Black Theology and Song

In James H. Cone’s The Social Context of Theology he uses the term theology as a synonym for political language. He feels that what people think about God, Jesus, and the Church cannot be separated from their social and political views. Cone relies heavily on Marx in his argument, and contends that thought has no independence from social existence (42). This basically means that our ideas of God are limited by our social realities and are ‘filtered through human experience’. In black theology particularly, the focus is on liberation stories. These stories were told in many different fashions, one of them being song. The black culture has always been renowned for their music, and this originated during slavery. Although usually very simplistic in comparison with songs today, their songs contained potent lyrics with hopes of one day being free. Although slavery was legally terminated many years ago, complete freedom is still somewhat restricted in the United States. Cone’s ideas of Black Theology are still relevant in the American culture. Songs that convey particular social concepts are still used today and develop from people’s social realities.

In The Social Context, Cone talks about black people’s roots in slavery and oppression. It is widely known that black people were enslaved and mistreated for many years in the United States, and this influenced the way they viewed God, and the way that they dealt with daily struggles. Cone states that, “they viewed God as a Liberator in history” (55). Their desire for liberation was strongly prevalent in their songs, which were known as Negro spirituals. Even after the institution of slavery had been abolished, the social issue of racism was still heavily extant. Blacks played a big role in both the abolitionist and Civil Rights movement, and, although these events occurred in different time periods, the key theme in both was freedom. They sang songs like “We Shall Overcome”, and “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” which alluded to do their aspiration to one day be free from all bondage.

Songs were more than about catchy tunes and syncopated rhythms, and for a long time these musical accessories did not exist. Songs told a story, and music was a peaceable way to voice one’s opinion and get others to listen. What made story telling so effective for them was not only that it was easy to understand and remember, but also because it was only understood by those inside the community (60). This allowed them to communicate with each other without risk of being punished by their masters.

In today’s society, the role of music has changed significantly, although many artists still use their lyrics as a platform for to voice their social ideologies. Just as the Negro spirituals were a successful way for blacks to communicate, and in some instances escape their masters; music today can also have a potent effect. In Lady Gaga’s popular new song Born This Way, she sings “You’re black, white, beige, chola descent. You’re Lebanese, you’re Orient. Whether life’s disabilities, left you outcast, bullied or teased. Rejoice and love yourself today cause baby you were born this way.” As a liberal advocate for LGBT rights Lady Gaga uses her music to draw attention to social issues, and with over 59 million YouTube hits it is evident that songs are a successful way to do this. The success of this artist’s music is present day proof of the relevance of Cone’s argument. Although music might not bring direct social or political change, anything from Negro spirituals to pop hits by Lady Gaga can bring humanity one-step closer to equality for all.

Cone, James H. God of the Opressed: The Social Context of Theology. The Seabury Press. 1975.

Lady Gaga. Born This Way. 2011.