With the recent revelation of Barack Hussein Obama’s long time pastor, spiritual advisor and mentor, Jeremiah Wright preaching a message from his church pulpit that was anti-American, full of hate and had very strong political leanings…I thought it was necessary to consider the basis for what he was doing. Mr. Wright claims to be a student and practitioner of this so called “Black Liberation Theology”, a biblically unsound doctrine that found its beginnings in the racially sensitive decade of the 60's.
According to Wikipedia this racially divisive teaching "...seeks to interpret the gospel of Jesus against the backdrop of historical and contemporary racism. The message of black theology is that the African American struggle for liberation is consistent with the gospel--every theological statement must be consistent with, and perpetuate, the goals of liberation." What is missing from this "gospel" is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, "Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you--unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures" (ESV). This means that in this so called theology you will hear about the freedom of the black man as they would define it, but you will not hear about the true freedom that comes with knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior (John 8:31-32).
James Cone is considered to be the leading "theologian" (and i use that term loosly since theology is really the study of God and knowing God...which isn't what this black liberation theology is about) in this field. His book, A Black Theology of Liberation is considered the foundational work for what amounts to being nothing more than a racial and political bias that fuels hatred and anger. It is in this book that Cone wrote, "Black theology refuses to accept a God who is not identified totally with the goals of the black community. If God is not for us, if God is not against white racists, then he is a murderer, and we had better kill him. The task of black theology is to kill gods that do not belong to the black community." (Page 27) This is the "god" that is being proclaimed from the pulpit of Jeremiah Wright and that Barack Hussein Obama has listened to for the last 20 years.
Cone also writes, "The black theologian must reject any conception of God which stifles black self-determination by picturing God as a God of all peoples. Either God is identified with the oppressed to the point that their experience becomes God's experience, or God is a God of racism...The blackness of God means that God has made the oppressed condition God's own condition. This is the essence of the Biblical revelation. By electing Israelite slaves as the people of God and by becoming the Oppressed One in Jesus Christ, the human race is made to understand that God is known where human beings experience humiliation and suffering...Liberation is not an afterthought, but the very essence of divine activity." (Page 63-64) While God is all about liberating mankind, Cone and Wright are greatly mistaken to think that it is about liberating one race for political gain.
God's liberation is for mankind from the penalty of their own sin. The sins of one race are no greater than another in God's eyes, because sin is sin...and all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; apparently this fact is ommited from the black liberation pulpits since the "sins of white America" are the only ones that truly matter in their warped opinions. Once again the Apostle Paul said, "But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it-- the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins." (Romans 3:21-25).
For 20 years Barack Obama has sat under the teachings of Jeremiah Wright...and for 20 years he had every opportunity to leave the Trinity United Church of Christ if he disagreed; but he didn't. Is this really what we are looking for in our next president?
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Either God is identified with the oppressed to the point that their experience becomes God's experience, or God is a God of racism...The blackness of God means that God has made the oppressed condition God's own condition.
I'm not a theologian, and I haven't taken any religion classes beyond what I needed to take to get my degree. But isn't that correct? Isn't the correct Christian view of God one of a God who protects the oppressed? "That which you do for the least among us," or however it goes?
Isn't it absolutely correct to say that the vision of a God who accepts the oppression of, say, blacks is not a vision of the One True God and that such a "god" must be eradicated?
I'm looking for guidance here. You're a pastor.
Keep in mind in the sentence prior Cone said this, "The black theologian must reject any conception of God which stifles black self-determination by picturing God as a God of all peoples." So the issue at hand really isn't God caring for the least of these, which He does and Scripture does show this over and over again, it is Cone's premise (and Obama's pastor's also apparently) that God would appear to be for the black race in America and against all others...especially the "ruling" class which would apear to be the white race according to black liberation teachings.
If Jesus came simply to empower this group or that group, then His death on the cross was not necessary; and this is the message behind our celebration on this weekend. Jesus came, according to His own words in Luke 19:10 to seek and save the lost. He is the propitiation (an atonining sacrifice) for our sins by His blood that was shed according to Romans 3:25, and He justifies all people and gives us all peace with God through out faith and by His grace according to Romans 5:1.
These are concepts that are missing from black liberation theology; along with the fact that it elevates one group above another when the New Testament clearly teaches the universal message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ that saves ALL from their sins.
And as for the alleged opression, this too is debateable, but not something i think this particular thread needs to chase after now. But i will say this, Scripture never promises that God's people would not face such treatment. Because of their unbelief and rebellion God did allow the Children of Isreal to fall into captivity...which was their condition when Christ came. The Apostle Paul also reminded us in 2 Timothy 2:3 that hardship should be expected by his followers...meaning it wouldn't be easy; and considering Jesus also said to expect persecution; i think this also nullifies that aspect of liberation theology also.
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