1.3 Jesus the Liberator Flashcards
Jesus wanted to set the ppl free from
social convention, religoius restriction, political domination
Liberation theologians might also use a
hermeneutic of suspicion to ask why certain aspects of Jesus’ ministry have been overlooked or deliberately ignored by traditional theology - Church closely associated with those who had political power?
Jesus was someone who challenged the….
religious authorities, institutions and rules with a radically different spiritial message that sough to break down the divisions between god and the ppl
Jesus seen as a reliious revolutionary = He had an argument with the Pharisees and scribes
over religious laws, arrested by the Sanhedrin and was handed over to Pontius Pilate for execution
Jesus could be seen as a reformer seeking political and social revolution
LIbereating the ppl of israel from Roman occuption (time of poverty, open military rebellions)
Jesus was a revolution saw the pilate saw him as a threat
One of the groups leading the open conflict with Zealots
Entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday
He argues the entrance was orchestrated by Jesus and his followers to fulfil Zechariah’s prophecy where it says ‘your king comes to u, rightous and victrous, lowly and riding on a doney’ (Zechariah). - –====
Anslan’s argues that Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on a donkey flanked by crowds cheering ‘Hosanna’ highlight his role as a political liberator
== Anslan argues jesus role was a poltical liberator as he fulfilled Zechariah’s prophecy of being a ‘king’.
Why is Anslans arguemnt that jesus was a political lierator flawed?
Anslans arguemtnt is centred on the story of jesus entranceinto jerusalem on a donkey, where he supposedly fulfilled the prophecy of Zerchariah. However, Jesus role was not a political liberator as he often rejects violent revolutions. This is shown he stops his disclipes from defedning huim using violence in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Jesus proffesion as a carpenter sugesst he wasnt poor. His disciples earned quiet good money. - fishermen,
Liberation theology
The preferential option for the poor is a term first used by Father Pedro Arrupe which refers to the way the Bible and Jesus showed a preference for poor people. Jesus also seemed to say the poor and less fortunate were blessed, especially in the Beatitudes of the Sermon on the Mount.
The golden thread
Reuther’s idea that there is a theme of liberation, including supporting feminist causes, in the Bible. This is a thread of validity, which we can disentangle from the patriarchal influences. However, the Bible also contains sexist patriarchal themes. These two themes – liberation and sexism – are inconsistent with each other. They cannot both be God’s authentic revelation. If we can find a way to separate the golden thread of authentic teachings which support feminism from the patriarchal threads, then Christianity might be redeemable.
Reuther describes this golden thread as the ‘prophetic-liberating tradition’. It includes:
- God’s defence the oppressed such freeing the Jews in Exodus.
- Jesus’ treatment of marginalised people (including the poor and women).
- Jesus’ criticism of the established religious views that serve to justify and sanctify the dominant, unjust social order.
- Jesus’ moral teachings like the golden rule.
This golden thread is the theme of liberation, which is God’s authentic revelation, the rest is influenced by patriarchal men. Identifying the golden thread gives us a
standard by which to compare and judge other parts of the bible and ‘reject’ those that do not fit the liberation theme. The only way for the bible to be feminist is if it rejects the use of God to justify social domination or subjugation. Patriarchy is the idolizing of the male as representing the divine so it must be denounced as idolatry and blasphemy.
The woman at the well. There were racial, historical and religious tensions between the Jews and the Samaritans, yet Jesus began a conversation with a female Samaritan at a well by asking her for a drink,
he responded by asking how he could ask her such a thing. The disciples are also shocked when they see Jesus doing this. Christian feminists interpret this story as showing Jesus’ willingness to challenge the discriminatory culture of the time.
Just because Jesus thought Samaritan women should not be seen as unclean however does not necessarily
go any further than that and therefore doesn’t justify Christian liberal feminism.
The adulterous woman (John 8)
'’whoever is without sin cast the first stone”. After the Pharisees leave, Jesus tells the woman he does not condemn her, but that she should depart and sin no more. Control of the sexual behaviour of females through violence, imprisoning her within marriage and reproduction is often thought the most significantly destructive aspect of patriarchy by feminists, and it seems Jesus was in favour of the kind of progress that feminists want.
This story at most shows that Jesus was against capital punishment for adultery. He still tells the woman not to sin again and therefore Jesus is still in favour of what anti-Christian feminists regard as a patriarchally constructed conception of ‘sin’.
JESUS could be seen as social liberator, often associate himself with ppl who were considereed
outcasts such as prostitutes, tax collectors and smaaritans. = considered unclean and when touched they thought they will be contaminte ppl.
