The Prophetic Persona of James Cone and the Rhetorical Theology of Black Theology

Abstract

It has been forty years since James Cone burst on the scene with his provocative and challenging book Black Theology and Black Power. However, as Black Theology made its way through the halls of academia, Cone faced not only theological challenges but he also faced rhetorical challenges along the way. In this essay, drawing upon what I call rhetorical theology, I argue that in order to present Black Theology as a theological enterprise, Cone not only drew upon the rhetoric of Black Power, he also adopted a prophetic persona to create not only space and place, but also to find voice to articulate his views. I also argue that if Black Theology is to remain a force in the academy and in the world, Black Theology needs to become rhetorical theology.