liberation theology

Question 1

what is it

Answer 1

• focuses on action first
• theology of doing
• christian’s shud reflect critically on experience in life
• focus on poverty n sees faith as chance to respond to poverty n other egs of exploitation n alienation
• link to karl marx (19th cent) analysis of capitalism

Question 2

where’d it begin

Answer 2

• 1964- yoing catholic theologians met in brazil n vowed to find true christian message in face of poverty of latin USA
  -so it’s an intellectual n practical movement about ACTION
• shouldn’t only be acedemic but start w ppl
• 2 leading members: Jon sobrino n Gustavo gutierrez

Question 3

quotes by st paul

Answer 3

• “faith w/out works is dead”
• “by grace you’re saved through faith, not by works, so no one can boast”

Question 4

it’s a theology of hope

Answer 4

• even though ppl r suffering now they will be rewarded n live in paradise eternally w god in his kingdom
• like rich man n lazaruth

Question 5

what does it promote

Answer 5

• key= kingdom of god
• world made anew- not j where u go when u die
• *The coming of the Kingdom of God is something that must be hoped and worked for in this world.
• Some liberation theologians disagree whether earthly liberation or spiritual liberation comes first.

Question 6

orthopraxy

Answer 6

right action first

Question 7

orthodoxy

Answer 7

right belief second

Question 8

For Gutierrez liberation happens in two ways:

Answer 8

1.- there must be social and economic liberation poverty and oppression are caused by humans and can be alleviated by them a people must take responsibility and acti
2 - people must be liberated from sin, reconciled with God and all of God’s brothers and sisters in Christ.

Question 9

it’s a theology of hope:
bible examples

Answer 9

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.” Matthew (a kind of road map to liberation)
* “Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eve of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.” Matthew (Jesus’s denouncement of wealth)
* Parable of the Sheep and Goats “whatever you did for the least important person, you did for me!
* The requirement to treat all those in need, as if they are
God.

Question 10

where does marxism come in

Answer 10

• Paradoxically the more humans have the power to control the world, the more they feel they are not in control.
• Marx’s writings (most famously The Communist Manifesto’ and ‘Das Kapital) often reflect these feelings

Question 11

Marx believed;

Answer 11

• human activity behind exp of powerlessness/alienation
• social structures= shape by human action. by appropriation of means of production by the powerful
• humans don’t have fixed nature but have to work to survive
• he said humans=social beings ‘society doesnt consist of indivuals, it expresses relationships in which indivuals find themselves’

Question 12

how does capitalism happen

Answer 12

• when human society reached point that it create a surplus
• (e.g produce more resources than what was needed for your direct community)
• it began to fracture
• Class divisions= those w/control over the means of producing this surplus n those who dont
• This is evident through ownership of land:
• The feudal lords = own land so have means to produce food
• The serfs = work the land but dont own it, so r reliant on the lords for access to the land n must give surplus back to them.
• = means the serfs are allenated from the land n subservient to the lords

Question 13

marxs views on capitalism

Answer 13

• Capitalism changed the relationship between people n production resulting in a social division = the wealthy owners vs workers
  According to Marx:
• Workers cannot work independently of capitalism
• work= part of capitalist machine Work is a living death, labour becomes forced because of the need to work for money and thus food.
• Look at factory system (e.g Apple production line) where stages of production = separated, ppl only relate to the part of the process they work on
• Theyre dehumanised n unable to live fulfilling lives bc they r being exploited by the factory owners as a means to an end.

Question 14

problems w capitalism

Answer 14

• he predicated emergence of a class struggle between groups in society n eventually in order to create a fairer society, those who were oppressed would begin to violently resist the structures that alienate them.
• Capitalism means everyone seizes the produce of others, alienating them from their own labour (do you think of who made your Apple product?)
• But r happiness comes at a price = the exploitation of others
  (e g cheap labour) bc were part of supply chain we are dehumanised as well.

Question 15

emergence of liberation theology n links to marxism

Answer 15

• Latin usa was an under developed part of the world where many people lived in poverty
• It was at a cross roads: stick w capitalism or choose socialism?
• This ideological battle impacted general elections, caused violence n revolution, socialist govs were overthrown w help of USA n communists led rebel movements
• The violent uprising that Marx had predicted seemed to be happening in Latin Americ

Question 16

gutierrez
born 1928

Answer 16

• For Gutierrez being Christian requires a person to be political
• he mentions Marx’s theories of alienation n exploitation, requiring orthopraxis before orthodoxy. The Church must be a voice for these people
• Thus working to change ppl’s lives for better shud come before concems about the official doctrines n teachings of the church.
• The Marxist analysis of structural inequality (which we embrace) informs Liberation theology’s concept of structural sin (accepting the injustice suffered by the poor n oppressed masses)

Answer 17

Gutierrez continued.
Gutierrez however cautions against endorsing every aspect of Marxism (at the end of the day
Marx did not support religion In society) but believed that the people of Latin America had a deep rooted desire for liberation from the burdens of capitalism.
Thus:
“Liberation theology freely borrows from Marxism certain ‘methodical pointers’ that have proved fruitful in understanding the role of the oppressed.”
(Boff and Boff Introducing Liberation Theology)
Liberation theology concluded that capitalism failed to satisfy the basic needs of the poor and although socialism may not be a perfect solution, the socialist is better than the capitalist ideal.
The appeal to Marxist ideas can be summed up as:
“According to liberation theology, capitalism has clearly been incapable of satisfying basic needs in Latin America, despite the fact that government and business leaders are professed Christians.*
(Fitzgerald The Economics of Liberation Theology)

Question 18

liberation theologys teaching on ‘proferential option for the poor’

Answer 18

• term used in 1968 by Father Pedro Arrupe (Superior General of the Jesuits) n was picked up by the Catholic bishops of Latin America it refers to:
  1. trend in Bible that shows a preference for individuals who= on the margins of society and who are powerless
  1. The way in which Jesus associated himself more closely with the poor and dispossessed.
• central theme of Liberation theology.
• Juan Segundo argues that Christians shudnt maintain an attitude of trality in the face of tragic n pressing problems of human misery and injustice
• he differed from Gutierrez, G held that social n economic liberation must precede liberation from sin, S =lib from sin shud come 1st bc it might not be possible to change the world’s social n political structures

Question 19

LT teaching on ‘preferred option for poor’

Answer 19

• urges ppl to action to defend n liberate them

Question 20

1991 pope jp ||

Answer 20

• used term in his encyclical centesimus annus saying “i defined as a ‘special form of primacy in the exercise of christian charity’”
• he went on to argue that the prefential option for poor constitutes a great oppurtunity for moral, cultural, n even economic growth of humanity
• he made it clear the preferential option for poor incl spirtual poverty n doesnt focus exclusively on material or economic poverty
• pope francis after election 2013 developed JPs thinking even further, rejecting the trappings of papal luxury n challenging the catholic church to be a poor church for the poor

Question 21

marx about oppression

Answer 21

• religion used as oppression n to embrace being poor as it teaches they will be rewarded in heaven

Question 22

spirtual poverty

Answer 22

• something that can be caused by an over emphasis on material goods n consumerism writing ‘drugs as well as porn n other forms of consumerism which exploit the fraility of the weak, tend to fill their resulting spirtual void’

Question 23

catholic church response to liberation theology

Answer 23

• Church became concerned with Liberation theology’s use of Marxist theories.
• Cardinal Ratzinger articulated the Catholic disquiet.
• He argued that the Church will continue to struggle for the poor but using its own means n own ways.
• Christianity cannot adopt a Marxist analysis w/out changing from a Christian world view to a Marxist world view bc Marxism=inherently unchristian.
• “Let us recall the fact that atheism n denial of human person, his liberty n rights, r at the core of the Marxist theory.” (‘Theology of Liberation)

Question 24

more criticisms towards LT
Kloppenburg

Answer 24

• him in ‘Temptations for the Theology of Liberation’ argues that by equating theology w political action, one side-lines the spiritual messages of Christianity.
• It emphasises structural sin over personal sin, despite the fact that Jesus spoke of individual forgiveness and reconcillation w God,
• It places too much emphasis on people being able to deliver liberation and salvation, whereas salvation is a gift from God

Question 25

criticism richard mcbrien

Answer 25

• In an article written for liberationtheology.org Richard McBrien adds that liberation (heology seems to focus almost exclusively on some biblical themes ea poverty in Exodus, at the expense of others.
• It defines oppression in economic terms, ignoring other Kinds of oppression that derive from cutiural forces e.g sexism and racism.
• although LT was formally viewed w suspicision by CC, the election of the first ever latin american pope (pope francis) indicates a change of heart

Question 26

essay question

Does Christianity tackle social issues more effectively than
Marxism?

Answer 26

• Marx believed theres a struggle at the centre of life, which can be seen as true vias eg such as child abuse, poverty, human trafficking. poor physical n mental well being.
• Christianity can be seen to focus more on the individual’s struggle than the economic whole, providing more practical help for people struggling with unhappiness or oppression.
  Marx does not provide comfort for those who die in the struggle to achieve a classless societv
• Whereas Christianity offers insights into the human experience and provides spiritual strength, hope and solace by teaching that God loves you, helping people through suffering.
Marx did recognise that religion was the ‘opiate of the masses’ thus supporting the masses in difficult times.
• However, for Man‹ this comfort from Christlanity (ultimately the belief that they will achteve happiness in heaven) limits people’s desires for revolutionary change.
  Do you think that Christianity just limits people from acting upon their oppression or do you think the support Christianity provides Is effective?