African & African American Liberation

Catalog description

Taught by JST. This course studies the theology of liberation from the perspectives of African and African American experiences. It presents and analyzes the origins, the sources, the challenges and fundamental concepts and themes of African and African American liberation theologies. It also discusses major African and African American liberation theologians, comparing them, contrasting them, and evaluating their contributions and their theological relevance. It shows how African and African American liberation theologians promote the connection between the proclamation of Christian faith and the struggle for liberation, calling Christians for a preferential option for the poor and for social justice, and presenting God as a God of the poor and for the poor, a God of the oppressed, a God of liberation, who is against all forms of oppression and imperialism. Sensitive to the ecumenical perspective of liberation theologies, our reading list includes both catholic and protestant liberation theologians from Africa and from America. [20 max enrollment]