Marx and Liberation theology Flashcards
KEY TERM - Liberation theology
a theological movement about action for the poor
KEY TERM - Liberation theology values
Values:
-primarily a practical movement
-action is more important than academic theology
-orthopraxy over orthodoxy
KEY TERM - Debate
Whether physical and economic liberation are more important than spiritual liberation.
Need to be physically liberated to be spiritually liberated
KEY TERM - Preferential option of the poor
Orthopraxy takes precedence over orthodoxy – correct practice is the fundamental point of Christianity not the correct belief
‘The Preferential treatment of the poor’ – the idea that Jesus stood with the poor and oppressed and Church should focus on the poor and oppressed, in solidarity with them
FOR- Preferential option of the poor
Segundo: Christians should not remain neutral when there is obvious human misery and injustice. The crushing effects of poverty do not allow for the kind of peace, justice and love that are central to the Christian message.
Pope France 1: He rejected extravagance in the Vatican and challenged Catholics to live more simply in solidarity with the poor.
Exodus 9: ‘let my people go’ - God demanded his people were liberated from slavery
Mark 10 ‘it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!’
AGAINST - Preferential option of the poor
Ratzinger: Liberation is at the heart of Christianity, but it is liberation from ‘radical slavery of sin’ not economic conditions. Only God can remove human suffering. Need to focus on individual sin to enter the Kingdom of God.
Wellbeing of others is still important just not in a salvific sense
The focus on political and social progress means that Christianity becomes no different from any other system which encourages social justice. The part which is unique salvation in Jesus through atoning sacrifice is lost.
John 14 - ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’ - All one needs is faith in God and belief in Jesus as Son of God.
KEY TERM - Marx’s teachings on alienation and exploitation
Workers are alienated from the product and then exploited by the bourgeoisie (owners) because they own the shops the works spend their wages in. This causes humans to become dehumanised and unable to live fulfilling lives. Marx believed that the workers needed to overthrow the bourgeoisie if they want change in a capitalist society
Religion is the ‘opium of the masses’ – religion sedates feelings so the workers don’t ask questions as told that they are working for the reward in Heaven and told that if they were to revolt against their position in society then you were revolting against God. Religion keeps a capitalist society
LE – DON’T DISAGREE WITH MARX CRIQTIQUE OF INSTUTIONALISM RELIGION – THAT CHURCH HIERACHIES NEED TO BE REVOLTED AGAISNT
FOR - Marx’s teachings on alienation and exploitation
Liberation theology draws on this teachings to take action in society:
Structural sin: Sin is not just a person action but something that can be brought about by unjust structures
Institutional religion are another cog in the machine of capitalism as stops people from thinking and causes people to spiritually accept their state of affairs. These intuitions need to be fought against (LE)
Charity not sufficient to address the causes of poverty, economic poverty needs to be addressed before spiritual poverty since economic poverty is an impediment to spiritual liberation.
Christianity plus capitalism are insufficient and so true Christianity should advocate for something other than mere capitalism.
helps to protect workers rights eg. Thomas Hagerty was a catholic priest who was inspired to champion workers rights after his reading of marx
AGAINST - Marx’s teachings on alienation and exploitation
Ratzinger: Marxism is intrinsically unchristian and so Christianity should not use it as a lens to view society
Pope Paul John 2nd: People who rely too heavily on material goods are in spiritual poverty
Kloppenburg: Fusing theology and political action diminishes spiritual message of xtnty.
Lib theology focuses on injustice and sin in the structure of society, but Jesus spoke about the sin and forgiveness of individual people, not about society in general.
Too much focus on the ability of people to achieve liberation when in fact it comes from God.
Jesus - My kingdom is not of this world’, suggest the kingdom of God is unrelated to politics of kingdoms in this world.
KEY TERM - BRAZIL BECs
Brazil BECs are a type of Church within the Church that meet and combine Bible study with action e.g. help build houses, and create a drainage system. These communities rely on Marx’s ideas as current orthodoxy practises of Churches meant that they were being ignored
- The focus on Jesus’ message of liberation led ordinary people to become more involved with their beliefs, replacing alienation thought to arise within the hierarchal church.
FOR - BRAZIL BECs
Gutierrez - Agreed with Marx’s orthodoxy as he believed the Church heavily emphasised orthodoxy which was wrong. First step praxis which was experiencing poverty and oppression, siding with the poor and helping base communities
Jesus said ‘For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.’ (Matthew 18:20) which means that priests and special buildings are unnecessary.
AGAINST - BRAZIL BECs
They downplay the significance of the sacraments (which the Catholic Church has traditionally taught are an essential way of receiving God’s grace and thus are necessary for salvation).
They sideline the role of priests (which Roman Catholics have traditionally believed to be essential as mediators between God and man).
They focus on secular concerns when the Church’s role should be concerned with soul rather than body.
They are too closely aligned with Marxism (an atheist system).
