Pragmatic Philosophy, Theology, and Practices: Pointing Directions for African-American Public Theology

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Pragmatic Philosophy, Theology, and Practices: Pointing Directions for African-American Public Theology View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Boston University Institutional Repository (OpenBU) Boston University OpenBU http://open.bu.edu Theses & Dissertations STH Theses and Dissertations 2013-05 Pragmatic Philosophy, Theology, and Practices: Pointing Directions for African-American Public Theology Rucks, Karen-Louise https://hdl.handle.net/2144/8463 Boston University BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY Dissertation PRAGMATIC PHILOSOPHY, THEOLOGY, AND PRACTICES: POINTING DIRECTIONS FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN PUBLIC THEOLOGY By Karen-Louise Rucks (B.S. Temple University, 1980, M.A. Hartford Seminary, 1997, M.Div. Boston University School of Theology, 2001) Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Theology 2013 Copyright © 2013 by Karen-Louise Rucks All rights reserved. CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................... vi ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................................... vii Chapter I. INTRODUCTION .........................................................................................................1 The Thesis ................................................................................................................1 Methodology ............................................................................................................4 Limitations ...............................................................................................................7 Chapter Layout.........................................................................................................9 II. CLASSICAL PRAGMATISTS ...................................................................................12 William James ........................................................................................................13 Charles Peirce ........................................................................................................19 John Dewey ............................................................................................................23 Summary ................................................................................................................29 III. SURVEY NEOPRAGMATISTS.................................................................................37 Richard Rorty .........................................................................................................37 Jeffrey Stout ...........................................................................................................66 Victor Anderson .....................................................................................................73 Emilie M. Townes ..................................................................................................83 Summary and Critique ...........................................................................................87 IV. CORNEL WEST’S PROPHETIC PRAGMATISM ....................................................90 Development of Thought: An African-American Perspective ..............................91 Philosophical Framework ......................................................................................97 West’s Concept of Prophetic Pragmatism ...........................................................104 Summary and Critique .........................................................................................113 V. CIVIL RIGHTS ERA AND THE BLACK CHURCH AS SITES FOR DEMONSTRATION OF THE PROPHETIC CHRISTIAN PRAGMATISM ...............120 Historical Background .........................................................................................122 The Role of the Black Church .............................................................................126 Black Theology Defined ......................................................................................131 iv Summary ..............................................................................................................137 VI. WITNESSING AND TESTIFYING AS PROPHETIC CHRISTIAN PRACTICES OF BLACK WOMEN ...............................................................................140 The African-American Women’s Involvement in Social Movements ................141 Women in the African-American Church/Community........................................145 Black Women as Moral Agents in the Civil Rights Movement ..........................147 African-American Women as Leaders in the Civil Rights Movement ................150 In Ella Baker’s Words ..........................................................................................160 Summary ..............................................................................................................163 VII. ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSION ..........................................................................165 Analysis................................................................................................................165 Conclusion ...........................................................................................................185 A Prolegomenon of Future Work: A Case Study of Emilie Townes’s Pragmatic Method ................................................................................................204 BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................210 v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS To my-ma and my-dad, Lucias Michael and Elaine Bertrice Rucks, your presence is with me every day and I am so glad God made you my parents. From Mississippi to Massachusetts, you envisioned something better and you achieved it. Thank you for letting me ask questions and for giving me the tools to look for the answers. Thank you for instilling in me the notion of love. To Dr. Robert Cummings Neville, you are truly one of the best and a gift from God. I am eternally grateful to you. Thank you for seeing what I could not see and for giving me room to discover. I am always in awe of your knowledge, wisdom, patience, and humility. This has been a pretty cool journey and I am glad you were there to guide me and to call me through. To Dean Mary Elizabeth Moore and Dr. Walter Earl Fluker, thank you for giving me what I needed and for doing so with such grace and encouragement. To my aunts and uncles who knew I was doing something and you were proud. To my four brothers, Charles, Vernon, Andrew, and Michael, for actually believing that I could. To Rodney, Tangala, and Miguel for making sure that I did. To Anne, Alison, and Alden Baptist Church, what would I be if it were not for you? In memory of my “bestest” friend, Cathy Elaine (Duncan) Watts (1957-2013). It has been a fun ride and I hope to see you soon . but not too soon! vi PRAGMATIC PHILOSOPHY, THEOLOGY, AND PRACTICES: POINTING DIRECTIONS FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN PUBLIC THEOLOGY (Order No.) Karen-Louise Rucks Doctor of Theology Boston University School of Theology, 2013 Major Professor: Robert Cummings Neville, Professor of Philosophy, Religion and Theology ABSTRACT This dissertation argues for a public theology that incorporates both reason and revelation as regulative principles in shaping public policy. A segment of scholars interested in public debate, such as Richard Rorty, believe that theology has no legitimate place in the discourse. Yet, African-American theology has been prominent in American political thought, from W. E. B. Du Bois to Martin Luther King, Jr. to contemporary scholars such as Cornel West, Emilie Townes, and Victor Anderson. This research upholds the value of pragmatic philosophy and theology for public discourse, particularly as key African-American thinkers have developed its potential. The thesis is that the pragmatic tradition—its basic conceptuality and its commitment to social wellbeing—can effectively employ theological and secular ideas and resources to influence public policy. The method is analytic and comparative, beginning with an analysis of pragmatism as a method of inquiry in the classic works of Charles Peirce, William James, and John Dewey, and vii their particular understandings of the role of philosophy in public discourse. This sets the stage for an analysis of neopragmatists Richard Rorty, Jeffrey Stout, Cornel West and Victor Anderson’s treatments of religion and secularism in public discourse. Using West’s prophetic pragmatism concept and public theology as the framework, the dissertation explores the historical role of the Black Church tradition during the Civil Rights Era and the contributions of African-American religious women. The analysis continues with an examination of womanist thought as it challenges and enlarges upon West’s prophetic pragmatism. Experience informs womanist thought, which in turn fosters a sharp analysis of injustices and inequalities in human existence and cultivates actions for justice and equity. The dissertation concludes with a constructive argument for a public theology. Philosophy and theology are important contributors to public discourse, and pragmatism provides a way for both to be engaged in this socially transformative work of cultural analysis and problem solving. Pragmatic tendencies, such as joining theory and praxis and reconciling cultural and political differences in a democratic society, enliven public theology and increase its potential. Implications for further study include professional development of pragmatic theologians
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