Fitzhenry & Whiteside Limited

“Noel Leo Erskine once again calls the many who research and read Black theology to go beyond the US-centeredness that too often diminishes and distorts the subject. He widens the horizon by holding together voices like Garvey, King, Marley, Sölle, Rastafarians, and more, leading to clearer visions and deeper insights—if we can shake off the hegemony.” 
—David Emmanuel Goatley, Fuller Seminary 

“Noel Erskine has long been the doyen of the Caribbean perspective on Black theology. From the emergence of his landmark Decolonizing Theology in the early 1980s, through to this excellent book, Erskine remains the key interlocutor for outlining a postcolonial, Caribbean take on Black liberation that unites Black peoples across the continent of North America and the Caribbean islands of his birth. In moving from luminaries of the past, such as Marcus Garvey, through to contemporary icons such as Katie Cannon, Jacquelyn Grant, and Kelly Brown Douglas, this book shows that Erskine has lost none of his prophetic edge. This is a must read!” 
—Anthony Reddie, University of Oxford 

“Noel L. Erskine has gifted us with the definitive argument and persuasive proof that Black faith and Black religion in the western hemisphere began with the majority populations of enslaved Africans in the Caribbean and Latin America, and not in the United States. This is a foundational paradigm shift, and Black theology and womanist theology, if they are to remain authentic, must shift as well.” 
—Dwight N. Hopkins, University of Chicago 

“A phenomenal contribution to the field, Black Theology and Black Faith offers a fascinating and insightful exploration of the complex interplay between faith and history. Through a vivid and convincing tour de force, it offers profound insights into Black investments in the liberation of Black lives. By exploring how Black faith and Black theology embraced suffering yet refused to make peace with those conditions, Professor Erskine shows that African religious beliefs and practices persisted and evolved in the face of oppression and erasure. A must read for all interested in liberatory and transformational conversations around race, religion, and social justice!” 
—Kamari Maxine Clarke, University of Toronto

Noel Leo Erskine is professor of theology and ethics at Candler School of Theology, Emory University. He is the author of several books, including Plantation Church: How African American Religion Was Born in Caribbean Slavery and Black Theology and Pedagogy.

Table of Contents

Preface
Introduction: Faith and History 
1. The Social Context of Black Theology 
2. Sin and Reconciliation 
3. Baptism and the Mystery of Faith 
4. Salvation and Liberation 
5. Christology and Grace in Womanist Thinking 
6. Black Theology after James Cone 
7. Black Lives Matter 
8. Conclusion: Linking Faith and Salvation 
Selected Bibliography 
Indexes