James H. Cone's "Black Theology and Black Power" - A Revolutionary Exploration of Race and Faith

DavidJ: Reverend Cone did a great job putt pin to paper and developing this book. He wrote over five decades ago and it is very relevant today. Rev. Cone wrote this book in such manner that until we end racism and oppression in this country, this book will remain relevant for years to come.

United States on Jul 16, 2023

Paul: This is an audaciously courageous book. James H Cone passionately proclaims the truth of Black Power and provides a thrilling theological framework for understanding a liberated Blackness! Black Theology and Black Power remains an irresistible call to action.

United Kingdom on Mar 25, 2023

Joseph Somma: Okay, so this was written in the 60’s at the height of the civil rights movement. Given that, you might expect the arguments to be a little dated. Not so. This reflects brilliance of Cone and the failure of America to make real progress.

I found Cone’s book to be a damning comment on today’s churches. As a white Protestant I’m ashamed that my church hasn’t embraced more of Cone’s argument. As a Lutheran, we’ve done better than most, but we have more to do. Professor Cone’s work should be required reading for all seminarians and church leaders.

United States on Oct 19, 2022

Kenneth H. Dowdy: This is required reading for white Americans who identify with Christianity. Really, a must reading for all who take building a life together in community seriously.

United States on Oct 16, 2022

Maurice Miles MartinezMaurice Miles Martinez: This book is a worthy read. It was good enough that I had to cite it in my book: The Real Wakandas of Africa: Dr. John Henrik Clarke vs. Herman Cain. The real value in this book is how it shaped the perspective of many black churches in America. In fact, it should be mandatory reading for every leader of a black church. The author maps a framework that was considered to be cutting edge for the churches of his day. This author was impacted by leaders such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. In fact, he has another book on these leaders. Surely, this book was influenced by his perspective on these two great black men. You’ll find this work provides both a home for black Christian thought and a framework for the worship of christianity in the black community. However, you might not agree with every idea. As with any work that attempts to forge a new ideology, a certain dogma can come along with that ideology. Indeed, this is needed in many arenas that impact black people. Nevertheless, this book is a classic and an important read. If you wish to understand more about ways in which to improve the black community through the church, this book is fundamental. It is a must...

United States on Oct 15, 2021

Jonas Sobe: Characteristics and values fundamental to understanding these concepts are laid down in a manner that is unambiguously easy to understand. What the author prioritizes is to highlight the worthiness of being black and the importance of feeling proud that one is black, blackness here is confined within the boundaries defined by a black man himself, not by a white man. Knowing the characteristics of a true black man will inadvertently lead one to understand how black theology should be applied in revitalizing one's true calling in this world. People make people to be slaves or second class citizens, but what another man things of you is not your true calling.

Very good book, I would recommend this book for any novice of advanced person seeking to understand his true calling, his being black (also white people can read it, it will help them rectify their mistakes or change their course in how they treat non-whites).

United States on Jun 17, 2020

Lise Clarke: I bought the book for someone who needs it for school, it will definitely be helpful.

Canada on Jul 06, 2019

J Whitgift: James H Cone's 'Black Theology and Black Power' is one of the foundation documents of 'Black Theology', it is also very much a piece of writing of its time. Yet with this in mind, it is also a badly written and incoherent book, one that mistakes incandescent rage for coherent theological thinking, leaving one with an unreadable and incoherent theological treatise which is much to the detriment of Black Theology.

The main thesis of Cone's work is that for a long period of time white people have seen black people as 'its' (things, as opposed to people, or as he puts it, 'it' rather than 'thou'). The message of Black Theology is, for Cone, to reverse that trend, to ensure that black people see themselves (and are seen as 'thou' as opposed to 'it'). A process described, at some length, in Edward Said's 'Orientalism'. Unfortunately what Cone actually does is to turn white people from 'thou' to 'it' by making them the subject of 'Black Theology's' rage, assuming that white people are a homogenous whole. In this he uses inverse racism*, making white people as the 'created and despised other' within Cone's theological imagination.

Cone's theology is incoherent as he allows...

United Kingdom on Oct 02, 2013

Ricarda Seiche: evaluation of 4/5 because the book was not delivered on time. book content is excellent. Thus, would recommend book anytime again.

Germany on Jul 19, 2013