THOMAS, OLIVER MELTON-CHRISTIAN, Ph.D. Toward a Pedagogy of Critical Liberative Theological Consciousness: Cultivating Students As Agents of Social Change
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THOMAS, OLIVER MELTON-CHRISTIAN, Ph.D. Toward a Pedagogy of Critical Liberative Theological Consciousness: Cultivating Students as Agents of Social Change. (2020) Directed by Dr. Leila Villaverde. 233 pp. The central task of Toward a Pedagogy of Critical Liberative Theological Consciousness: Cultivating Students as Agents of Social Change is discovering pedagogical and theological wisdom for social transformation, through a dialogue with James H. Cone and Paulo Freire. Accordingly, it uncovers a deep concern with liberation, as a theological thrust countering oppressive ideologies, through curiosity, awareness, reflection, and response. I uncover this concern for liberation from dominant, oppressive ideologies by analyzing God of the Oppressed by James H. Cone and Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire. I do so by utilizing critical hermeneutics, historical criticism, and critical exegesis. By way of their seminal works, God of the Oppressed and Pedagogy of the Oppressed, I engage these theorists in an imaginative dialogue so as to lay a foundation Toward a Pedagogy of Critical Liberative Theological Consciousness. As I perceive it, liberation may manifest within various aspects of pedagogical and theological activity – among them are rereading history, critical inquiry, lived experience, resistance to oppression, and scriptural interpretation. Therefore, cultivating a critical liberative theological consciousness is a process of disentangling theological and social formations that are destructive, constructing new/different ways of being in relations and transforming interpretive lenses that create hierarchies of humanity (and all of creation). I situate this study within a theological classroom, in an academic setting. TOWARD A PEDAGOGY OF CRITICAL LIBERATIVE THEOLOGICAL CONSCIOUSNESS: CULTIVATING STUDENTS AS AGENTS OF SOCIAL CHANGE by Oliver Melton-Christian Thomas A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of The Graduate School at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy Greensboro 2020 Approved by _______________________________ Committee Chair © 2020 Oliver Melton-Christian Thomas For my ancestors (faithful guardians), my mother (a master educator), my father (a true friend), my aunt (a wise physician), and my wife, who loves, supports, inspires, and challenges me amid the process of being/becoming. ii APPROVAL PAGE This dissertation written by OLIVER MELTON-CHRISTIAN THOMAS has been approved by the following committee of the Faculty of The Graduate School at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Committee Chair ______________________________ Leila Villaverde Committee Members _____________________________ Kathy Hytten _____________________________ Veronice Miles ____________________________ Date of Acceptance by Committee __________________________ Date of Final Oral Examination iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS In Hebrews 12, a biblical, new testament text, the author writes, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders...And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us...” I feel these words deeply as I come to the end of a lengthy, demanding educational journey. As I read, reflected, wrote, and theorized my way through this journey, “I do not journey alone” became my mantra. The great cloud of witnesses has been and is with me, even now, and I owe them profound gratitude. As I consider the interdependent reality of my humanity, I want to acknowledge: Dr. Leila Villaverde, for her guidance and criticality; Dr. Rochelle Brock, for her humor and care; Dr. Veronice Miles, for her pedagogical clarity and theological wisdom; Dr. Kathryn Hytten, for her practicality regarding educational research; Dr. Robert E. Randolph, Jr., for his genius and friendship; and Dr. Jill Y. Crainshaw, for her generosity and assurance. Too, I am grateful and thankful for the immense encouragement of my family, friends, colleagues, and scholarship contributors, all of whom gave me life in their own unique ways: Ma and Dede; Aunt Ophelia; Vet, Tre, Met, Mike, MJ, and Matthew; Uncle Gus, LaShawn, and Spenser; Aunt Mary, Tiff, and Dexter; Dr. Velma R. Speight, Dr. A. B. Mayfield-Clarke, Dr. Don Clarke, and Mrs. Johnnie Lee Mayfield; Chance, Raschaad, Kia, Leah, Brandon, Miriam, Tabitha, Omosalewa, Marcus, Rondah, Anthony, Maria, Whitney, and Jonathan; Mama P., Mr. P., and Jay; Lalenja, Erica, Caitlin, Amara, LaToya, and Cristina; Yacine, Donovan, Shareese, Lauren, Stephanie, Revital, Anna, and iv Marcia; Scott, Maddy, Casey, John, Laura, Greg, Trina, and Hanna; Mrs. Mary Early, Ms. Johnnie Mae Moore, Dr. Kathleen Edwards, Mrs. Kimberly Kaufman, Mr. James Mason, and Mrs. Nor Othman-LeSaux. To my students, thank you for inviting me to learn with and from you. To my wife, D’Najah P. Thomas, a very special thank you for journeying alongside me as I experienced distress and joy, throughout this doctoral program, and for your loving care. Words cannot express my gratitude! v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................ ix CHAPTER I. IN SEARCH OF A CRITICAL LIBERATIVE THEOLOGICAL CONSCIOUSNESS: INTERDISCIPLINARITY AND THE PROCESS OF LIBERATION ......................................................................................... 1 Introduction .............................................................................................. 1 On Social and Theological Transformation ................................... 1 The Impact of Story/telling on Teaching, Learning, and Research ................................................................................... 5 Significance of the Study ........................................................................ 18 Selection of Authors and Texts: A Common Bond Within the Historic Project of Liberation: Cone and Freire ................................... 24 Critical and Theoretical Underpinnings: Hermeneutics as Research Methodology ....................................................................... 32 Hermeneutics and Biblical Interpretation .................................... 39 Critical and Pedagogical Orientations to Hermeneutics: Historical Criticism as Research Method ............................................ 42 Historical Criticism ..................................................................... 43 Hermeneutic Circle ..................................................................... 46 Critical Exegesis ......................................................................... 49 Critical Exegetical Research Guide ............................................. 50 Organization of Inquiry .......................................................................... 52 II. CRITICAL PEDAGOGY: A MEANS TO AGENCY ...................................... 56 Introduction ............................................................................................ 56 Historicizing Critical Pedagogy and Paulo Freire ........................ 56 Freire’s Pedagogical Praxis .................................................................... 69 Freire’s Liberation Theology .................................................................. 74 Interpreting Freire’s Pedagogical Praxis, Theology, and the Process of Liberation .......................................................................... 80 Teaching Criticality: A Process of Transformation ...................... 82 Becoming/Being Student-Citizens: Engaging the Public Square ......................................................................... 86 Conclusion ............................................................................................. 88 vi III. BLACK LIBERATION THEOLOGY: A MEANS TO LIBERATION ............ 90 Introduction ............................................................................................ 90 Historicizing Black Liberation Theology and James H. Cone ....................................................................................... 90 Black Liberation Theology: Two Manifestations....................... 106 Context: Theological and Sociological ...................................... 109 Cone’s Liberation Theology ................................................................. 114 Theology and Sociology ........................................................... 119 Jesus Christ and Agency ........................................................... 122 God and Agency ....................................................................... 123 Cone’s Pedagogical Praxis ................................................................... 124 Womanist Theology/Pedagogy ................................................. 127 Interpreting Cone’s Theology, Pedagogical Praxis, and the Process of Liberation ........................................................................ 130 Black Liberation/African American Theology: A Pedagogical Process .............................................................. 131 Becoming/Being Student-Theologs: Engaging the Public Square ........................................................................ 132 Conclusion ........................................................................................... 133 IV. CULTIVATING AGENTS OF SOCIAL CHANGE: A MEANS TO THE RELIEF OF OPPRESSION .............................................................. 135 Introduction .........................................................................................