Black Liberation Theology can simply be defined as the use of God and the Bible to help African Americans overcome oppression. God is used as a symbol to help the oppressed overcome mistreatment. A in depth definition formulated in 1969 by the National Committee of Black Church Men: Black theology is a theology of black liberation. It seeks to plumb the black condition in the light of God’s revelation in Jesus Christ, so that the black community can see that the gospel is commensurate with the achievements of black humanity. Black theology is a theology of ‘blackness.’ It is the affirmation of black humanity that emancipates black people from White racism, thus providing authentic freedom for both white and black people. It affirms the humanity …show more content…
Christianity, during this time, developed into “the black man’s purpose of life” (Cone). Church and Christianity served as more than a place to worship for African Americans: it was a place to learn, a place to socialize, and a place where they could sing, and make and listen to spirituals. Even though these slaves came from various areas of Africa, they connected with each other through religion and praise. They all believed in a supreme higher being. Moreover traditional African religion made no distinction between the sacred and secular. They believed that all life was sacred. Long before African came into contact with whites, they were a strongly religious and deeply spiritual people. The beliefs of African American converts were downplayed by slave owners and white people who are connected to the church and Christianity. These individuals used white Christianity to justify slavery of African Americans. Slave owners believed that if they used Christianity as a weapon, they would be able to make slaves more submissive and obedient (Cone 93). The slaves, however, looked at Christianity in a different way than their oppressors. Since slaves had different needs than those who enslaved them, they used Christianity as a tool to uplift them from slavery that they were enduring. The African American community found refuge in the church. Slaves prayed to God to be saved from the oppression and mistreatment they were suffering under the hands of their white