Garvey’s Black Theology and Its Impact on the UNIA/ACL

Abstract

IntroductionSINCE THE 1978 PUBLICATION OF RANDALL BURKETT'S tWO books, Garveyism US a Religious Movement and Black Redemption: Churchmen Speak for the Garvey Movement,: there have been other publications in support of the view that Garveyism was a religious movement. Burkett argued that Marcus Garvey was a black theologian and that Garveyism was indeed a civil religion, since there was a prevalence of religious personalities, religious symbols, religious rituals and beliefs in all the UNIA chapters.2Roderick McLeans Theology of Marcus Garvey, both supporting and critiquing the work of Burkett, was another significant monograph. McLean argued that Marcus Garvey was indeed the preeminent black theologian of the early twentieth century, since he was more interested in positing a pragmatic theological framework to interpret his people's origin, history and destiny. The theological and religious features of the movement were only necessary as Garvey had to enter the theological realm to demythologise, for the black race, concepts of God, Christ and humanity.3 This was necessary if the black community was to be truly liberated.Brada Imani's The Gospel According to Marcus Garvey: His Philosophies and Opinions about Christ,4 was also significant. The book contains a selection of speeches, words and opinions of Marcus Garvey, detailing his personal views about God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, Christianity and other important religious and spiritual themes. The book clearly shows that Marcus Garvey saw the importance and the necessity of religion in building his philosophy.5Significant articles have also emerged in support of Burkett and McLean. Ernie P. Gordon argued that Garvey was indeed a shrewd black theologian, and that Garveys interpretation of the Bible was not only revolutionary but demonstrated that he understood theological terminology and re-interpreted theology in order to raise the consciousness of the black man.6 Phillip Potter also argued that Garvey was in fact calling for a new hermeneutic or interpretation of the Bible, as it has to be read with discernment and discrimination from the core of its message about God, Christ and humanity. This was critical to ensure justice for all, along with mutual well-being and peace.7Cardinal Aswad Walker compared the theology of both Marcus Garvey and one of his followers, the Reverend Albert B. Cleage Jr. Walker argued that Garvey was indeed a profound theologian and as such had an impact on the theology of Cleage Jr; they differed fundamentally, however, in their ecclesiology, as Garvey did not want to institutionalise organised religion. Garvey sought to transcend church denominationalism by building an all-embracing movement which was religious, social and political. Cleage Jr, on the other hand, viewed religious denominationalism as fundamental to the successful liberation of the black community, as the black church was one of the few institutions in black communities which blacks owned. As such, he drew on much of Garvey's theological beliefs to build his religious community.8Despite the growing number of publications on the importance of religion to the Garvey movement, Garvey's theology is not highlighted by some Garvey scholars as critical to the nature of the movement. Robert Hill, for example, a major Garvey scholar, does not believe that religion had a fundamental impact on the Garvey movement. Instead Hill argues that Garvey wisely and deliberately used religious dogma, litanies and language to effectively communicate to his audiences.9 Hill also believes that Garvey tried to develop an objective scientific knowledge of religion as one way to unite blacks as a strategy.10To underscore Garvey's use of religion, Hill further argues that Garvey outspokenly declared himself to be nonreligious in the traditional sense and reportedly defined his concerns as secular. Garvey, in closing the second Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) convention in 1921, asserted that are living in a material world, even though it is partly spiritual and since we have been very spiritual in the past, we are going to take a part of the material now, and will give to others the opportunity to practise the spiritual side of life. …