The struggle for Black hope?: Black nihilism, Black theology, and the politics of the absurd

In this essay, we examine a contemporary religious movement, The Gathering: A Womanist Church that is centered around a theology of justice in action with an emphasis on a broad-minded belief system. These religious movements are intentionally less focused on doctrinal statements and correct beliefs for assimilation. Instead, this new movement is within the tradition of religion in action: the act of fighting for justice is the doctrine. We contextualize the dialectics of Black nihilism and Black theology through an appeal to the absurd in the face of hope.We argue that Black theology provides avenues to hope through a dialectic with Black nihilism. Black theology is one answer to Black nihilism. In turn, Black nihilism is a response to a failed Black theology of the past. Contemporary Black religious movements are a response and have made an epistemological and ontological turn to real notions of hope, meaning, and love.