{"id":1527,"date":"2013-03-17T11:11:00","date_gmt":"2013-03-17T11:11:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/2013\/03\/pimps-prophets-and-the-prophetic-tradition-towards-a-prophetic-and-more-inclusive-theology.html"},"modified":"2013-03-17T11:11:00","modified_gmt":"2013-03-17T11:11:00","slug":"pimps-prophets-and-the-prophetic-tradition-towards-a-prophetic-and-more-inclusive-theology","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/2013\/03\/pimps-prophets-and-the-prophetic-tradition-towards-a-prophetic-and-more-inclusive-theology.html","title":{"rendered":"Pimps, Prophets and the Prophetic Tradition: Towards a Prophetic and More Inclusive Theology"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>
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By Earle Fisher<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

R3 Contributor<\/span><\/div>\n

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*This is an excerpt of a paper originally presented at the National Council of Black Studies on March 14, 2013 in Indianapolis, Indiana\u00a0<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

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One of the classic works on prophecy is Abraham Joshua Heschel\u2019s \u201cThe Prophets.\u201d\u00a0 Heschel projects theories of God\u2019s connection to the ancient 8<\/span>th<\/sup> century Hebrew prophets of the Old Testament and eloquently waxes concepts relative to their psychology, rhetoric and mission.<\/span>[1]<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
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As is the case with conventional concepts of covenantal theology, we must see Heschel\u2019s works as relatively one sided also.\u00a0 He seems to be conditioned to tilt towards an affirmation of Jewish theological sensibilities, even at the expense of theological concepts that predate Hebrew prophecy.\u00a0 It is known that ancient Jewish, Israeli and Hebrew theology is a bi-product of notions and concepts of God from other ethnic groups (namingly African and Mesopotamian).\u00a0\u00a0 Heschel and others have centered thoughts relative to prophecy and the prophetic tradition primarily on the Old Testament prophets.\u00a0 Yet, R. E. Clements had already begun conceding that canonical prophets were not necessarily originals.\u00a0 This means that as we construct a prophetic theology we ought not to be bound to biblical witness alone.<\/b>\u00a0 Often times for the contemporary church the Bible is the pivot point for more interpretive problems than it is inspirational solutions.\u00a0 According to Clements, \u201c\u2026work of the canonical prophets arose out of the activity of a much larger prophetic movement in Israel\u2026\u201d[2]<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0 It seems obvious to me that if what is represented canonically is not exhaustive of the movement in Israel, clearly, there are other movements, traditions and sacred texts that share similarities and are in need of consideration as we lay the foundations of prophetic theology.\u00a0 Nevertheless, Heschel does highlight the shift towards a prophetic theology that is saturated with concepts of prophetic persona, theodicy, pathos and concern for those who are oppressed.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
Along with the past works of Heschel, more contemporary seeds of prophetic theology have already been planted through the work of Dr. Andre Johnson and his rhetorical work on prophecy, especially his work on Bishop Henry McNeal Turner.\u00a0 Johnson grounds his work in what he calls \u201cprophetic rhetoric.\u201d[3]<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0 For Johnson, prophetic rhetoric is one of the vehicles at the prophet\u2019s disposal to persuade his\/her community to adopt the ideas the prophet has for the alternative vision of existence.\u00a0 These ideas, in my estimation, are seeds of evidence we can use to construct our prophetic theology.\u00a0 Johnson defines prophetic rhetoric as, \u201cdiscourse grounded in the sacred and rooted in a community experience that offers a critique of existing communities and traditions by charging and challenging society to live up to the ideals espoused while offering celebration and hope for a brighter future.\u201d[4]<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0 <\/i><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
What I believe Johnson offers through his interpretation on prophetic rhetoric, is a chance to interrogate what theological concepts would cause one (or inspire one) to use such speech.\u00a0 This is the platform for us to construct prophetic theology.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
I posit that prophetic theology is a constructed concept of God that inspires one to use their gifts, skills, imagination, creativity and privileges to empower and equip those who are underprivileged.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0 This type of theology is rooted in theories relative to justice, love and mercy for all peoples.\u00a0 It is not mere morality but a cosmological theology that includes humanity in the production of peace, even when that peace comes as a result of painful sacrifice or martyrdom.\u00a0 It is not mere social criticism but a \u201cfire shut up in the bones\u201d of one who deeply believes God is displeased with the state of society and thereby calls one to act using rhetorical and other vehicles of persuasion to improve the environment.\u00a0 The theology of the prophets has historically sought to represent God\u2019s will on behalf of those who are at the margins of society; the powerless
\n, forgotten and left behind.\u00a0 I also contend that prophetic theology is not necessarily biblical theology.<\/b>\u00a0 This makes prophetic theology (and thereby those who embrace such) more inclusive and sensitive by proxy.\u00a0 Prophetic theology is one that honors the best and brightest of the religious tradition yet has the courage and gumption to speak truth to power when the power is tilted towards the strong and not the weak, especially when this power is a religious and ecclesiastical power.\u00a0 Prophetic Theology is grounded in a love ethic which challenges its constituents to practice what they preach and thereby remain sensitive to the plight of the poor and oppressed even if it means changing their own place of residence.\u00a0 Unlike that (racist) systematic theology of the past, the theology of the prophets use divine inspiration to empower others and addresses the conformity and complacency of those who claim to walk in the ways of God or what Walter Brueggemann calls, \u201cRoyal Consciousness.\u201d[5]<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0 Prophetic theology is courageous, honest and cannot be commodified (in part, because it doesn\u2019t pay well to speak out against those who have the most resources when they have used their resources to maintain power and privilege).\u00a0 We must study the prophetic tradition[6]<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> to ensure that we are intentional when we represent God\u2019s will for humanity.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Prophetic theology, unlike legalistic, dogmatic and oppressive theology, is not concerned with a personal piety as established by the status quo.\u00a0 While legalistic theology attempts to affirm righteous works based upon the maintenance of hegemonic control, prophetic theology realizes that righteous works will often times cause one to be marginalized, outcaste and even killed.\u00a0 Nevertheless, if we are to reclaim those who we have neglected, forsaken and forgotten, we must embrace and incorporate a more prophetic theology realizing that many of the systems we have set up (even in the name of God) have been anything but just and fair to the least of these.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Therefore those who stand in the prophetic tradition today (the contemporary prophets) are still being discerned and at the very least express evidence of having constructed an understanding of God through a prophetic theology \u2013not just a theological sound-bite or proof-text.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 If we are to revive and salvage the religious fervor and Spirit of Jesus and other ancient prophetic figures, these shifts from pimpish proselytizing and irrelevant religion to a more covenantal, prophetic and inclusive theology must be made.\u00a0\u00a0 Until then, we will continue to (both knowingly and unknowingly) abuse, marginalize, oppress and even kill others in the name of righteousness.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
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[1]<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> See A. J. Heschel, The Prophets, First Edition (New York: Harper & Row, 1962).<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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[2]<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> R. E. Clements, Prophecy and the Prophets, (Naperville: SCM Press LTD, 1965) p. 14. <\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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[3]<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> A. E. Johnson, The ForgottenProphet<\/a>, (Lanham: Lexington Books, 2012) p. 6-8.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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[4]<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> Ibid. p. 7. <\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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[5]<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> See Brueggemann, p. 21. <\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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[6]<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> Prophetic Tradition here is not limited to ancient Hebrew prophecy but also includes ancient African theologies and oral traditions that are rooted in theories of love and justice.\u00a0 Ancient African Griots have by and large been left out of
\nthe conversation regarding prophets and prophecy.\u00a0 However, whenever there is social injustice, historically, there have been figures (of various ethnicities and nationalities) that have used their understanding of divine inspiration to speak out and represent those who are oppressed.\u00a0 Therefore we must have a more holistic and well-rounded understanding of the prophetic tradition itself, lest it become tainted with opportunists and a shallow litany of prophetic figures and witnesses.<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Earle Fisher R3 Contributor *This is an excerpt of a paper originally presented at the National Council of Black Studies on March 14, 2013 in Indianapolis, Indiana\u00a0 One of the classic works on prophecy is Abraham Joshua Heschel\u2019s \u201cThe Prophets.\u201d\u00a0 Heschel projects theories of God\u2019s connection to the ancient 8th century Hebrew prophets of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2251,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1527","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nPimps, Prophets and the Prophetic Tradition: Towards a Prophetic and More Inclusive Theology<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"By Earle FisherR3 Contributor*This is an excerpt of a paper originally presented at the National Council of Black Studies on March 14, 2013 in\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/2013\/03\/pimps-prophets-and-the-prophetic-tradition-towards-a-prophetic-and-more-inclusive-theology.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Pimps, Prophets and the Prophetic Tradition: Towards a Prophetic and More Inclusive Theology\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By Earle FisherR3 Contributor*This is an excerpt of a paper originally presented at the National Council of Black Studies on March 14, 2013 in\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/2013\/03\/pimps-prophets-and-the-prophetic-tradition-towards-a-prophetic-and-more-inclusive-theology.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Rhetoric Race and Religion\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2013-03-17T11:11:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/wp.production.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/files\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-CYuJUnbzAjs\/UUZK6e7sJQI\/AAAAAAAAA7M\/SU3kc8sm0Z8\/s1600\/earle+fisher-new+pic.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Andre E. 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