Abstract
It is to the credit of black theologians such as James Cone and J. Deotis Roberts that the black religious experience is beginning to receive a serious hearing within the theological curriculum. In some sense it is incorrect to equate black studies in seminaries with black studies programs in the university, for this investigation has a more pervasive role within the theological curriculum than in the university. A college black studies program can be contained within a given department, no matter how diverse the offerings within that department, but black studies within theological education cannot be so contained. Rightly understood as being revelatory the black religious experience must pervade Bible and church history no less than ethics, theology, and practical theology.1 Therefore, this paper has as its special concern the place of black theology within the area of scripture and vice-versa. Furthermore, of the two major exponents of this emerging discipline a profitable dialogue can take place with James Cone, who has more explicitly tackled the matter of Bible content and interpretation for his theological position than has J. Deotis Roberts.