Liberation Theology and Marx Flashcards
What does Marxism offer?
Marxism offers a comprehensive analysis of the world and clearly articulates how the workers can liberate themselves from oppression by developing a socialist society.
What does Christianity offer?
An analysis in spirituality and an account focusing on the ways in which humans sin and turn away from God.
How does the Christianity and Marxism analysis differ?
The Marxism analysis is economic, in Christianity the analysis is spiritual.
Why should Christianity not adopt Marxist elements?
If Christian thoughts adopts elements of Marxism, then it is abandoning the Christian world view and adopting an alternative world view, therefore it should avoid atheist secular ideologies.
What does Christianity have a stating record of engaging with?
Christianity has a strong record of engaging with and adapting in response to new insights, and will not be corrupted if it borrows Marxist thinking.
What does Leonardo Boff claim?
Liberation for Christians must draw inspiration from the Gospel, and that Marxism can never be allowed to become a central principle of Christian thinking. Christians must, he suggests, be vigilant in their criticism of Marxism and must reject Marxisms closed, monolithic socialist system which denies God and the dignity of the human person.
What is a Christian base community?
A community that brings together the poor and oppressed and feeds them, provides pastoral care, teaches them the basics of faith and so on. In Latin America, these base communities play a real part in establishing the solidarity required for making a significant change in the lives of the poor.
What does liberation theology focus on?
Focuses in the real needs of the community and emphasising good action before deep theology. Much of this approach comes from the influence of Marxism, but liberation theologians are divided about how influential Marxism should be within Christianity
What is stated in Oscar Romero’s speech in 1980?
‘We believe that from the transcendence of the Gospel, we can access what the life of the poor consists of and we also believe that placing ourselves on the side of the poor and attempting to give them life we will know what the eternal truth of the Gospel consists of’.
What is praxis?
Understanding a situation and then bringing about change in it; a critical reflective process that moves from theory to action.
What is 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 are the teachings of Karl Marx best understood through?
The underpinning principle of praxis, society is constantly changing through history , going through conflict, stability and then conflict. Change therefore is derived through analysing conflict, working out reasons, then changing.
What are Marx’s key factors in the concept of exploitation and alienation?
- Religion and belief in God has brainwashed people into thinking that God is the cause behind change in the world, rather than physical processes.
- Capitalism, which is driven by profit, makes some people objectify others.
- The production line makes everyone depersonalised and therefore alienated.
How does religion oppress people, according to Marx?
‘Religion is the sign of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opiate of the people’ Hegel.
What was happening in 1970 Latin America?
Many poor people under the control of oppressive governments, workers were alienated, capitalism and industrialism were prioritised.
What is stated by Gustavo Gutierrez, A Theology of Liberation?
‘The denunciation of injustice implies the rejection of the use of Christianity to legitimise the established order,.
What is Gustavo Gutierrez’s theology?
He believes his theology has been influenced by Marxism, though most liberation theologians are quick to point out that there is only one true teacher, Jesus, and that Marxism is an ‘instrument’ that helps the methodology of liberation theology.
What is the main belief in liberation theology?
The Christian must not stand back, the class struggle is too great. Society has structural inequality at its heart, leading to structural sin. Capitalism has not worked and liberation theology believes that praxis is required to change these structures.
What is structural sin?
The ultimate form of alienation because every member of society is alienated.
What idea is embraced by liberation theology?
Liberation theology embraces the idea, found in Luke’s Gospel, of reversal. One of Luke’s themes is social injustice and the social revolution that Christianity promised. The Kingdom of God is not in the distant heaven, but among us. Therefor, theology starts with the earth and people, not with doctrine or God.
What is reversal?
The idea that justice in the Kingdom of God is about reversing the opportunities of those on earth.
What is hermeneutic of suspicion?
The process of interpreting the Bible by asking questions that have not been asked before to challenge traditional of official interpretations. In the context of liberation theology, it’s focus is on economic motivations.
Why is hermeneutic of suspicion useful in liberation theology?
A way of interpreting the Bible, it places a Marxist reading on texts and applies them to the needs of an alienated society.
What is preferential option for the poor?
The idea that the needs of the poor must be prioritised at all times.
What core message does preferential option for the poor reflect?
It 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 needing. The phrase implies that the Gospel demands that Christians must give priority to the poor and act in solidarity with them.
What is orthopraxis?
Right actions.
What is orthodoxy?
Right belief, the official beliefs of the Church.
Why do liberation theologians prioritise orthopraxis over orthodoxy?
Christians should not stand by when presented with injustice or human suffering as all people are made in Gods image and likeness. In terms of preferential option for the poor, liberation theologians prioritise feeding the hungry before making them believe in key aspects of faith, starting with the reality ‘on the ground’ working for there.
Who was Camilo Torres Restrepo?
A Catholic Priest who joined the Columbia’s National Liberation Army and was killed in action, standing up for the oppressed.
What is stated by Camilo Torres Restrepo?
‘If Jesus were alive today, he would be a guerrillero’.
What does Juan Segundo argue?
Spiritual liberation should come first, Christians can definitely free people from personal sin, but may not be able to change social structures.
What phrase did Pope John Paul II endorse?
Preferential option for the poor, but also emphasised spiritual poverty as well as material poverty.
Why do some Christians reject Marxism?
liberation 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.
What was Pope Benedict XVI argue?
He was suspicious of the Marxist influences and argued that the Catholic Church would work for the poor but not using Marxism as a tool or ‘instrument’.
What do Christian who take a natural theology approach argue?
Reason can be partially accurate outside the church . In this case, it is right for Christianity to engage with other ideologies, even if only to use them as a tool to help reflection.
What is stated by Archbishop Helder Camara in Z?
‘When i give food to the poor, they call me a saint, when i ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist’.
