Toward a Counternarrative Theology of Race and Whiteness

This book argues that “race” and “whiteness” are central to the construction of the modern world. Constructive Theology needs to take them seriously as primary theological problems. In doing so, Constructive Theology must fundamentally change its approach, and draw from the emerging field of Philosophy of Race. Christopher M. Baker develops a genealogy of race that understands “whiteness” as a kind secular soteriology, and develops a counternarrative theological method informed by resources from Philosophy of Race. He then deploys that method to read science fiction cinema and superhero stories as cultural, racial, and theological documents that can be critically engaged and redeployed as counternarratives to dominant racial narratives.

“Our time shows the ways white supremacy continues to hold fast to its growing weapons of destruction, including in the theological realm. Unless the theological work does the work of breaking whiteness as a project of death, we will continue to see theology as a neutral project at worst, and a mild process of transformation at best. In this book, Christopher M. Baker invites us to go deeper than that, tackling the almost innate relation of whiteness and race and breaking it down.  He does that in two major ways: Baker tackles white supremacy as constructive theology in itself, and through science fiction movies and superhero stories challenges popular ways whiteness is conceived but must be challenged by race theory. A truly fine theological work!”  (Cláudio Carvalhaes, Associate Professor of Worship, Union Theological Seminary, USA)

“This interdisciplinary study of theology, race, cinema, and superheroes is a timely intervention that richly interprets the cultural formations of race while advancing social justice efforts. Baker exemplifies compelling, critical scholarship that is ethically aligned.” (Sylvester A. Johnson, founding Director of the Virginia Tech Center for the Humanities)

"Having been a member of the Workgroup on Constructive Theology for nearly 16 years and a part of the leadership for eight, I can say without doubt that the mapping of the racial genealogy of Constructive Theology as a project offered in this book is groundbreaking in its accuracy. The book gives language for the greatest challenge of our time, breaking the bondage of Christian theology and practice to white supremacy. By tracing the discrete pathways by which this bondage transmits itself surreptitiously through enactments of continental philosophy, it offers a significant opportunity." (Stephen G. Ray Jr., Chicago Theological Seminary President, 2018 - 2021)

Christopher M. Baker holds a PhD in Theology from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, USA and teaches Philosophy and Religious Studies at College of DuPage, USA