Liberation Theology

[Guest Wischer]

What exactly is liberation theology? What does the Church teach about it?

[Laudate_Dominum]

Liberation Theology is basically a secularizing of the Gospel which was developed in the 60's and 70's by Latin American scholars. The most famous text being "A Theology of Liberation" by Gustavo Gutierrez.

The movement in Latin America which this Theology brought about sought to radically change Catholicism, primarily by putting the focus of the Gospel, and thus the Church's mission on social justice issues and material prosperity rather than the salvation of souls.

Liberation Theology rejected the idea of liberation from sin and getting to heaven in enchange for getting people better social conditions. This is disputed among Liberation Theologians, but in the early writings this desired change was very explicit.

The Church does not accept the radical forms of Liberation Theology. The Pope travelled to Latin America and spoke against it, and Cardinal Ratzinger, as prefect for the CDF, issues two documents in the 1980's which refute Liberation Theology.

God bless

[BLAZEr]

The two key components of Liberation Theology are the "preferntial option for the poor" and its narrow and particular understanding of "liberation" in Christian theology. Although noble in its intent (to help change the "structures of sin" that exacerbate poverty), it failed on several levels to maintain a theological position rather than a secular political/power/economic paradigm that aligned itself more closely with communism and anti-Christian socialism.

The fundamental work on Liberation Theology is Gustavo Gutierrez' 1973 book "A Theology of Liberation." While rather mild compared to some of his conferes (Leonardo Boff, Juan Sobrino, etc.) it's particular definition of liberation set the stage for an understanding of liberation in Christian theology being equated with the idea of an earthly exaltation where the "poor inherit the earth" by any means necessary, from the rich.

Ultimately Liberation Theology became a utopian communism pursued with violence and politics rather than a Christian understanding of the option for the poor and the true liberation of Man won by Christ which was from personal sin. The unfortunate effect of Liberation Theology is that proclamation of the Gospel and the message of salvation was shelved while men and women of good will pursued social justice programs that were often co-opted by works at the expense of faith.

Today, Liberation Theology is pretty much relegated to Catholic University Academia where the "option for the poor" theologians travel around the United States giving lectures and attending swanky wine and coagulated milk parties, complaining about the "conservative heirarchy and Opus Dei" while the poor in their own countries continue to suffer.

Liberation Theology is a farce, and no longer offers any hope for the future of the Church in Latin America. Thankfully some insightful bishops and theologians gathered in Los Andes, Chile to produce what has become the definitive response to Liberation Theology in the "Declaracion de los Andes" which espouses a "theology of reconciliation" as the antidote to "Liberation Theology."

This the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith's Assesment of Liberation Theology: [url="http://www.ewtn.com/library/CURIA/CDFLIBR2.HTM"]Instruction on Christian Freedom and Liberation[/url]

This article by Edward Lynch, which appeared in Homiletic and Pastoral Review is a good assesment of how Liberation Theology has fallen out of influence in theology. He illustrates very well the problems with Liberation Theology: [url="http://www.ewtn.com/library/ISSUES/LIBERATE.TXT"]The Retreat of Liberation Theology[/url]

[Laudate_Dominum]

Yay!!! That rocked the house BLAZEr!