Theology in a New Key: Responding to Liberation Themes

by Robert McAfee Brown

Overview

"I do not think there are any issues on the theological and human scene more important than the ones liberation theologians are raising," says Robert McAfee Brown. In this book Brown explores how we can respond to liberation theology without condescension, arrogance, or co-optation. He surveys in detail the kind of challenges to North American Christians issued by South American theologians. He then calls upon the church to work to make itself what it ought to be and to take sides politically in support of human rights.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780664242046
Publisher:	Westminster John Knox Press
Publication date:	09/01/1978
Edition description:	1st ed
Pages:	216
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)
Lexile:	1430L (what's this?)

Table of Contents

	Foreword	11
Chapter 1	Established Harmonies: A Diminished Seventh in Need of Resolution (The Possibility of a New Direction)	19
	Established Harmonies	20
	The Diminished Seventh	22
	Resolving the Diminished Seventh	23
	Continuity or Discontinuity?	26
	Entertaining the Notion of a New Key: A Roman Catholic Journey	27
	Anticipations of a New Key: A Protestant/Orthodox Journey	35
	The Possibility of Attentiveness to Theology in a New Key	48
Chapter 2	A Challenge to the Established Harmonies: "The View from Below" (Liberation as a New/Old Note)	50
	A Geographical Historical Excursion: From Medellin 1968 to Santiago 1972	52
	Characteristics of "The View from Below"	60
1.	A Different Starting Point: The Poor	60
2.	A Different Interlocutor: The Nonperson	62
3.	A Different Set of Tools: The Social Sciences	64
4.	A Different Analysis: The Reality of Conflict	67
5.	A Different Mode of Engagement: Praxis	70
6.	A Different Theology: The "Second Act"	72
	A Note Still to Be Sounded	74
Chapter 3	The Melodic Stridency of Scripture: Marx, Luke, and John (From a Hermeneutic of Suspicion to a Hermeneutic of Engagement)	75
	The Beneficial Effects of Stridency	76
	Recognizing Our "Ideological Captivity"	77
	"Hermeneutical Suspicion"	80
	"Hermeneutical Circulation"	85
	A Hermeneutic of Hope	88
1.	The God Who Takes Sides	88
2.	"To Know God Is to Do Justice"	90
3.	The True Worship	92
4.	Liberty to the Oppressed	94
5.	The Judgment of the Nations	95
	A Hermeneutic of Engagement	97
Chapter 4	Chords of Discord: A Twelve-Tone Scale of Sorts (A Critique of Critiques: Pros and Cons, Sharps and Flats)	101
	An Eightfold Sequence of Critiques	102
1.	Defensive Critiques	103
2.	Total Rejection Critiques	104
3.	Oversimplified Critiques	106
4.	Pseudo-Issue Critiques	110
5.	Reductionist Critiques	114
6.	Methodological Critiques	118
7.	Co-optation Critiques	123
8.	Dialogical Critiques	127
	From Critiques to Creative Appropriation	131
Chapter 5	"How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song in a Strange Land?": Discovering the Word of God for Us (What Can We Learn from Elsewhere for Our Situation?)	132
	Rehearing "the Lord's Song"--A Threat and a Challenge	133
	Resinging Our Own Song--A More Ample Orchestration	135
	Rewriting Our Christian Song--Attention to Neglected Themes	138
	Redirecting Our North American Song--A New Kind of National Anthem	143
	Reorganizing Our Chorus--A Search for New Alliances	146
Chapter 6	Two Cheers for the Church: A Not-Quite Hallelujah Chorus (Is There Still a Role for the Church?)	155
	Scenarios for the Future	156
	Images for the Future	158
1.	The Remnant Within the Remnant	158
2.	The Abrahamic Minority	160
3.	The Freedom of the Anti-Chameleon	161
	Beyond Sloganeering: Can We Enter Into "Solidarity with the Oppressed"?	162
1.	Denunciation and Annunciation	163
2.	Acts of Solidarity Within the Community	165
3.	Hearing the Voice of the Voiceless	172
4.	Taking Sides ... Politically	175
5.	A Theology of "Letting Go"	179
	Two Cheers for the Church	182
	First Cheer: Liturgy Can Be Enabling	182
	Second Cheer: The Global Family Already Exists	186
	The Last Word: The Primacy of Act	187
	Notes	189
	Annotated Bibliography	199
	Index of Names	209
	Index of Scripture Passages	212