The Apocalyptic Theology of W.E.B. Du Bois
Black Culture at the End of the World
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 20209283 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Amaryah Shaye Armstrong (0000-0002-1097-9799, Religion and Culture, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2022 |
| Volume | 20 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 25-40 |
| Publication date | 2022-01-02 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Black Theology (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1476-9948 • E-ISSN: 1743-1670 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/14769948.2022.2038911 |
| OpenAlex | W4214740037 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
| References cited | 9 |
This paper argues that W.E.B. Du Bois’ short stories are a rich source of apocalyptic theology. Reading them apocalyptically, I argue, illuminates how Du Bois employed Christian theological material in order to negate its White supremacist order. Reading Du Bois apocalyptically shows the significance of black cultural production in apocalyptic terms and illuminates the exilic character of black people in modern history, which has led to a unique imbrication of the theological and cultural in black writing. Through a close reading of 3 short stories by Du Bois, I show how his sense of apocalyptic draws the prophetic, messianic, and eschatological together in anticipation of a world ungoverned by White supremacy and free from anti-black violence. Finally, I argue that Du Bois sees the black apocalyptic event as both a failure and a glimpse of possibility in the fleeting moments of recognition and touch that occur in the stories
Art · Biblical studies · Black theology · Dead Sea Scrolls · Hebrew Bible · Literature · Racism · Rapture · Theology · White supremacy · American Political and Social Dynamics · Philosophy · Race, History, and American Society · Theological Perspectives and Practices
| Unique citing works | 2 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0.67 |
| Citation span | 2023 - 2025 (3) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 2 |