Liberation Theology

Question 1

What was happening in Latin America during the 1960s and 1970s?

Answer 1

•There was a massive gap between the rich and the poor
- Violence and war were also very common

Question 2

What did Communists believe?

Answer 2

•They believed the only way to solve the problems of the poor was through revolution
- They did this through forming guerrilla organisations
* In response to the guerrilla organisations, countries developed military dictatorships to destroy any opposition

Question 3

Who was Oscar Romero?

Answer 3

•He was a priest that believed it was his duty to stand up for the poor no matter the cost
- He was inspired to do this after his friend Rutilio Grande was murdered
* However, this resulted in Romero being branded as a communist which caused him to be killed

Question 4

What was liberation theologians main focus?

Answer 4

• Action in solidarity with the poor

Question 5

Who argued that “liberation theology uses Marxism purely as an instrument”?

Answer 5

• Boff and Boff

Question 6

What does Marx believe about capitalism?

Answer 6

•He believes it is responsible for the problems in society

Question 7

What is communism?

Answer 7

• A system where all property is owned by the community and each person contributes and receives according to their ability and needs

Question 8

What is capitalism?

Answer 8

• A system where trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit

Question 9

What did Marx believe about industrialisation?

Answer 9

•He believed it caused greater wealth but also greater inequalities, unhappiness and alienation

Question 10

What did Max believe was our “species essence”?

Answer 10

• He believed that work was our species essence
- This means work is important to humans and is what makes us human
* This is supported in the Bible when God told Adam & Eve to fill the earth and rule over it

Question 11

What are the 4 different types of alienation in labour that Marx established?

Answer 11

1. Alienation from product of labour (what we produce does not belong to us)
2. Alienation from the process of labour (workers play a small, repetitive role in a larger process)
3. Alienation from others (workers are in competition with each other for jobs and wages)
4. Alienation from self (being alienated from our labour causes us to lose our sense of identity)

Question 12

What does Marx believe alienation is the result of?

Answer 12

•He believes it is the result of the exploitation of workers caused by capitalism
- This is because the capitalist systems dehumanises people and prevents them from leading well, fulfilled lives

Question 13

What 2 different social classes does Marx establish?

Answer 13

1. The bourgeoisie = the ruling class who own the means of production
2. The proletariat = the working class who work for the bourgeoisie
   - Marx believes that the bourgeoisie exploit the proletariat through workers being treated unfairly (low wage) which allows them to benefit from the proletariat’s work (maximise profits)

Question 14

What does Marx believe will eventually happen?

Answer 14

•He believe that the proletariat will start a revolution that would overthrow capitalism
- Capitalism would be replaced by Communist which means people would no longer be exploited or alienated

Question 15

What are Boff and Boff’s 3 mediations of liberation theology?

Answer 15

1. Socio-analytical = trying to figure out why the oppressed are oppressed
2. Hermeneutical = trying to work out God’s plan for the poor
3. Practical = trying to work out how to overcome oppression in accordance with God’s plan

Question 16

What does liberation theology use Marxism to highlight?

Answer 16

•It uses Marxism highlight the idea that it is structures in society that cause social sin

Question 17

What is social sin?

Answer 17

•It is things in society that go against God’s will
- For example: poverty, oppression and violence

Question 18

In what 3 ways does liberation theology use Marxism?

Answer 18

1. Marxism helps liberation theology to explain social sin through alienation
2. Liberation theology uses Marx’s views on the exploitation of the proletariat by the bourgeoisie to help explain that the structure of society is responsible
   for social sin
3. Marxism helps liberation theology explain how social structures and institutions support and maintain capitalism
   (churches, schools and state are a cause of poverty and injustice)

Question 19

Who defines sin as “the breaking of friendship with God and with other human beings”?

Answer 19

•Gutierrez
- This is also supported by the process of alienation that Marx described

Question 20

What did Latin American Bishops argue about poverty?

Answer 20

•They argued that poverty “is not a passing phase. It is the product of economies, social and political situations and structures where the rich get richer at the expense of the poor, who get even poorer”

Question 21

What does Marx argue about institutions?

Answer 21

•He argues that they encourage people to accept capitalism which reproduces, maintains and legitimise class inequality by making it seem normal (false class consciousness)

Question 22

Which liberation theologian argued “sin is evident in oppressive structures”?

Answer 22

•Gutierrez
- However, he believes social sin being the result of structures and institutions does not mean we have no responsibility
- This is because “behind an unjust structure there is a personal or collective will responsible”

Question 23

Why do humans still have a responsibility for social sin according to Gutierrez?

Answer 23

•Because humans are sinful, which means humans are responsible for social sin as it is not just an inevitable, historical process as Marx suggests

Question 24

How does the Gospel support the “preferential option for the poor”?

Answer 24

•It demands that Christians must give priority to the poor and act in solidarity with them
- This support liberation theology

Question 25

What were Boff and Boff’s
5 motivations for making the “preferential option for the poor”?

Answer 25

1. Theological = christians should imitate God in helping the poor
2. Christological = Jesus sided with the poor and so should we
3. Eschatological = we will be judged on whether or not we help the poor
4. Apostolic = after Jesus’s death the first apostles raised money to help the poor
5. Ecclesiological = all members of the church should seek the transformation of society

Question 26

How does the Bible support the theological motivation?

Answer 26

•God heard the cry of his people and helped them
- This means God is a living God who is involved in the world

Question 27

What parable supports the eschatological motivation?

Answer 27

•The parable of the Sheep and the Goats

Question 28

What is orthopraxis and orthodoxy?

Answer 28

• Orthopraxis = the right action
• Orthodoxy = the right teaching of the church
• Liberation theology believes orthopraxis comes first as it is rooted in action as much as belief

Question 29

What is Boff and Boff’s
pre-theological stage?

Answer 29

•It is when Church workers and theologians start to understand the situation of the poor by living and working with them
- They argue that only when this happens can liberation theology start to develop

Question 30

3 examples of actions carried out due to liberation theology:

Answer 30

1. Oscar Romero speaking out against government and armies
2. Christian setting up base communities
3. Monks and nuns leaving the convents to live with the poor

Question 31

Why does Bonaventure Kloppenburg believe liberation theology is to Marxist?
(3 reasons)

Answer 31

1. Because it focuses on orthopraxis and political action which reduces the importance of the spiritual messages of Christianity
2. Because it emphasises structural sin over personal sin which is not the message Jesus brought (he cared about individual people and their sins)
3. Because it places too much emphasis on the role of people bringing about freedom when it is God who will ultimately save us

Question 32

Why does the Catholic Church believe liberation theology is too Marxist?
(3 reasons)

Answer 32

1. They will care for the poor and oppressed in their own uniquely Christian way
2. They believe base communities in liberation theology are simplified and taught by people who are not experts
3. They believe Marxism is atheist, which encourages hate for those in a different class, and will also lead to the rise of dictatorships

Question 33

2 reason why liberation theology is not Marxist enough:

Answer 33

1. Liberation theologians emphasise the need to use Marxism as a tool and an instrument (this dilutes the message of Marxism that religion is one of the causes of oppression)
2. Marx argued that a revolution was necessary for change and liberation but liberation theology does not support violence which means it does not take seriously Marx’s solutions for the problems he identified

Question 34

Who argues that for liberation theology, its “resistance to Marxism is the cause of its failure”?

Answer 34

•Kee
- He agrees with Marx that religion causes false class consciousness and that liberation theology also supports false class consciousness
- This is shown by liberation theologians not allowing the poor to read Marx themselves as they do not want them to be influenced by his atheism

Question 35

Who argued that Marx’s criticism of religion was a criticism of all ideologies?

Answer 35

•Kee

Question 36

Who suggested liberation theology is too selective in the biblical themes it focuses on?

Answer 36

•McBrien
- He argues that liberation theology focuses too heavily on the themes of poverty

Question 37

2 criticisms of liberation theology:

Answer 37

1. The Bible supports existing social structures
2. There is no reason for Christian theology to focus solely on the “preferential option for the poor”
   (this is because everyone needs salvation and support from the Church)

Question 38

How does the Bible support existing social structures?

Answer 38

• Jesus told people to “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s”
- The Bible also says that slaves should obey the earthly masters in everything

Question 39

3 strengths of liberation theology:

Answer 39

1. There is a clear emphasis on both liberation and helping the poor throughout the Bible
2. Their focus on orthopraxis can make a real difference
3. By combining Marxism and Christianity it has meant that both spiritual and material poverty of the oppressed can be dealt with through liberation theology

Question 40

How does the Bible support liberation and helping the poor?

Answer 40

• Through the parable of the Sheep and the Goats
• Jesus also spent time living with the poor and helping the oppressed

Question 41

What do Boff and Boff argue about the criticisms of liberation theology that focus on the theology behind it without making any real commitment to helping the poor?

Answer 41

•They argue that the criticisms are “radically irrelevant”
- This is because they question “what part have you played in the effective and integral liberation of the oppressed?”