Submission Date

7-23-2021

Document Type

Paper- Restricted to Campus Access

Department

African American and Africana Studies

Faculty Mentor

Patricia Lott

Second Faculty Mentor

Edward Onaci

Project Description

This project explores Black Liberation Theology’s influence or lack thereof on Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. James H. Cone coined Black Liberation Theology as a doctrine “that is unreservedly identified with the goals of the oppressed and seeks to interpret the divine character of their struggle for liberation.” But how do Enon leaders’ use of Black Liberation Theology positively affect women and LBGT+ congregants? This project responds to that question by reading relevant secondary sources about Black liberation theology as well as Black Feminist and Black Queer Theory and by interviewing some of Enon’s leadership and congregation to get their perspectives on Black liberation theology, its significance to the church, and whom they believe should and should not experience its aid. By gaining historical and personal insight into Enon’s relationship to Black liberation theology, we develop a better understanding about the usefulness and limitations of the doctrine for those oppressed by homophobia and patriarchy. With my findings, I argue that, although Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church’s leaders preach Black liberation theology, they very narrowly practice it to release Black women from patriarchy and they deny any duty to deliver Black LGBT+ people from homophobia.

Comments

Presented during the 23rd Annual Summer Fellows Symposium, July 23, 2021 at Ursinus College.

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