Suffering In William R. Jones's Book Is God A White Racist

WOH1012_004 William R. Jones, author of the book Is God A White Racist?, was born in Louisville, Kentucky. Jones is currently a professor of religion and director of black studies at Florida State University. Licensed as a Baptist Preacher, he brings forward strong religious backgrounds that allow him to intimately analyze the question of his book. Jones poses two major themes in his book Is God A White Racist?; Whether or not God is for the oppressed or the oppressor, and viewing secular humanism or humanism as a theology that will suffice for black’s religious needs today. Jones analyzes many
Jones recognizes divine punishment as the consequence for man’s sin. Jones uses the example of Adam and Eve being banished from Eden, as divine punishment. Consequently, Jones fail to state that the reason Adam and Eve were banished is because their disobedience to God and how this example is relative to blacks. Jones goes on to analyze the suffering servant theme to demonstrate the relation of divine favor and suffering. Jones analysis is that suffering is not a punishment, instead suffering is a glorious and essential aspect of man’s salvation. This theme here affirms suffering is inherent in the life of the Christian. This is the view of most black theologians, because it gives them a reason to the centuries of ethnic suffering and the lack of liberation. However, in the whole analysis Jones fails to cite passages in the bible where this concept is supported. Another face of suffering analyzed by Jones is the neither favor nor disfavor aspect. In his analysis Jones goes on to state that suffering is simply a part of being human. To be human is to suffer, regardless of one’s divine status. This is actually important for the fact that