Questions for discussion offered by Mentoring Program Participants Liz Nichols and Chris Grataski

The Past: Your Roots – Where You Have   Been

1. To locate us, place us, ground us – consider your roots, your past, the communities you came from, consider your family, your religious traditions – in these spaces, how was Jesus presented?  What race was He?  What did He look like?  What was Christ concerned with?  Was Christ strictly related to the Jesus of history?  Could you speak of Christ as woman? How many of those images did you adopt/internalize?  How much of Christ’s purpose, as it was presented in these “rooted places”, did you question or challenge?
2. When/how/where were you introduced to the Black Christ?
3. How was “blackness” defined and understood in your “rooted places”?  When or how did you interact with black people? How was the Black struggle for liberation understood/explained?

The Present: Your Current Moment

1. Consider the versions of the Black Christ that Douglas surveyed.  Which version was most attractive/appealing to you?  Which drew you in?  Which version challenged you? Troubled you/caused you to question your understanding of Christ?  Why?

Cleage’s Black Christ:

• literally ethnically Black Messiah born of a Black woman
• His resurrection is a revival of His’ ministry after death (rather than a sign of the good life of heaven)
• His purpose is to build an independent Black nation
• Black people are the nation chosen by God to bring freedom
• He affirms self defense by black people against White violence
• His “turn the other cheek” command is directed towards members of the Black Nation

Cone’s Black Christ:

• His Blackness is a symbol of His existential commitment to the oppressed, specifically the liberation of black people
• His Blackness is an essential part of his nature
• His Blackness represents His contemporary presence in black people’s lives
• His crucifixion and resurrection transformed His liberating ministry to a particular oppressed people into a liberating ministry for all who were oppressed
• Black Power is His central message to 20^th century America
• Following Him does not eliminate violence as an option for fighting the violent oppression of White racism

Robert’s Black Christ

• He has a universal identification and relationship with all humanity
• His Blackness as an aspect of what it meant to become God incarnate
• He is a Reconciler and the ministry of the cross is reconciliation
• Reconciliation means destroying all forms of slavery and oppression in White America so that people of color can affirm the authenticity of their political freedom
• Following Him eliminates violence as strategy for achieving Black freedom

The Womanist Black Christ

• He affirms Black women’s steadfast faith that God supports them in their fight for survival and freedom
• Social-political analysis of wholeness: He confronts and works against the racism, classism, sexism and heterosexism that threaten Black people’s right to live as whole, free human beings; He keeps the Black community whole, unified, striving for liberation
• Religio-cultural analysis: He lifts up aspects of Black religion and culture that are sustaining and liberating for Black people

1. Has reading Douglass’ book taught you anything about what a possible definition of “whiteness” might look like?
2. Perhaps for some of us this book was our first introduction to womanist theology.  If this was your first foray, maybe you could comment on the way this new “lens” has been or will be significant to your understanding of the life of faith and action.

The Future: Your hope – Where You Want to Go

1. The discipleship community will receive its shape to a significant degree from how it responds to Jesus’ question: “Who do you say that I am?”  What kinds of practices would be integral to a community that was consciously following the "Black Christ from a Womanist Eye"?  What would that look like today, and in your particular location?
2. How will you move towards the Black Christ?  Black individuals/communities? How will you participate in the Black struggle for liberation?  How will you invite others to do the same?