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James H. Cone

James H. Cone Quotes

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James H. Cone is a renowned theologian and writer, best known for his contributions to the field of liberation theology. His work delves into the relationship between race, justice, and theology, profoundly impacting contemporary theological thought.

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All Black People Community Liberation African American Arms Black People Care Christian Church

Famous James H. Cone Quotes

“While the rich reap most of the benefits of technological development, the poor bear an unequal burden of dealing with the consequences of the resulting increased pollution. The poor continue to live in greatest proximity to the sources of pollution, the infrastructure and machinery of industry. They work in the most polluted and physically dangerous workplaces. And these same individuals, living and working closest to the sources of environmental catastrophe, are also the ones most lacking decent health care.”

“The acid test of any truth is found in whether it aids victims in their struggle to overcome victimisation.”

Found Struggle Truth Is Tests Overcoming Victim Aids Acid

Book:For My People: Black Theology and the Black Church

Source: For My People: Black Theology and the Black Church

“Anger and humour are like the left and right arm. They complement each other.”

Left Humour Arms Complement Uncompromising Left And Right

Author:James H. Cone

“In the act of worship itself, the experience of liberation becomes a constituent of the community's being . . . It is the power of God's Spirit invading the lives of the people, "building them up where they are torn down and propping them up on every leaning side".”

People Spirit Sides Community Building Worship Down And Liberation Torn Constituents Power Of God Invading

Author:James H. Cone

“To sing about freedom and to pray for its coming is not enough. Freedom must be actualized in history by oppressed peoples who accept the intellectual challenge to analyze the world for the purpose of changing it.”

World Enough Purpose Challenges Freedom Accepting Acceptance Praying Intellectual Historical Oppressed

Author:James H. Cone

“Anger and humor are like the left and right arm. They complement each other. Anger empowers the poor to declare their uncompromising opposition to oppression, and humor prevents them from being consumed by their fury.”

Left Poor Arms Empowerment Oppression African American Empowering Opposition Consumed Fury Complement Uncompromising Left And Right

Book:Martin and Malcolm and America: A Dream or a Nightmare

Source: Martin and Malcolm and America: A Dream or a Nightmare

“Indeed our survival and liberation depend upon our recognition of the truth when it is spoken and lived by the people. If we cannot recognize the truth, then it cannot liberate us from untruth. To know the truth is to appropriate it, for it is not mainly reflection and theory. Truth is divine action entering our lives and creating the human action of liberation.”

People Ifs Knows Humans Action Our Lives Divine Theory Depends Truth Is Creating Survival Reflection Recognition Liberation Appropriate Entering Untruth Human Actions

Author:James H. Cone

“To be Christian is to be one of those whom God has chosen. God has chosen black people!”

People Christian Black Chosen Black People

Book:Black Theology and Black Power

Source: Black Theology and Black Power

“Unless God is participating in this holy activity, we must reject his love.”

Holy Activity Rejects His Love Participating Cones

Book:A Black Theology of Liberation

Source: A Black Theology of Liberation

“Black churches are very powerful forces in the African American community and always have been. Because religion has been that one place where you have an imagination that no one can control. And so, as long as you know that you are a human being and nobody can take that away from you, then God is that reality in your life that enables you to know that.”

Knows Humans Long Has Beens Reality Force Black Community Imagination Church Human Beings Powerful African American Very Powerful Away From You Black Church

Author:James H. Cone

“Black racism is a myth created by whites to ease their guilt feelings. As long as whites can be assured that blacks are racists, they can find reasons to justify their own oppression of’ black people.”

Source: Black Theology and Black Power

“Patrick Cheng's Radical Love is not only an excellent introduction to LGBT theology but an important contribution to the discipline of theology and the life of the church. It is a must read for anyone who cares about the health of the church and theology today.”

Important Care Today Church Love Is Discipline Theology Radical Excellent Contribution Lgbt Who Cares Introduction Important Contributions

Author:James H. Cone

“The coming of Christ means a denial of what we thought we were. It means destroying the white devil in us. Reconciliation to God means that white people are prepared to deny themselves (whiteness), take up the cross (blackness) and follow Christ (black ghetto).”

People Mean Black Christ White Devil Crosses Prepared Deny Denial Destroying Reconciliation Ghetto Blackness Whiteness Black Ghetto

Book:Black Theology and Black Power

Source: Black Theology and Black Power

“Testimony is an integral part of the Black religious tradition. It is the occasion where the believer stands before the community of faith in order to give account of the hope that is in him or her.”

Giving Religion Order Black Community Religious Tradition Accounts Believer Occasions Testimony Religious Traditions

Author:James H. Cone

“The belief that the soul continues its existence after the dissolution of the body is a matter of philosophical or theological speculation rather than of simple faith, and is accordingly nowhere expressly taught in Holy Scripture”

Soul Matter Body Belief Simple Existence Taught Holy Philosophical Scripture Speculation Theological Dissolution Holy Scriptures Simple Faith

Author:James H. Cone

“The truth about injustice always sounds outrageous.”

Truth Sound Injustice Outrageous

Author:James H. Cone

“If we save the planet and have a society of inequality, we wouldn't have saved much.”

Ifs Planets Environmental Saved Inequality Save The Planet

Author:James H. Cone

“One can lynch a person without a rope or tree.”

Persons Tree Rope Notable

Book:The Cross and the Lynching Tree

Source: The Cross and the Lynching Tree

“Any theology that is indifferent to the theme of liberation is not Christian theology.”

Christian Theology Liberation Theme Indifferent Christian Theology

Book:A Black Theology of Liberation

Source: A Black Theology of Liberation

About the Author

Born: August 5, 1938
Known for: Author
Quotes: 19

Related Topics

Black People Community Liberation African American Arms Black People Care Christian Church

Popular Topics

People Ifs Thinking Knows Men World Way Want Love Life Inspirational Needs Giving Feels Should Writing Trying Years Mind Firsts

Books & Sources

Black Theology and Black PowerRelated source material

A Black Theology of LiberationRelated source material

For My People: Black Theology and the Black ChurchRelated source material

Martin and Malcolm and America: A Dream or a NightmareRelated source material

The Cross and the Lynching TreeRelated source material

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