Liberation Theology And Marx Flashcards
What were Marx’s teachings?
The teachings of Karl Marx are best understood through his underpinning principles of praxis:
-Society is constantly changing through history: going through conflict, stability and then conflict again
-Change comes about through analysing a situation
-Then working out the reasons behind it
-Then changing it
What is the definition of praxis?
Understanding a situation and then bringing about change in it; a critical reflective process that moves from theory to action
What is the definition of alienation?
The estrangement of people from what they are meant to be; degrading a person into a thing or object or making a person give up their proper place in society
What is exploitation?
After an initial period of harmony, society broke down and people are now in competition with one another; they are means to ends- objectified. So, humans became dehumanised and were unable to live fulfilling lives- exploitation
What key factors did Marx establish in exploitation?
-Religion and belief in God has brainwashed people into thinking that God is the cause behind change in the world, rather than physical processes- this is an illusion that causes false hopes in people (for example an afterlife)
-Religion tells people that some people are born to rule over other people and that everything will be equalised in the afterlife. This objectifies some people and alienates them
-Capitalism, which is driven by profit, makes some people objectify others (such as workers being ‘owned’ by the ruling classes); society would be better off under communism, where everyone shares equally
-The production line makes everyone depersonalised and therefore alienated; workers simply ‘make’, not create, are paid and then have to spend their earnings in places owned by the ruling classes
What does Marx teach about these factors in his concept of alienation and exploitation?
-The fewer ruling classes (bourgeoisie) control the many workers (proletariat) who are alienated, exploited and objectified. Religion is an additional tool to ensure that they are kept in their place, with the promise of a better future in the afterlife
-In Marx’s analysis of history, he saw times when the workers had tried to resist this way of life, but had been met by violence and, in his view, the society of his time demonstrated this very specifically
What did Marx say about religion?
-Marx said that religion is one of the more powerful tools to oppress the workers: ‘Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opiate of the people’
-Opium as a drug was used to dull pain and get away from the troubles of this world. The alienated and exploited people were ‘given’ religion in the same way
What is needed with alienation and exploitation?
Praxis is therefore required. Marx believed that, having reflected on the causes of alienation, an uprising would need to take place to install communism as the right way for society to exist and to reject the capitalist machine
When and where was liberation theology established?
-The uprising that Marx said was required seemed, in the 1970s, to be taking place in Latin America, where many poor people were under the control of oppressive governments; workers were alienated; capitalism and industrialisation were prioritised
-Industrialisation filtered into key institutions, including schools and the state, as well as the church
-Gustavo Gutierrez is a central figure in the foundation of liberation theology. He believes his theology has been influenced by Marxism, though most liberation theologians are quick to point out that there is only 1 true teacher, Jesus, and that Marxism is an ‘instrument’ that helps the methodology of liberation theology
What is believed in liberation theology?
-Liberation theology believes that the Christian must not stand back; the class struggle is too great. Society has inequality at its heart- structural inequality- and this leads to structural sin- the social sin that is deeper than any individual sin
-Capitalism has not worked and liberation theology believes that praxis is required to change these structures
-Socialism is the best of current alternatives, though still not ideal
-Structural sin is the ultimate form of alienation because every member of society is alienated
-It is also something Christian’s are familiar with because of the idea of original sin- humans are corrupted and need to break away from it as much as possible
What idea does liberation theology embrace?
-Liberation theology embraces the idea, found in Luke’s Gospel in particular, of reversal. One of Luke’s themes is social justice and the social revolution that Christianity promised
-The kingdom of God is not in the distant heaven, but among us. To read Christianity the way many commentators think Luke wanted means:
-Theology starts with the earth and people, not with doctrine or God
-The poor (proletariat) become drivers for action (praxis)
What is the definition of the hermeneutic of suspicion?
The process of interpreting the Bible (hermeneutics) by asking questions that have not been asked before to challenge traditional or official interpretations; in the context of liberation theology, it’s focus is on economic motivations
How is the hermeneutic of suspicion used in liberation theology?
The hermeneutic of suspicion is considered useful in liberation theology. As a way of interpreting the Bible, it places a Marxist reading on texts and applies them to the needs of an alienated society
In 1979, what points were made about structural sin by Latin American bishops?
-The church needs to challenge social sin as much as individual sins
-The church must not mirror the oppressive bourgeoisie and should let the people have a say in its decisions
-The church needs to re find itself as a community, not as an institution
What is the idea of the preferential option for the poor?
-Preferential option for the poor reflects the core message of the parable of the sheep and the goats, that humans will be judged based on their recognition of Jesus in the needy
-The phrase implies that the Gospel demands that Christians must give priority to the poor (when they can: it is aimed at the rich and influential) and act in solidarity with them (in the same way that Jesus did)
In what 5 ways can the preferential option for the poor be justified?
-God is a living God who seeks justice for his people
-Jesus worked for the poor
-We will be judged based on our response to the poor
-The first apostles looked after the poor
-Christian’s should work for the common good and try to transform society
What is orthopraxis?
Right actions
What is orthodoxy?
Right belief; the official beliefs of the church
What do liberation theologians say about orthopraxis and orthodoxy?
-Christian’s should not stand by when presented with injustice or human suffering as all people are made in God’s image and likeness. Inspired by Marx, liberation theologians prioritise action, called orthopraxis, over belief (orthodoxy)
-Liberation theology places orthopraxis before orthodoxy. In terms of the preferential option for the poor, this places feeding the hungry before making them believe in key aspects of the faith or before being obedient to the rules of the church
-Therefore, the preferential option for the poor stars with the reality ‘on the ground’ and works from there
What is said about the kingdom of God with the poor?
-The kingdom of God must be brought about on earth for those who are alienated and live in poverty. For some, this has been interpreted as requiring violent struggle:
-Camilo Torres Restrepo, a catholic priest, joined the Columbian national liberation army and was killed in action, standing up for the oppressed
What did Gutierrez say about liberation?
Gutierrez did not promote violence, but did not reject it outright. He said that liberation takes place over 2 stages, both of which are essential:
1. Fixing the human made problems of poverty and oppression through human methods- liberating them from structural sin
2. Liberating people from personal sin and promoting reconciliation
What is said about spiritual liberation?
-Some liberation theologians suggest that spiritual liberation should come first, such as Juan Segundo, who argued that Christian’s can definitely free people from personal sin, but may or may not be an,et to change social structures
What has been the Catholic Church response to liberation theology?
-The Catholic Church has taken time officially to welcome liberation theology. Pope John Paul II endorsed the phrase ‘preferential option for the poor’ but also emphasised spiritual poverty alongside material poverty.
-Pope Benedict XVI was suspicious of the marxist influences and (before he became pope) argued that the Catholic Church would work for the poor but not using Marxism as a tool
-Pope Francis, who comes from Latin America, has endorsed much of liberation theology, although distanced himself from the Marxist aspects of it
-He himself lived a simple lifestyle and has criticised capitalism. In 2015, he named Oscar Romero, the archbishop of San Salvador who was killed as a liberation theologian, a martyr of the church
Why shouldn’t Christian theology engage with atheist secular ideologies?
-Some Christian’s would argue that Christian theology should keep away from atheist ideologies. In the example of liberation theology and Marxism, there is some suspicion about a worldview that begins with a rejection of God and religion as one of the key tools of oppression
-Here there is a direct contradiction between a fundamental aspect of church teaching and a key element of Marxism. The church should be prepared to remain distinctive and not try to assimilate with such beliefs because it would suggest that truth can be found outside the revelation of Jesus Christ and the Bible
