Heart & Head: Black Theology--Past, Present, and Future [Hardcover]

Dwight N. Hopkins (Author), Michael Eric Dyson (Afterword), Cornel West (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 2002

Faith, hope, and love embody the black theology of liberation, a movement created by a group of African-American pastors in the last 1960s who felt that Christ's gospel held a special message of liberation for African-Americans, and for all oppressed people. Beginning with an intimate introduction, Hopkins writes of his mother's death, when he was nine, and reveals that his father's love for the poor influenced him to become a Minister and to pursue a life of service which required "a compassionate intellect and an intellectual compassion". Hopkins asserts that in this post-Civil Rights, post-affirmative action era, that all people, regardless of race, must join together in forging a new common wealth. Offering a detailed perspective on a new racial, gender, and economic democracy in the United States, Hopkins illustrates that black theology can be the key to personal and global liberation.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Prolific theologian and historian Hopkins (Univ. of Chicago Divinity Sch.; Introducing Black Theology of Liberation) has never disappointed the intelligent and compassionate reader. With this volume on the history and future of black theology, he adds another book to his distinguished bibliography. In this mixture of passion and polemics, he discusses, among other things, the impact of "womanistic" theology on black theology, the perniciousness of black-on-black homophobia, and the globalization of a theology of liberation. On one level, the book serves as a good primer to the wide and growing field of black and liberation theology. Unburdened by unnecessary jargon or the cryptic metaphors that often plague other theological texts, the narrative instructs while also enticing and entertaining. On a deeper level, it is a rallying cry for churches of the world to get "back to the basics" as institutions of social change, demanding justice and equality. Recommended for all libraries, especially theological libraries. Glenn Masuchika, Rockwell Collins Information Ctr., Cedar Rapids, IA

Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Emphasizing the connection of theological reflection and passion in black theology, Hopkins' tribute to the original architects of the black theology of liberation and their predecessors reiterates the now familiar formula of liberation theology: theology is the second step. At the same time, Hopkins expands on the legacy of his teacher James Cone to broaden the first step--practice--to include a spirituality that is grounded but never frozen in community, which is a matter of heart as much as head but never exclusively a matter of either. Hopkins also emphasizes the contribution of womanist theology, drawing on Jacquelyn Grant, Emilie Townes, Katie Cannon, and others to argue for a reconstruction of gender addressed as much to men as to women. An accessible introduction to black theology of liberation for nonspecialists, this is at the same time a fine introduction to liberation theology in general. On both counts, it should interest plenty of readers outside as well as in the African American community. Steven Schroeder
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Palgrave (February 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312293836
• ISBN-13: 978-0312293833
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #964,868 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Expressions of Black Faith and Spiritualaity, June 15, 2002

By 

The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers (RAWSISTAZ.com and BlackBookReviews.net) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Heart & Head: Black Theology--Past, Present, and Future (Hardcover)

This is an intense capturing of ideas and ideals from a Black Theologian. His work is divided into Four thorough sub-titles.

Part One:
DEFINING BLACK THEOLOGY FOR THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY. Chapters one and two are expanded with information about 'Black Theology of Liberation and the Impact of Womanist Theology' and about 'The Preferential Option for the Poor and the Oppressed'

Part Two:
BLACK THEOLOGY AND SACRED LIFE.
Pulls chapters three and four together to enlighten about

'Spirituality and Transformation in Black Theology' and about 'A New Heterosexual Male'.

Part Three:
BLACK THEOLOGY AND THE WORLD.
In chapters five and six he captures ' A Black American Perspective on Interfaith Dialogue in the Ecumenical Association of Third World Theologians' and 'The Religion of Globalization'.

Part Four:
THE CHALLENGE OF THE FUTURE.
The writer shares in chapter seven and eight 'James H. Cone and Thoughts for a New Generation' and 'A New Common Wealth'.

Heart and Head presents a variety of chapters and challenges
for the twenty-first century. It draws on the rich fountainhead of African American experiences and offers lessons for a healthy human community. Hopkins imparts interesting points about the differences between 'Theology', 'Spirituality' and 'Religion'.

A must read for students of Theology and Religion.

Reviewed by aNN Brown