James Hal Cone (1938–2018) was an American theologian and minister, widely regarded as the founder of Black liberation theology. His work challenged traditional perspectives, arguing that Christianity must be understood through racial justice and the struggle against oppression.
Born in Fordyce, Arkansas, Cone grew up in segregation, shaping his theological outlook. He earned a B.A. from Philander Smith College (1958,) a B.Div. from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary (1961,) and a Master’s and PhD from Northwestern University (1965,) completing his doctoral thesis on Karl Barth. He taught at Union Theological Seminary for nearly five decades, influencing scholars and activists.
His groundbreaking Black Theology and Black Power (1969) redefined Christian theology by linking it to the Black freedom movement. He expanded on these ideas in A Black Theology of Liberation (1970) and God of the Oppressed (1975,) arguing that God sides with the marginalized. His later works, Martin & Malcolm & America: A Dream or a Nightmare (1991) and The Cross and the Lynching Tree (2011,) explored racial injustice and theological responses to suffering.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by James H. Cone
Anger and humor are like the left and right arm. They complement each other. Anger empowers the poor to declare their uncompromising opposition to oppression, and humor prevents them from being consumed by their fury.
—James H. Cone
Topics: Anger
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