, he assumes a lot from his reader. Bradley goes into some detail about Black and Liberation Theology’s relation to Neo-orthodoxy and Marxism, assuming the reader has some familiarity with these topics. Also, throughout the book (especially Chapter 5), Bradley expects his reader to be fairly knowledgeable on issues of contextualization and hermeneutics.
That being said, Bradley provides a helpful volume to the church. There are several reasons to love this book. Here are a few:
- Bradley doesn’t critique simply the outward failures of Black Theology – its Marxism, its failure to speak to contemporary economic realities of blacks in America, misguided biblical interpretations, etc. – rather, he critiques the presuppositions of the movement. Bradley begins his critique by examining Black Theology in light of historical Christian Orthodoxy. He begins with the doctrine God, Scripture, sin and human history. Make no mistake, Bradley’s argument is that Black Theology fails, not primarily because its does not deliver on what it promises, but because it is decidedly unbiblical and unchristian.
- Bradley doesn’t cover and critique the extreme examples of Black Theology. He explains the nuances in differing perspectives of Black Theology in the last thirty years and where evangelical Christians ought to be sympathetic. While he is narrow in his focus – primarily focusing his attention on James Cone and Cornel West – he gives the context and influences that inform the movement as a whole. The reader gains the vantage point of why certain authors and theologians say and write what they do, instead of simply gawking at their remarks.
- Because of the nature of Bradley’s critique (beginning with Black Theology’s unbiblical presuppositions), the reader is equipped to engage at a more than superficial level. He displays, convincingly, how other critiques of Black Theology have failed and sufficiently informs his readers how not to make the same mistakes.
I’m very grateful for Anthony Bradley’s unique book. It’s a good lesson on how to not only engage with Black and Liberation Theology, but with any theological system. Students and pastors should take note. This book deserves some significant attention.
