Theology in the Mode of Monk: An Aesthetics of Barth and Cone on Revelation and Freedom, Volume 3

Book excerpt: This captivating study engages two of the most influential theologians of the twentieth century: Karl Barth, the Swiss Protestant theologian, who constructed his theology “from above” and engaged the powers in the background of Nazi Germany, and James H. Cone, the father of Black Theology in America, who constructed his theology “from below” and confronted white racism—the most intractable issue in America’s history. In this three-volume project, Carr employs the aesthetic thinking of the jazz legend Thelonious Monk to reconceptualize, restructure, and advance the theologies of Barth and Cone. In this final volume, Carr appeals to Thelonious Monk’s tune “Misterioso” as the analogical framework for exploring the freedom of God as the melodic foundation for black liberation. Monk’s mode of musical thinking encourages the jazz artist in us all to play in the mystery of God’s freedom as the true ground for living freely within the world of the principalities and powers.