“Love” In the book, “Jesus and the Disinherited,” the author, Howard Thurman in chapter five expounds on “Love.” Moreover, Thurman, a black man in the early 1900, with the ultimate goal to offer a humanizing combination as the basis for an emancipatory way of being, moving toward an unchained life to all women and men everywhere who hunger, thirst for righteousness, especially those “who stand with their backs against the wall.” By the same token, Thurman experienced “Fear,” “Deception,” and “Hate” that causes internal, spiritual damage to those who choose compliance, isolation, and violent resistance over the way of Jesus (www.smootpage.blogspot.com). Notably, Howard Thurman’s message helped shaped the civil rights movement that …show more content…
Equally important, he expresses how Jesus had to apply his love-ethic to the enemy. Not to mention, Thurman expound on three ways the enemy will attack, the first being the personal enemy, one who is in some sense a part of one’s primary-group life that I can relate to. Ordinarily, to love such an enemy requires reconciliation, the will to re-establish a relationship. Also, it involves confession of error and a seeking to be restored to one’s former place also the kind of enemy that the disinherited find easy to deal with. Furthermore, I’m in agreement with Howard Thurman that such conflict may have resulted from misunderstanding or harsh words growing out of a hot temper also too much pride on either side to make amends (Thurman …show more content…
Yet, after reading chapter five again, I understand what Howard Thurman shares in, there had to be a moment the Roman also the Jew (Negro and white) had to emerge as two human spirits that found a mutual, though individual validation. Subsequently, Thurman reminded me that in Christ Jesus is the power and strength to acknowledge any injustice, oppression without violence, fear, deception and hate (Thurman 95 -97). Furthermore, who knows more about the oppressed people than Jesus, therefore Thurman holds Jesus as the teacher of all teachers. To elaborate, I feel Howard Thurman, as a man was after God’s own heart. Even though, throughout his life he experienced racial, political and religious conflict, he stood on the Word of God, His teaching: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might,” and “thy neighbor as thyself,” (Mark 12: 29-31
This paper elaborates on the diverse contributions peoples of African descent have made to the pluralistic religious landscape of America and replicates various passages from our textbook. It focuses on the personal narratives of non-religious to religious leaders—exemplifying their influence on the African American religious movement during slavery and the reconstruction of America. Each section represents different historical periods, regional variations, and non-Christian expressions of African-American religion.
Howard Thurman in his book, “Jesus and the Disinherited” presented Jesus as a role model for the oppressed on how to find strength, freedom and peace within God and oneself. Thurman shares the story of how Jesus offered an alternative to accepting the Roman rules, like the Sadducees did in hope of being allowed to maintain their Jewish traditions; A solution to remaining silently obedient, like the Pharisees, as hatred and resentment destroyed them from within. Jesus provided an alternative solution to the Zealots of his day who resorted to physical force to advance their justified cause, often paying the ultimate cost, their life. Jesus taught love. Love of God, self, neighbor and especially your enemy. Thurman stresses that Jesus know that “it is man’s reaction to things that determines their ability to exercise power over them”.(Thurman, 18) Jesus taught and modeled the art of strength through humility. He
David Walker’s Appeal to the Coloured Citizens of the World, but in particular, and very expressly to those of the United States of America, “promoted racial solidarity and moral elevation with fervor,” and is as much a political source as it is religious. His Appeal adamantly argues against oppression and slavery while encouraging a vivacious and lively spirit amongst the black community, in the hopes of promoting unity and diminishing the acceptance of mistreatment from their white counterparts. To convey this message, which was presented in a mannerism that was extremely radical, Walker uses the bible and what can most clearly be defined as a Methodist theology to support his stance on the issues of society.
A human being is a complicated entity of a contradictory nature, where creative and destructive, virtuous and vicious are interwoven. Each of us has gone through various kinds of struggle at least once in a lifetime, ranging from everyday discrepancies to worldwide catastrophes. There are always different causes and reasons that trigger these struggles, however, there is common ground for them as well: people are different, even though it is a truism no one seems to be able to realize this statement from beyond the bounds of one’s self and reach out to approach the Other. The concept of the Other is dominant in Frederick Douglass’s text “The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro”, for it determines the main conflict and illuminates the issue of intolerance and even blasphemy regarding the attitude of white Americans towards Negroes. The text was written as a speech to commemorate the signing of the Declaration of Independence and delivered at Rochester’s Corinthian Hall on July 5, 1852.
Because it offers them the possibility of community and identity, many slaves find themselves strongly attached to religion. They cannot build a family structure and they cannot be identified by family name, but through the church, they can build a community and identify themselves as Christians. This comfort becomes virtually non-existent for it too is controlled by the slaveowners who “came to the conclusion that it would be well to give the slaves enough of religious instruction to keep them from murdering their masters” (57). The fact that one person could have the ability to control the amount of religion another person has and his purpose for having it diminishes any sense of community or identity that it may have initially provided.
... This would be no small feat since Christians had for generations practiced and defended not just slavery, but the hatred and demise of anything black or African. Cone's mission was to bring blackness and Christianity together.” # In 1969, Cone published Black Theology and Black Power. In this book, Cone brought attention to racism in theology and proposes a theology addressing black issues, this theology would provide liberation and empowerment of blacks and “create a new value structures so that our understanding of blackness will not depend upon European misconceptions.”
The personal insight and experience Zaru brings to the article provides an insightful perspective into the subject of oppression and liberation. The author states her argument clearly, but with obvious presuppositions deriving from her life as a Quaker (Zaru 123), thus making her argument slightly confusing at times. For example, as a Quaker, Zaru calls for justice, peace, and nonviolence in all situations, but fails to account for how justice should be sought, and simply acknowledges that a tension exists between peace and justice (135). Additionally, Zaru paints a relatively bleak picture of Old Testament accounts, even claiming that “the God of that portion of the biblical account is the God of people’s consciousness and perception rather than the God who really is” (125). This claim proves incredibly bold and seems to suggest inconsistency between the God of the Old Testament and the New Testament, a claim quite abrasive to those who, like myself, view the Bible as authoritative. Additionally, throughout the article, the author read her own experience into several Biblical accounts (Zaru 127), a practice that can provide clarity into one’s own experience, but should carefully avoid presentism. Despite these few critiques, Zaru offer incredible insight and perspective into the life of someone often viewed as “unchosen” and oppressed due to such views. In her
His regional and cultural identity instilled in him a sense of cultural and moral obligation to make the place he identifies with even better than he could imagine (Baldwin, 41). King knew he wanted to address the main issues that plagued the country while being a faithful Christian. King’s sense of place in the South led him to address many issues that he did not even experience directly, like poverty, because he shared this common identity (Baldwin, 21-23). King’s theological argument is directly linked to the influence of southern culture, black religious life, and even dating back to slave preachers (Baldwin, 301). He preached that God is a God of justice, mercy, and peace; He is a God that liberates those who are cast down upon. He is a God that will break into history and free people now, not later on (Baldwin, 173). These theological arguments were shaped by the black church and its emphasis on Christian optimism and Christian hope which state that God will ultimately emerge as triumphant over evil and bring liberation, wholeness, and salvation to all people (Baldwin, 77). This theological argument speaks to Martin Luther King, Jr.’s vision of a transformed South becoming a model for the beloved community where all humans are treated with equal worth (Baldwin, 43). Lastly, Dr. King’s religious life contributed to his theological
Cotton Mather and John Woolman were two men who had very passionate ideas for the slaves. “Negro Christianized” written by Cotton Mather was an appeal to the slave owners to convert their slaves to Christianity. He primarily focuses on the idea that slaveholders should treat the slaves with dignity and respect along with converting them to Christianity. In John Woolman’s work “Some Considerations On Keeping of Negroes,” he talks about how slavery was detrimental to the slaves and the slave holder. He illustrated through his own conduct the principles of compassion and good will that formed the central message of his itinerant ministry.
Douglass continues to describe the severity of the manipulation of Christianity. Slave owners use generations of slavery and mental control to convert slaves to the belief God sanctions and supports slavery. They teach that, “ man may properly be a slave; that the relation of master and slave is ordained by God” (Douglass 13). In order to justify their own wrongdoings, slaveowners convert the slaves themselves to Christianity, either by force or gentle coercion over generations. The slaves are therefore under the impression that slavery is a necessary evil. With no other source of information other than their slave owners, and no other supernatural explanation for the horrors they face other than the ones provided by Christianity, generations of slaves cannot escape from under the canopy of Christianity. Christianity molded so deeply to the ideals of slavery that it becomes a postmark of America and a shield of steel for American slave owners. Douglass exposes the blatant misuse of the religion. By using Christianity as a vessel of exploitation, they forever modify the connotations of Christianity to that of tyrannical rule and
From the excerpt from the novel, “Under the Feet of Jesus” by Helena Maria Viramontes, the main character is Estrella, a young Spanish girl with a powerful desire to learn to read. Although she is persistent, her teachers refuse to educate her because they are more concerned of Estrella’s personal hygiene. This leaves Estrella resentful because of the barrier between herself and knowledge. Estrella remains silent until a man named Perfecto Flores teaches her how to read by using his expertise in hardware and tools to represent the alphabet. Viramontes depicts the heartfelt growth of Estrella through her use of tone, figurative language, and detail.
This speech’s target audience is African American and he employed rhetorical devices to motivate and courageous African Americans act positively in this protesting activity. “ We believe in the Christian religion, we believe in the teachings of Jesus. (Well) The only weapon that we have in our hands this evening is the weapon of protest” (Holt, 17). King used the imagery of weapon for his non-violent tactic against racism and segregation. At this point, King had linked his non-violent ideology with biblical imagery. He thinks Christian is child of God and God teaches his believers to use non-violent ways to solve any conflicts and problems, which is exactly what King wanted oppressed African Americans to combat their enemies. And then, he interpreted to his audience how to use this tool against segregation in the details, “ we must keep God in the forefront. Let us be Christian in all of our actions… … love is one of the pivotal points of the Christian faith” (Holt, 33). It mirrors the main theme in the Christian religion: love and
The book Under the Feet of Jesus by Helena Maria Viramontes shows you the story of Estrella and her family and the struggles they face as migrant workers. Among all the symbolism in the book the one that stand out the most is Petra’s statue of Christ, which symbolizes the failure of religion and the oppressive nature of the Christian religion especially in minorities. Throughout the book, Estrella’s mother, Petra relies on superstitions and religion to get her through the hardships in life. In tough times, she turns to the statue and prays for guidance. Her thirteen-year-old daughter Estrella is the first of her family to realize that she needs to stop relying on religion and take control of her life. This brings in a wave of self-empowerment, not only for Estrella but eventually for all the characters as well. In the book, you’re able to see how religion exemplifies the failures of religion in minorities and how it hinders the growth of the characters while helping some of them.
"God of the Oppressed" is brilliantly organized into ten chapters. These chapters serve as the building blocks to the true understanding of Cone’s Black Theology. This progressive movement begins with an introduction of both him and his viewpoint. He explains that his childhood in Bearden, Arkansas and his membership to Macedonia African Methodist Episcopal Church (A.M.E) has taught him about the black Church experience and the sociopolitical significance of white people. “My point is that one’s social and historical context decides not only the questions we address to God but also the mode of form of the answers given to the questions.” (14) The idea of “speaking the truth” is added at this point because to go any further the reader must understand the reason and goal for Black Theology. Through the two sources in that shape theology, experience and scripture, white theology concludes that the black situation is not a main point of focus. Cone explains the cause for this ignorance, “Theology is not a universal language; it is interested language and thus is always a reflection of the goals and aspirations of a particular people in a definite social setting.” (36) This implies that one’s social context shapes their theology and white’s do not know the life and history of blacks. As the reader completes the detailed analysis of society’s role in shaping experiences, Cone adds to the second source, scripture.
The gospel of Mark in chapters 14, 15 and 16 of the Standard King James bible, reveals the story of Jesus in regard to betrayal, abandonment, prosecution, mockery, death and resurrection. In spite of it all, Jesus never thought of revenge and hatred, even with the great power to make miracles and put all circumstances in his hands. He fulfilled the decree of God, in which he prophesied and knew it all what would happened to him under the authority of the high priests, scribes and the Jews. He chose to be solemn, patient and humble as a lamb, as he retaliated with the plans of God for him and for the whole mankind. His experiences and stories have all been recorded in the New Testament and become means of salvation and virtuous living. They reveal that no matter how cruel and adverse life is, we must sought righteousness and act uprightly because the promise of God is always true. The hereafter is the greatest reward for those who trust God firmly and accept his decree