L.T Flashcards
marxism rejects religion, point 1
Marxism rejects religion, viewing as a source of alienation and oppression completely opposed to Christianity
boff brothers response, 1
Leonardo and Clovodis Boff, in ‘Introducing Liberation Theology’ explain that Marx is merely a useful tool for doing theology, “a companion along the way”, whilst retaining there is only one teacher – Jesus
• As part of the proposed ‘Three Mediations’ which would create a “new spirit” and radical approach to LT, the Boff brothers explain the socio-analytical mediation – Marxism (as a social science) should be used to analyse causes of oppression, to help Christians and the Church develop a solution to tackling it. For praxis to be effective, one needs to first analyse the causes of injustice – theology lacks this analytical means, and is why liberation theologians use Marxism (AS A TOOL ONLY)
ratziunger criticism of boff
Liberation is at the heart of Christianity, but it is liberation from “radical slavery of sin” not economic conditions
• Ratzinger – only God can remove human suffering – the preferential option for the poor does nothing for the individual, as it will not affect your soul – need to focus on individual sin to enter heaven/the Kingdom of God
conclusive miranda hermeneutic,1
- Hermeneutic mediation – interpreting the bible in light of liberation theology, looking for Biblical accounts to support it by using Marxism, one is able to read the Bible in a much more beneficial way, new meaning able to be discovered. Miranda argues the Bible can actually be seen as more radical than Marx! Second of the Ten Commandments is against Idolatry, suggesting God’s word/ creation must not be treated as objects!
- ECCLESIAL BASE COMMUNITIES: Began to interpret the bible eisegetically, looking at people’s own experiences to guide their interpretation of the Gospels the focus on Jesus’ message of liberation led ordinary people to become more involved with their beliefs, replacing the alienation thought to arise within the hierarchical church.
marxism better than christianity, orthodoxy over orthopraxis, 2
- BY USING MARX’S IDEOLOGIES TO STUDY CAUSES OF SIN, ONE CAN THEN ACT TO TACKLE THEM As the cause is structural, structures must be changed through reversal (of hierarchy) to eliminate collective sin!
- “Philosophers have only interpreted the world in various ways; the point is to change it” (Marx) – Marxism is a reminder that it is the people who must change things, and that theology cannot be purely theoretical and personal
- LT accuses the Christian Church for putting too much emphasis on orthodoxy (right belief and ritual) when they should instead be focused on orthopraxis (right action), especially in countries where a large number of people are impoverished
- ‘Bottom-up’ theology – begins with material conditions of the poor rather than focus on Church teaching
oscar romero defence of LT, 2
- Oscar Romero – critical of LT, liberation must first be spiritual, and then practical; too much emphasis on Marxism undermines the distinctiveness of Christianity and Jesus as a saviour
- All one needs is faith in God and belief in Jesus as Son of God, “I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14)
CHEAP GRACE ENFORCES ALIENATION CRITICISM OF ROMERO, 2
- But Romero’s approach is simply faith without the act, which is meaningless and has no impact in this world -
- Liberations saw the fault of the Catholic Church in Latin America as focusing on doctrine, rituals and hierarchy as opposed action – Sheep and the Goats; judged on actions not beliefs! Jesus criticism of the Pharisees!
- PEOPLES CHURCH: Meeting of Latin American Catholic bishops at Puebla 1979 – integral liberation, essential duty of the Church to deal with external economic conditions which have created social structures of sin and injustice, not just personal sin. People’s Church (iglesia popular) controversial because it recognised the ordinary Church was merely an expansion of the state, a source of their alienation and oppression! Puebla shared Marxist suspicion that institutions give power to the few over the many – challenged the Church’s authority, argued it should be a community founded on love and solidarity
luther +barth, LT is reductionist, 2 conclusive
- LT is reductionist – by interpreting sin only in terms of social structures it equates salvation with praxis, not God’s grace
- Engaging in secular ideologies to learn about how to go about God’s will seems to reduce God’s divinity to a human level – “reason is a whore” (Martin Luther), many Christians have seen the dangers of human ideologies and reason (Nazism, Barth), they should be treated with suspicion and not used at the forefront of theology!
- Establishing the Kingdom of God comes only through God’s grace, not human struggle
preferential option for the poor,3
- Dictates that Christians have a responsibility to first care for those who are marginalised or powerless in society before those who are privileged – vital part of Christianity’s goal of justice and living the moral life
- Luke’s gospel and reversal – focus on social revolution, the idea that the Kingdom of God is among us; theology starts with earth and people, not with doctrine and God, Jesus brings “good news” to the poor and commands authorities to “let the oppressed go free” Kingdom of God is not an abstract utopia (ultimate false-consciousness) but must be worked towards in the present
pope francis defence against POTP, 3
- Pope Francis in ‘Evangelii Gaudium’ seems to reaffirm the importance of the preferential option for the poor, arguing that those who are poor will be in greater need of spiritual care as they will be more likely to be preoccupied with day-to-day survival
- Although caring for the weak and marginalised is imperative, one cannot go against the teachings against violence, “those who live by the sword, die by the sword”
- Reversal in liberation theology ignores the wider implications of revolution in Marx – while Marx believed workers could realise their oppression, he believed the bourgeoisie would never willingly give up their power, and violence would be necessary. The weaker principle of reversal in liberation theology, which does not espouse violence due to principles such as agape, fails to explain how praxis could occur without violence
TOO CONSERVATIVE CONCLUSIVE, 3
- Jesus often used violence against oppressive authorities, Christianity has used violence throughout history – if the love brought about is greater than the implications of violence used, it remains Christian
- Camilo Torres – words without action are empty, faith requires revolution Alistair Kee ‘Marx and the Failure of Liberation Theology’ – “resistance of Marx is the cause of its failure”
