The Black Christ(s) and Their Descendants
January Term 2024
This course follows the history of the development of racialized Christologies in the 20th and 21st century America. It begins by examining the various articulations of a “Black Messiah/Christ” that emerged as the Civil Rights Movement came to an end, and offers reflections on the cultural and intellectual contexts that made these images important. We then discuss how these images “aged” in the decades following the Civil Rights movement, giving special attention to the appraisal of these images made by a subsequent generation of antiracist thinkers and theologians—especially, womanist theologians, as well as cultural and religious critics. We next move to trace how these appraisals opened up the imaginative space for what is now called “Critical Race Theory,” and examine how 21st century theologians have attempted to reimagine the “Black Christ” (e.g. as a “Mulatto Christ”) so as to bring it line with the advances made by Critical Race Theory. Finally, we will look at where this history has brought us, and discuss the future of racialized Christologies.
This is a lecture course that meets in a hybrid format during the January term, with readings and assignments to be completed in the weeks following classroom time.
January Term 2024
This course follows the history of the development of racialized Christologies in the 20th and 21st century America. It begins by examining the various articulations of a “Black Messiah/Christ” that emerged as the Civil Rights Movement came to an end, and offers reflections on the cultural and intellectual contexts that made these images important. We then discuss how these images “aged” in the decades following the Civil Rights movement, giving special attention to the appraisal of these images made by a subsequent generation of antiracist thinkers and theologians—especially, womanist theologians, as well as cultural and religious critics. We next move to trace how these appraisals opened up the imaginative space for what is now called “Critical Race Theory,” and examine how 21st century theologians have attempted to reimagine the “Black Christ” (e.g. as a “Mulatto Christ”) so as to bring it line with the advances made by Critical Race Theory. Finally, we will look at where this history has brought us, and discuss the future of racialized Christologies.
This is a lecture course that meets in a hybrid format during the January term, with readings and assignments to be completed in the weeks following classroom time.
- Teacher: Nathaniel Jung-Chul Lee