Fields addresses three questions: 1) What is Black Theology? 2) What can Black Theology Teach the Evangelical
Church? And 3) What Is the Future of Black Theology?
He answers these questions, though not in any great detail. This is just a primer, not a fully
articulated and exhaustive study. This
is my biggest complaint about the book.
It was just too short. Fields often notes that ‘this topic could be
elaborated much more, but that would require more space than this book allows.” Sigh… “Always leave them wanting more,” might
have been good advice from P.T. Barnum (that is, if the quote came from him
originally) but it’s bothersome in a book I’m studying. As a primer, however, Fields’ book will serve
to expose interested readers to a number of other authors for further and
continued study…
…especially James Cone. Fields quotes so often from the various works of James Cone, that I wondered if I should have just started with his books instead.
A couple of other smallish complaints: the book seemed especially focused on Black Theology in an African American – (as in the USA) situation. This isn’t necessarily a problem, but I wonder (because I have no experience) how Black Theology might be different in Europe, or South America or Africa or Australia…
Also the language was rather dry. I don’t mind reading academic works, I don’t have a problem with technical language. But Fields’ prose was somewhat lifeless. Again... this isn’t a big issue but I could see it inhibiting others from reading.
…especially James Cone. Fields quotes so often from the various works of James Cone, that I wondered if I should have just started with his books instead.
A couple of other smallish complaints: the book seemed especially focused on Black Theology in an African American – (as in the USA) situation. This isn’t necessarily a problem, but I wonder (because I have no experience) how Black Theology might be different in Europe, or South America or Africa or Australia…
Also the language was rather dry. I don’t mind reading academic works, I don’t have a problem with technical language. But Fields’ prose was somewhat lifeless. Again... this isn’t a big issue but I could see it inhibiting others from reading.
[i]
Fields, Bruce L. Introducing Black Theology: Three Crucial Questions for the
Evangelical Church, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2001.
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