Picturing Theology

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P i c t u r i n g T h e o l o g y

Different Traditions of African-American Response Interpreting a Legacy, Shaping an Identity, and Pursuing a Destiny as a Minority Culture Person Adapted from and informed by Cornell West’s Prophecy Deliverance

I. Exceptionalism — Afro-centrism and Superiority - “Above”

A. Definition: tendency to respond in terms of exalted, superior, and even romanticized view of one’s own cultural and racial roots B. Example: Louis Farrakhan, W.E.B. DuBois C. Issues 1. Pendulum swing: same bigotry as oppressive group, only inverted (“Same shoe, different foot”) 2. Isolationist and separatistic; have no desire to be in relationship with people of majority culture and/or race 3. See separation and segregation as an essential step on the road to a full personhood as a minority group 4. To gain one’s own identity is the prime goal, not relating to people of another culture A. Definition: the tendency to ignore or bypass one’s particular cultural roots in order to identify with a more general, broad, and accepted majority culture identity B. Example: Shelby Steele, Alan Keyes C. Issues 1. Advocate a full blown adoption of the predominant cultural identity (e.g., “I am not Black, but American”) 2. Tends to ignore the specialness of difference II. Assimilationism: Adopting the Predominant Culture as One’s Primary (and in some cases) Only Culture - “Behind”