What is Black Liberation Theology?

By Jan Markell

www.olivetreeviews.org

For the last several weeks the news has been replete with stories about Barack Obama’s pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright. You would have to see the news clips to grasp the extremity of his views and intensity of his words. While America is not perfect, to see her cursed in a church pulpit has been troubling, disheartening, and even sickening.

Barack Obama sat under this for 22 years and he wants to have the most powerful position in the entire world: President of the United States. But he didn’t get gospel preaching under Wright—he got instruction that revolves around a belief system called Black Liberation Theology.  So what is that?

The most prominent leader of Black Liberation Theology is Rev. James Cone whose 1969 book Black Liberation and Black Power was hugely influential in disseminating the beliefs of this movement. Those who have examined it suggest that the belief system of Rev. Jeremiah Wright of Trinity United Church of Christ mirrors those of Cone: Jesus is black, Marxism can aid in a true understanding of the Gospels, and the white church in America is evil or, some might even say, is the Antichrist.

Cone argued that the white church and white theologians had all failed in their duties to uphold biblical principles of helping the poor and marginalized of society. Indeed, in Cone’s view, Christians had become actively complicit in making the lives of others worse.  Because of this, it was no longer acceptable to leave the interpretation of the Bible to white Christians.

Black Liberation Theology is dangerous, unscriptural and misrepresents “white efforts” to help the poor.  The fact is, most humanitarian agencies have white leadership and white Christians support the organizations. But Cone didn’t stop with just whites: He also criticized middle-class black churches.  He felt all black churches should speak out as Rev. Wright has been doing for decades.

Now The Washington Times has come out with information to make the scenario even worse. They state in their April 2, 2008 issue, “The church where Sen. Barack Obama has worshipped for two decades publicly declares that its ministry is founded on a 1960s book that espouses ‘the destruction of the white enemy.’ They quote Cone as saying, ‘What we need is the divine love as expressed in black power, which is the power of black people to destroy their oppressors here and now by any means at their disposal. Unless God is participating in this holy activity, we must reject His love.”

This is bizarre, yet a spokesman for Obama says, “It’s absurd to suggest that Obama or anyone should be held responsible for every quote in every book read by a member of their church.”

Wait a minute! We aren’t only dealing with a quote or a book! We’re talking about a candidate for President of the United States who has remained in a congregation for 22 years that appears to espouse some of the principles above. To have anything to do with Black Liberation Theology is to identify with hard-core Socialism and possibly even Marxism. It comes out of their own mouths.

Every serious church attendee looks into the belief system for the church they choose to attend—as I have done several times—because every church has a statement of faith. Even Trinity United Church of Christ is bold about their statement of faith and it is easily accessible.

Where is the outrage that over many years such a fury flourishes in America as Black Liberation Theology?  If one looks carefully at it, the principles are almost that of a jihadist!  This goes well beyond the antics of the “religious left” and makes them look like moderates—which, by comparison, they are.

Pray for our churches today. Whether they are caught up in wrong theology or dangerous theology, God has not forgotten them nor should we. America will only be as strong as her churches are strong.

By Jan Markell Click here for bio and archived articles