BLACK THEOLOGY CONFERENCE AT THE QUEEN’S FOUNDATION
FRIDAY 24 TH AND SATURDAY 25 TH JULY 2009
BEING HUMAN:
A Black Theology exploration of what it means to be a person in a Black skin.
The aim of this conference is to explore what it means to be a Black human being. How do we interpret, theologically, the meaning of being born into a Black skin? Black theologians have long wrestled with the meaning of Blackness and what it means to be a Black human being. The continuum of Black theological thought runs from essentialised forms of Black Christian nationalism from the likes of Marcus Garvey and later, Albert Cleage, through anti-essentialist and postmodern critiques emanating from the likes of Victor Anderson and Anthony Pinn. For some, we can only understand our humanity by means of our Blackness, for others, Blackness is a second order category that supplements the more universal attributes for understanding what it means to be human. The latest thinking on this issue, in the context of Black theology, is perhaps to be found in Dwight Hopkins Being Human: Race, Culture and Religion ( Minneapolis: Fortress press, 2005). But he is African American – so what is our take on this!
PROGRAMME
Friday 24 th July
12.30pm onwards - Arrivals: Tea and Coffee available
All sessions are taking place in the Wakefield Room
1.45pm Assemble – Announcements, House-keeping, etc. – Anthony Reddie
2pm Dr Robert Beckford (Anthony Reddie to chair)
"LEAVE YOUR MIND AT THE DOOR.” PENTECOSTAL WORSHIP BETWEEN FEDEISM AND SOLIPSISM
3.30pm - Break - Tea and Coffee
4pm - Dr Beresford Lewis (Anthony Reddie to chair)
FORGING AN UNDERSTANDING OF BLACK HUMANITY THROUGH RELATIONSHIP: AN UBUNTU PERSPECTIVE
5.30pm - Break
6pm - Evening Meal in Dining Hall (for those booked)
Tea and coffee available after the meal
END OF THE 1 ST DAY OF THE CONFERENCE
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SATURDAY 25 th JULY
8am - Breakfast in Dining Hall (for those staying at Queen’s only)
All sessions are taking place in the Wakefield Room
9.15am - Assemble – Announcements, House-keeping, etc. – Anthony Reddie
9.30am - Deacon Dr Evie Vernon (Carol Troupe to chair)
“ME A SMADDY TOO!” – MINISTRY FROM THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN
11am - Break – Tea and Coffee
11.30am - Dr Anthony G. Reddie (Mukti Barton to chair)
BLACK PROVERBIAL WISDOM: THE ONGOING QUEST FOR RACIAL JUSTICE
1pm - Lunch in Dining Hall (for those booked)
2.30pm - Dr Cecilia Cappel (Lynnette Mullings to chair)
REJECTED, ABUSED, AND DISRESPECTED….. ‘AND THEY JUST KEPT ON GOING TO CHURCH, GITTEN ON THEIR KNEES AND PRAYING’
4 pm - Break – Tea and Coffee
4.30pm - Plenary: Reflections and discussions on the conference.
6pm - Evening Meal in Dining Hall (for those booked)
Tea and coffee available after the meal
END OF THE CONFERENCE
If you wish to attend the Black Theology Conference 2009, please see the following pages for information and registration form. For catering purposes, please return your form and payment (£10) by 5pm , Monday 20 th July 2009. Registrants after this date will not be guaranteed meals.
COST
The cost is £10 per person irrespective of how many days are attended. This is a heavily subsidised price for the conference. This fee is inclusive of meals but not of accommodation. Please make cheques payable to THE QUEEN’S FOUNDATION and send, with your registration form, to: Carol Troupe,The Queen’s Foundation, Somerset Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham. B15 2QH
Registration
In order for us to have accurate numbers for catering and to cut down on potential food wastage, please be considerate and return your registration forms by 5pm Monday 20 th July 2009. Registrants after this date are not guaranteed any meals.
ACCOMMODATION
There is limited accommodation available, so you may need to make your own arrangements. Any accommodation will be assigned on a first come, first serve basis. If you need accommodation, please contact our Domestic Bursar, Rona Earl as soon as possible. Email address is:v.earl@queens.ac.uk . Tel: 0121 452 2618 (please also cc Carol Troupe at c.troupe@queens.ac.uk). Please note the cut off date for booking accommodation is 3pm, Friday 17 th July 2009. Any cheques for accommodation should, again, be payable to THE QUEEN’S FOUNDATION and sent to Rona Earl at the above postal address
Contact for Conference enquiries is: Carol Troupe - Email: c.troupe@queens.ac.uk
Tel: 0121 452 2665 If Carol is not available, contact Anthony Reddie: Email: a.g.reddie@queens.ac.uk Tel: 0121 452 2660
REGISTRATION FORM – Black Theology Conference July 2009
Name ………………………………………………………………………………….
Address ……………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………….............
Email Contact ……………………………………………………………………….
Telephone No… …………………………………………………………………….
Please indicate the days you are attending (delete as appropriate)
Friday: yes / no (please indicate if only partial attendance on any day)
Saturday: yes / no
Please indicate meals required
Friday evening meal yes / no
Saturday breakfast (only for those staying at Queen’s) yes / no
Saturday lunch yes / no
Saturday evening meal yes / no
Do you have any dietary requirements?
………………………………………. ………………………………………………………………………
Cheques payable to: The Queen’s Foundation
Return forms (with payment) by 20 th July 2009 to: Carol Troupe (Black Theology Conference) The Queen’s Foundation, Somerset Road, Birmingham, B15 2QH