Black Theology and the Menace of Racial Apocalypse: Lonergan and Racial Reconciliation - Hardcover

by Cyril Orji (Author)

Racism evolves. Black theology must be adaptable. For this reason, Black Theology and the Menace of Racial Apocalypse argues that racism must take centre stage in Black theology because racism is an existential dread that inevitably confronts the Black person in their existential situation.

This book unfolds in two interwoven steps. First, it delves into the complex history of Black theology, examining its development across its first, second, and third waves. This critical study exposits the discomforting idea that something is missing and that this "something" makes Black theology seem a little deficient, as noted in the pioneering works of James Baldwin and other contemporary thinkers, challenging the hesitation to engage with ideas outside Black experience. The second step draws from multidisciplinary sources, including brain research on cognitive bias and psychological works on implicit bias and microaggressions. Effectively utilizing the methodological work of Bernard Lonergan, the book argues that incorporating "white" sources can enhance Black theology's articulation against racism.

In doing so, the book demonstrates how this interpretative mechanism can help overcome societal ideological differences, as well as help meaningfully address the ever-evolving problem of racism for Christian theology.

Author Biography

Cyril Orji is a professor of systematic theology and world Christianity at the University of Dayton.