Adam Clark: Black Christology from Howard Thurman to James Cone

Hey Theology Nerds!

This video is the fourth livestream in our new online class entitled The Many Faces of Christ Today, and I wanted to give you a sneak peek of what you’re missing (if you’re not already registered).

Holy smokes, theology nerds – buckle up for a prophetic ride through Black Christology that’ll completely recalibrate your understanding of Jesus and faith in times of empire. I am joined by Dr. Adam Clark as he traces the revolutionary lineage from Howard Thurman’s mystical Jesus who refuses the “hounds of hell” (after being called a traitor to dark peoples for following Christianity), through Albert Cleage’s literal Black Messiah who’d be riding in the colored section of Jim Crow buses, to James Cone’s God who shows up at the lynching tree. At a moment when Christian nationalism weaponizes the gospel to enforce xenophobic authoritarianism, this prophetic tradition reminds us that authentic Christian witness is found in loving solidarity with the crucified of today. This isn’t polite reflection, friends – it’s resistance theology that exposes how God deliberately identifies with the oppressed, choosing foolishness to shame the wise and weakness to shame the strong. This episode might flip your theological world upside down, but that’s precisely what good theology should do.

Dr. Adam Clark is Associate Professor of Theology at Xavier University. He currently serves as co-chair of Black Theology Group at the American Academy of Religion, actively publishes in the area of black theology and black religion and participates in social justice groups at Xavier and in the Cincinnati area. He earned his PhD at Union Theological Seminary in New York where he was mentored by James Cone.

Previous Episodes w/ Adam:

• Thinking Liberation

• From Contemplation to Liberation

• The Living & Liberating Mystery

• Cancel Culture, Rogan, Whoopi, Chappelle, & the NFL

• Gary Dorrien & Adam Clark: James Cone and the Emergence of Black Theology

• Serene Jones & Adam Clark: Theology Matters and the Legacy of James Cone

• The Crisis of American Religion & Democracy: 1/6 a year later

• Christmas, BLM, Abortion, & the War on White Evangelicalism

• Jan 6th Theological Debrief: Adam Clark and Jeffrey Pugh

• Adam Clark: What is Black Theology?

• From Lebron James to the Black Panther: Black Theology QnA w/ Adam Clark

• Adam Clark: James Cone was right

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Register and Get Full Access to All the Lectures and Livestreams!

A transformative 5-week online learning community exploring the diverse theological understandings of Jesus Christ across different traditions and perspectives.

Starting in late April 2025, this comprehensive online course invites you to engage with pressing Christological questions through the lens of Reformed, Liberal, Feminist, Black, and Process theologies.

What to Expect

• 6 EXCLUSIVE LECTURES - Learn from leading theologians representing diverse theological traditions.

• 5 INTERACTIVE LIVESTREAMS - Submit questions for the Q&A and engage in deeper exploration through discussion.

• CAREFULLY CURATED READINGS - Dive into foundational and cutting-edge scholarship that supports your learning.

FIVE LIVE SESSIONS:
Thursdays (April 24th - May 22nd) at 11am PT / 2pm ET

ASYNCHRONOUS CLASS: You can participate fully without being present at any specific time. Replays are available on the Class Resource Page.

COST: A course like this is typically offered for $250 or more. Your contributions are what make our classes possible. We invite you to contribute whatever amount you feel led to give (including $0).

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