Heart and Head, by Dwight N. Hopkins

Black theology has matured and assumed greater clarity and analytical depth since its origins in the 1960s. Dwight N. Hopkins, associate professor of theology at the University of Chicago Divinity School, has contributed enormously to this development. With this book, Hopkins establishes himself as a leading intellectual and spiritual force among the second generation of African-American theologians.

Hopkins begins by reflecting on the values of his parents, who taught him the importance of both faith and education. "A faith of service to the less fortunate in the community and a spirituality of justice for the most vulnerable people went hand in hand with a disciplined and determined approach to education."

Hopkins provides rich insights into the origins of black theology, giving special attention to the pioneering scholarship and the social involvements of his mentor, James H. Cone. Much of the ground he covers on this subject is familiar, but the appeal of the discussion rests on Hopkins's suggestion that black theology has a usable past, a rich legacy of intellectual vitality and faith activity, that must  inform its present practice and its future direction.