Description
Book SynopsisIn his controversial 1973 book, Is God a White Racist?, William R. Jones sharply criticized black theologians for their agnostic approach to black suffering, noting that the doctrine of an ominibenevolent God poses very significant problems for a perennially oppressed community. He proposed a humanocentric theism which denies God''s sovereignty over human history and imputes autonomous agency to humans. By rendering humans alone responsible for moral evil, Jones''s theology freed blacks to revolt against the evil of oppression without revolting against God. Sherman Jackson now places Jones''s argument in conversation with the classical schools of Islamic theology. The problem confronting the black community is not simply proving that God exists, says Jackson. The problem, rather, is establishing that God cares. No religious expression that fails to tackle the problem of black suffering can hope to enjoy a durable tenure in the black community. For the Muslim, therefore, it is essential
Trade ReviewJackson's work has added a thought-provoking response by Islamic studies and is long overdue in the debate of Black theodicy. * Black Diaspora Review *
It goes without saying that any theological discussion is bound to be academic, yet this is an excellent book and a fascinating read. * ARNet *
Jackson's book is a work of theology, and in this dimension it is a skillfully argued plea for Islam as a religion capable of meeting the challenge of black suffering as well as a clear explication of Islamic theodicy. It remarkably succeeds in both the academic register and as a sustained personal plea. * The Azanian Sea *
Jackson is a welcome addition to the writings of American Islamic scholars, most of whom are non-idigenous Muslims; such thinkers are not qualified to write from an Islamic-centric perspective about the numourous social, political, and economical ills that plague Muslim African Americans. * Yusef Sala, BEACON *
Islam and the Problem of Black Suffering warrants high praise for it's scholarship and deserves the attention of Islamic jurists, imams, religious scholars, and coverts. * Latif A. Tarik, Aerican Public University *
Table of ContentsIntroduction ; William R. Jones and Challenge of Black Theodicy ; The Perduring Problem of Blackness: Beyond Ontological Suffering ; Chapter One: The Formative Development of Classical Muslim Theology ; The Arabians and Atheological "Peripheral Vision" ; Muhammad b. Idris al-Shafi'i and the Arabian Versus Arab Regime of Sense ; Traditionalism and Rationalism: The Rhetoric of Transcendence and the False Detente ; Chapter Two: Mu'tazilism and Black Theodicy ; Early Development and Basic Contours of Mu'tazilite Theology ; Relevant Details of Mu'tazilite Theology ; Mu'tazilism and Jones ; Chapter Three: Ash'arism and Black Theodicy ; Early Development and Basic Contours of Ash'arite Theology ; Relevant Details of Ash'arite Theology ; Ash'arism and Jones ; Chapter Four: Maturidism and Black Theodicy ; Early Development and Basic Contours of Maturidite Theology ; Relevant Details of Maturidite Theology ; Maturidism and Jones ; Chapter Five: Traditionalism and Black Theodicy ; Early Development and Basic Contours of Traditionalism ; Relevant Details of Tradtionalist Theology ; Traditionalism and Jones ; Conclusion ; Notes ; Bibliography
