Theology and Ethics in Black
and White: Aesthetics and the Political
STCE 4218-Spring 2008
The American Baptist Seminary of the West
Thursday
Ph.D.
Student, Graduate Theological
The Howard
Washington Thurman Doctoral Teaching Fellow
American
Baptist Seminary of the West
510-841-1905,
ext. 243
Office
hours by appointment
The
Course:
As race is one of the defining contours of the
American theological context, African-American theological discourse has been
bent towards liberation. This course will examine some of the major theological
writings of African-Americans before the formation of the formal field of Black
Theology. We will then analyze Black Theology from its origins to contemporary
and reflective works. Because
African-American theological reflection is not exclusively textual, this course
will look at liberation themes that are expressed in various African-American
cultural artifacts including music, movies and poetry. Last, the course will
examine how Black Theology can be used in present-day public discourse.
Goals
and Objectives:
The purpose of this reading intensive course is to aide the student in examining the origins, methods, and major themes of this uniquely American theological movement. As such, the course has four interrelated learning objectives:
1. Through the use of primary texts, students should demonstrate the ability to identify and analyze critical arguments.
2. Students should acquire a basic knowledge of theology and ethics, and articulate their roles as a means of oppression and liberation.
3. Students should leave the course with an awareness of the role non-textual mediums play(ed) in the development of African-American liberation expression.
4. Students will be expected to demonstrate the ability to explore a social issue in their local context and construct a theological response to that issue.
Academic Honesty and Inclusive
Language:
All work submitted to fulfill
requirements in this course is expected to be the work of the author. Any
quotation that is not original to the student must be cited using the Chicago
or Turabian Style Guide.
All students in the course are requested to use gender inclusive
language when referencing God unless one is directly quoting a text.
Course Requirements:
1.
Attendance
Because much of the learning process takes place in the classroom, and each student has a unique and valuable contribution to make to the development of knowledge, it is critical that students attend the class and arrive on time. An attendance sheet will be passed around at the beginning of each class. Any student missing more than two classes will have their final grade lowered by one letter grade.
2.
The completing of all reading
assignments is required. In addition,
students are expected to make informed contributions to the classroom
discussion by drawing on the material being presented. To facilitate this process the class will be
divided into groups which will lead the discussion.
3.
Critical dialogue papers
Because this course is listed as both a theology and ethics course, students will be required to write four papers (3 pages in length) dealing with the topics addressed in the weeks prior to their due date. Each paper is to critically engage a theological thinker in the field of Black Theology. Two papers will address theology and method. Two papers will address ethics and method. The first half of the paper will offer an exposition of the thinker’s method and content. The second half of the paper will offer the students critical response. All papers are to be handed in at the beginning of the class on the day they are due or they will be considered late. If considered late, the paper will have one letter grade deducted.
4.
Final presentation
Each student will be required to make a presentation to the class which demonstrates how they are engaged in a practice of liberation in some context. The presentation should be 15 minutes in length and can be structured in any way that the student deems effective. The student will be expected to give the instructor a 5 page outline/exposition of the presentation. The instructor will give further instructions on the presentation at a later date.
Required Texts
David Walker, APPEAL, IN FOUR ARITICLES; TOGETHER WITH
A PREAMBLE, To the COLOURED CITIZENS OF THE WORLD, but in particular, and very expressly,
those of THE
Dwight
Dwight
Howard Thurman, Jesus and the Disinherited (Boston: Beacon Press, 1976).
James H. Cone, Black Theology & Black Power (Maryknoll: Orbis Books, 2003).
J. Deotis Roberts, A Black Political Theology (
Katie Canon, Black Womanist Ethics (Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1988).
Kelly Brown
Sherley Anne Williams, Dessa Rose (New York: Harper Collins, 1999).
Course Outline
Week 1, February 7th
Week 2, February 21st
Cultural
formation and Hermeneutics
Assignments:
Dwight Hopkins, Slave Theology in the Invisible Institution
pgs. 1-45.
George Cummings, The
Slave Narratives as a Source of Black Theological Discourse: The Spirit and
Eschatology pgs. 46-67. in Dwight
Week 3, February 28th
Assignments:
David Walker, APPEAL, IN FOUR ARITICLES; TOGETHER
WITH A PREAMBLE, To the COLOURED CITIZENS OF THE WORLD, but in particular, and
very expressly, those of THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, (New York: Hill and
Wang, 1995). Pgs. 1-78.
Week 4, March 6th (PAPER DUE)
Assignments:
Howard Thurman, Jesus and the
Disinherited (Boston: Beacon Press, 1976). Pgs. 11-109
Week 5, March 13th
Assignments:
Dwight
Week 6, March 20th
And Then There Was Cone
Assignments:
James H. Cone, Black Theology & Black Power (Maryknoll: Orbis Books, 2003). Pgs. 1-61
Week 7, March 27th No Class- Spring Break
Assignments:
James H. Cone, Black Theology & Black Power (Maryknoll: Orbis Books, 2003). Pgs. 62-152
Week 8, April 3rd (PAPER DUE)
Introduction to Black Theology
and Ethics
Assignments:
Cheryl J. Sanders, Liberation Ethics in the Ex-Slave
Interviews pgs. 103-136 in Dwight
Week 9, April 10th
Move Over Brothers…The Development of Womanist Thought
Assignments:
Katie Canon, Black Womanist Ethics (Atlanta:
Scholars Press, 1988). Pgs. 31-89
Week 10, April 17th
Move Over Brothers…The Development of Womanist Thought
Assignments:
Kelly Brown
Week 11, April 24th (PAPER DUE)
Move Over Brothers…The Development of Womanist Thought
Assignments:
Sherley Anne Williams,
Dessa Rose (New York: Harper Collins,
1999).
Week 12, May 1st
A Black Political Theology
Assignments:
J. Deotis Roberts, A Black Political Theology (
Week 13, May 8th
A Black Political Theology
Assignments:
J. Deotis Roberts, A Black Political Theology (
Week 14, May 15th
Week 16, May 22nd
Presentations