This week I was introduced to Dr. Butler's Black Transhuman Liberation Theology.
I knew I was going to be challenged in this course the moment I began reading Dr. Butler's text. While it was not new to confront the idea that the term "human" may need to be reconsidered, tackling the reality of someone claiming that Black folx should no longer identify with the term tapped into my own racism (I believe that everyone who lives in this culture is racist by default- we are products of our environment-- which demands constant counter cultural work to disengage). I am also processing the idea that "[v]iewing oppression an organism accepts oppression as dynamic and fluid, structural and alive." (Butler, p. 130) With context and the comprehensive through-line of the work, the idea of Black folx not identifying as human and identifying oppression as alive do not feel radical, but when attempting to frame the learning to others, or within other spaces, I am finding myself challenged.
This week this class also tackled Scandinavian Creation Theory, the concept of Han, and the ways that the body can use technology to manage what life throws at us. Discussions are rich, sometimes confusing, and causing all the students to deconstruct many terms, beliefs, and contexts.
It seems this course will also enhance the work in Practical Theology, where we are going through the comprehensive process of how to walk step by step through applying theological beliefs to our everyday lives and dilemmas. It seems like a great way to hold myself accountable to walking my talk and ensuring a clear path to living my values, aligning with beliefs, and knowing how to approach complexities without obvious answers.
Comments