Methodologies of Black Theology. - book review

by Frederick L. Ware, Ph.D. The Pilgrim Press, June 2002 $20.00, ISBN 0-829-81484-1

Methodologies of Black Theology is an engrossing academic overview of the history and study of black theology in the United States. Written by Frederick L. Ware, a professor of theology, the book engages the reader on two levels. First, Ware offers a condensed yet rich history of black theology. He explains how our ancestors rejected an interpretation of Christianity that justified their enslavement and transformed the religion.

Ware spends the remainder of the book engaging in a broader discussion of the growing academic field of black theology. He identifies and expounds upon the emergence of three black theological schools of thought. Ware first discusses the Black Hermeneutical School, the largest and most diverse, which focuses on "tell[ing] a story that relates the hope of the biblical message with the [often harsh realities] of black experience." Next, Ware discusses what he calls the Black Philosophical School, which he contends is promoted through the work of such well-known authors as Alice Walker and Cornel West. According to Ware, this school of thought views social, political and economic liberation as the main objective of black theology, but does not limit itself to the Bible or even the "black story." Finally, Ware identifies the Human Sciences School, which studies religion for the academic value of it. While liberation is an important value, knowledge and empowerment are the overarching themes.

Although it is helpful to keep a dictionary handy while reading Ware's work, the effort is worth it. Redundant at times, the information actually enhances understanding of the material, as do the summaries at the end of each chapter.

--Tracey D. Weaver is a freelance writer living in Washington, D.C.

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