William R. Jones and Philosophical Theology: Transgressing and Transforming Conventional Boundaries of Black Liberation Theology

John H. McClendon

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Chapter 7 William R. Jones and Philosophical Theology: Transgressing and Transforming Conventional Boundaries of Black Liberation Theology

In: Philosophy of Religion and the African American Experience

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John H. McClendon III

John H. McClendon III
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Type:: Chapter

Pages:: 287–326

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004332218_009

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In this chapter, our prime objective is to demonstrate the legitimacy and validity of Jones’s locus within Black liberation theology. I am to clarify how Jones’s contributions—as philosophical theologian—to Black liberation theology indeed transgressed and accordingly transformed the conventional boundaries of Black liberation theology. To speak in more colloquial terms, we contend that Jones was not only a player in the game but he also proved to be a major, if not the major, game changer. In his pioneering text, Is God a White Racist? (igwr) Jones radically and decisively surveyed the burgeoning landscape of Black liberation theology (blt). With respect to blt, Jones unabashedly opined, “Its own practitioners were still unclear about what it entailed for theologizing and even less clear about how to translate its theological theory into concrete strategies for economic, social, and political (esp) reconstruction.”

In the aftermath of the publication of Jones’ provocative text, nearly everyone—in the ranks of Black theology—responded to igwr with less than enthusiastic acceptance. The pervasively lukewarm reception, to put it mildly, that accompanied igwr was in large part due to the fact that Jones (in his deliberations on blt) not only elected to abstain from Christian-centric theology but also subjected conventional Christian theological categories, methodologies, and doctrines to sharp critique; even in view of the fact, these neoteric efforts were generally presumed as oppositional to the racist white (Christian) theology. Jones, himself, was a stern critic of what he termed as “mis-religion” and even characterized racist white Christian theology as “Whiteanity.”

It is important to note, Jones’ critique of “mis-religion” was not singularly focused on “Whiteanity.” In Jones’ view, all theological beliefs, values, and attitudes, even those that serve as groundwork for Black Christian theology—that is to say theologies within the conventional blt boundary lines—were also open to rational assessment and critical self-inspection. The embrace of Black theology as such was not a sufficient condition to declare that one had reached the objective of constructing a liberatory viewpoint capable of overturning oppression.

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Philosophy of Religion and the African American Experience

Conversations with My Christian Friends

Series: African American Philosophy, Volume: 300, Value Inquiry Book Series, Volume: 300, and Value Inquiry Book Series Online, Volume: 300

Cover Philosophy of Religion and the African American Experience

E-Book ISBN:: 9789004332218

Publisher:: Brill

Print Publication Date:: 23 Jun 2017

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Chapter 7 William R. Jones and Philosophical Theology: Transgressing and Transforming Conventional Boundaries of Black Liberation Theology

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Philosophy of Religion and the African American Experience

Conversations with My Christian Friends

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