UNIT 6.1- Liberation Theology And Marx Flashcards
Define liberation theology
+scriptural quote
+supporting quote
What are the 5 key concepts of liberation theology
A movement within Christianity that began back in 1960s Latin America, that asserts that the true goal of Christianity should be to tackle the injustices in the world- in particular poverty.
- “He has brought down mighty kings from their thrones and lifted up the lowly”
- “The Church’s mission at all times is to protest against injustice, to challenge what is inhuman” -Gustavo Gutierrez
Gustavo was a principle founder of liberation theology and argued that Jesus’ message was one of compassion and action, he argues that Christian’s across the modern world had become blind to injustice, too concerned with spirituality to see Christianity as a call to action - the kingdom of God, preferential option for the poor, orthopraxis over orthodoxy, Jesus as a political revolutionary, social sin (as rooted in capitalism and hierarchical institutions)
Orthopraxy over orthodoxy
(Define and explain)
“To be Christian means to take a clear position regarding that present state of social injustice”
- Gutierrez
Gustavo was a principle founder of liberation theology and argued that Jesus’ message was one of compassion and action, he argues that Christian’s across the modern world had become blind to injustice, too concerned with spirituality to see Christianity as a call to action
Too often he argued, the church was implicitly responsible for propping up unjust systems and that orthopraxy (right action) must be prioritised above orthodoxy (right belief) if Christianity is going to be a force for positive change in the world
Preferential option for the poor
The term “preferential option for the poor” refers to Jesus/ God demonstrating a preference for marginalised individuals, which then leads to Christian
As all people are ‘made in the image of God’ and Christians must fight for those who are oppressed and dehumanised by inequality in the world, to re-establish their dignity.
They the ones who have been exploited, suffered and ignored, they must be made equal
Gutierrez argued that too many Christian’s ‘watch poverty from the side-lines’ and may help by perhaps donating some money, but looking on and expecting someone else to actually fix the problem.
The “preferential option for the poor” is the idea that Christians must become involved and act for others, opting for them as if they were family
• Archbishop Oscar Romero, another leading figure in the Liberation Theology movement, explained this using the analogy of a burning building
“We should get inside as if our own mother and sister were burning. Indeed it’s Christ who is there, hungry and suffering”
Kingdom of God
• Most Christians interpret “the Kingdom of God” to mean heaven.
• Liberation Theology challenges this interpretation, and instead understands “the
Kingdom of God” to be this world, made anew.
Christians are called to create the “Kingdom of God” here on earth, not wait for it after death.
This can be achieved by destroying the roots of exploitation and oppression, and working for peace and justice.
• In this way, salvation (which again, most Christians understand to mean something which is achieved after death) is brought about by political and social revolution.
• Bible passages about salvation and the “Kingdom of God” are not merely metaphors for a life after death, but a call to action: we must bring about God’s kingdom here and now.
Jesus as a political revolutionary
Jesus affiliating with women, tax collectors, sinners, show him standing in solidarity with those who society has deemed inferior and, importantly, acting and getting in amongst them to view life from their perspective and act to make life better.
Many Christians see Jesus as a political revolutionary, someone who was willing to deconstruct social norms, in order to uplift those who are marginalised and oppressed. It is this view of Jesus that informs Liberation Theology as a political and social revolution.
Scriptural basis of Jesus as a political revolutionary
Jesus heals on the Sabbath, “Jesus heals a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath, prompting the Pharisees to watch him closely”
even though this was against the religious customs of the time, shows him opting for the poor and oppressed over the cultural or political norms and expectations of his day.
Similar to the bleeding woman “woman with an issue of blood” - challenged their idea/ preconceptions of someone being Niddah (spiritually unclean)
+ the parable of the sheep and the goats
people will be judged based on their actions towards the “least of these,” and those who helped the needy will be rewarded while those who didn’t will be condemned
Liberation theology on the structure of society
+ social sin
Liberation theology sees society as partially to blame for the inequality and suffering in the world, because it profits from those that are repressed
Furthermore it blames all those that are willing to aid with money, food, supplies and donations but do not address the root cause of issues or attempt to remove the causes of poverty altogether
Some argue that a misinterpretation as to what was truly intended by ‘the kingdom of god’ was done so on purpose, due to the benefit from poverty. Many churches are and especially in the past have been rich as an institution, and they had the means to keep people poor and lessen responsibility on them by creating promises of heaven for the future
Is it right for Christianity to prioritise one group of people over another
(Arguments for)
Yes- Jesus as an example of preferential option for the poor
- The miracles he performs, in particular the bleeding woman and healing on the Sabbath, demonstrate his political stance and his identification with those marginalised
- Biblical examples of Gods own actions (Noah’s ark and parting of the Red Sea), even if they were only verbally inspired, the messages that they relay is Gods consideration and care for outcasted members of society.
“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God”- Bible
Is it right for Christianity to prioritise one group of people over another?
(Arguments against)
- Jesus message of salvation is for all
- by focusing solely on poverty you can neglect a predominant number of people with distinct struggles/ facing marginalisation (poverty is not the only inequality in the world)
- prioritising one group goes against Jesus message that god loves and wished to support all his children as we are all made imago dei
- Christianity has a distinct message of equality
- everyone should be treated equally “love thy neighbour as yourself”- by creating a group that is priorisied you are legitimately forcing there to be a group that is neglected
- “God judges everyone by the same standard” - God treats and loves everyone equally
Is orthopraxy more important that orthodoxy
(Arguments for)
More closely follows the example of Jesus who showed his message through action
- “I have not come to bring peace to the world, but a sword”
+condemns the Pharisees against harmful stereotypes “you strain out a fly, but swallow a camel”
Action is the way in which faith becomes real/ brings bout actual change in the world
“Faith; if it is alone and includes no actions. It is dead”
The bible clearly demonstrates that salvation is achieved through action, not faith
“When you did it for one of the least of these brother of mine, you did it for me” - parable of the sheep and goats
- (feeding, clothing and helping the impoverished and less fortunate)
Is orthopraxy more important that orthodoxy
(Arguments against)
There can be no action without belief first
“I may give away everything i have.. but if i have no love, this does me no good”
Orthodoxy, must come first because belief has to be right, as well as values to ensure the decisions are well thought out in order for a good action to follow
It’s no use acting if you don’t know or believe your action is right in your heart
- Linked to the concepts of inner purity and having true intentions
The Bible states that it is faith that will lead to salvation
“ you have been saved through faith not a result of your own efforts”
Marxism definition
+quote
- 4 basic ideas behind it
Marxism is the name for a set of political and economic ideas strongly against the ideas of capitalism- proposing a different type of social structure that would solve all resounding issues
“Capital is dead labor, which, vampire-like, lives only by sucking living labor”- Marx
- there are multiple classes, 2 main ones being proletariat (working class) and the bourgeoise (upper class)
- The working class will always be exploited and will become alienated depressed and dissatisfied
- When the workers realise this they will revolt (capitalism leads to violent revolution)
- Communism is the solution to all of this
Exploitation and alienation
Exploitation is treating someone unfairly in order to benefit from their work or their resources
(Slave labour, child labour and sweatshops) + the need for fair trade is a direct example of capitalist failure
- Marx’s argued that the owners that viewing up a car will always want to profit as much as possible workers unfairly (capitalism will always need to exploitation)
Alienation is the process by which a person becomes depressed and isolated from others, themselves and from society
(‘Cog in the machine’= only valued for their labour and their benefit to the system, not as an individual, devaluing them and stripping them of their humanity)
- Marx argued that the people in the supply chain don’t get seen or appreciated, they are not treated as valuable as individuals. Furthermore workers themselves feel detached as they don’t get to witness the product or their labour
How does Marxism aim to solves alienation and exploitation
- All property and wealth is community owned instead of by , education, factories and agricultural land is all owned and controlled by the government as well as communication and transportation, there are no existing classes.
This ensures that everyone is treated equally no matter their job, by doing this exploitation is prevented as there is no longer any benefit financially or at all as no more will be produced for less
Consequently, employees may have issues regarding their own value or worth as they are assured equality no matter their role
-Marks believed it was necessary to have a class society to ensure that there is not a ruling class that can exploit the working class economic gain, nor will there be power in the hands of a few in comparison to the many
Marxism is a good solution for tackling the problems in the world today
(Arguments for)
Marxism, in theory, create a society of true equality
- My abortion all classes and the capitalist system that perpetuate an inequality every citizen has equal opportunities
It shift societies emphasis away from money and profit and towards people and well-being
- By creating a system that does not profit from any kind of capitalism, communism, and the cycle of exploitation as people are less alienated and would not be mistreated due to a lack of benefit
Gives more power to all people rather than having a small number of people holding all the power - my advocating for a classless system without status, removes a concentrated elite
(Distributes power to the proletariat who would’ve otherwise not had a voice)
Marxism is a good solution for tackling the problems in the world today
(Arguments against)
It is too idealistic, humans will always want to protect their own interests over those of others
- By removing the incentive of personal gain or individualism in regard to their work people will continue to reduce how much effort goes into their work as operating in favour of the greater good of society is not enough as they can do the minimum for the same reward
focuses too much on classified and ignores other causes of inequality
- ethnicity, gender, and religious discrimination
- as well as historical factors such as colonialism, technological advancementz, corrupt governments political inequality and legislation (particularly in terms of welfare programs and tax policies)
Can repress individual freedom, thought and ambition leading to different social problems
- Individualism is viewed negatively to emphasise the importance of collective factors
Religion is viewed as “ the opium of the people”- according to marks it is a tool utilised by the ruling class to maintain social control
Similar ideas in liberation theology, and Marxism
Marxism capitalism as a cause of exploitation of mistreatment of workers, Liberation theology also sees a capitalist structure of society as to blame for the “ structural sin” that occurs in the world and that it is capitalism the ultimately leads to greed and therefore exploitation.
Liberation theology uses marks’s theory of alienation to analyse how capitalism leads to exploitation and the dehumanisation of individuals . It also argues that by prioritising profit over human needs, you create a system where the poor systematically oppressed
Liberation theology develop on Marx’s ideas of capitalism leading to revolution to argue that Christians must align themselves politically to end injustice and that the nature of capitalism leads to a system that necessitates revolution for true liberation
Marked them asked that capitalist societies lead to structural inequality where a society uphold and supports inequality and suffering , liberation theology says that you reject the class struggle is to legitimise the system and work as part of it and that it also leads to structural inequality.
Structural inequality
Structural or social sin
Mark use the term structural inequality to describe the way in which our societies are structured to support and uphold inequality and argues that the structure where money and power is concentrated in the hands of a wealthy few is the cause of inequality and suffering.
Liberation theology uses the idea that sin is not just a personal action that is something caused by the unjust social structures and organisations that we are living under . It develops on Mark’s ideas to argue at the same structural inequality leads to sin
Which is better at tackling social issues- Marxism or liberation theology
(Marxism)
Marxism, in theory, create a society of true equality
-the abolition of classes and limitations on private ownership. This removes issues of potential exploitation and makes everyone equal in terms of opportunity social standing, etc
Marx’s recognises that religion as one of the causes of social issues and seeks to eradicate religious institutions
- Argue, argued that religion was another means of oppressing and controlling society, and a root cause of fuelling issues with societal structure
(money paid to churches to limit time in purgatory and suppression of women and sexuality)
It shift societies emphasis away from money and profit towards people and well-being
Gives more power to the people rather than having a small number of people holding all the power
Which is better at tackling social issues- Marxism or liberation theology
(Liberation theology)
Liberation theology sees that there are other causes to social issues not just our class based society- recognises the need for liberation from all oppression- political, economic, social, sexual, racial and religious
Christianity hope and comfort to those struggling in poverty, where is Marxism does not
Liberation theology takes the best bits of Marxism and mix them with the best bits of Christianity to come up with a full solution
Liberation theology tackles not only the social issues in the world but also the lack of action/engagement within Christianity thus eliminating two social problems in one
Is it right for liberation theology to be so inspired by Marxism?
(Arguments against)
the Catholic Church is critical of liberation theories links to Marxism because it contains intolerant aspects including the denial of individuals and emphasis on class and communal action (indirect contrast to imago dei and the sanctity of life
+ it is inherently unchristian
There is a danger that violet revolution will take precedent over evangelism - what Jesus chose to say finally before he died “ go and make disciples of the nations” + perversion of the Christian message to the Eucharist to become a celebration of power struggle
By putting the power in peoples hand, it removes God’s power as only he can remove the suffering experience by human beings - if society is the way that it is it is because God wants it that way- which is why liberation theology hasn’t achieve much in southern America
Kloppenburg argued that Christian liberation should be primarily understood of spiritual liberation from sin “ Jesus spoke of individual freedom”
Is it right for liberation theology to be so inspired by Marxism?
(arguments for)
Christian theology has a record of adapting in response to new thinking
- For example, scientific developments that have bought about a reevaluation of Genesis
God can be encountered in all things, including human thought making this collaboration possible
José Miranda argued that a decline in communism has led to a decrease in relevance , marxism was rejected by the west during the Cold War demonstrating that we can separate communism from Marxist ideas
Leonardo Boff argues that Liberation theology fails to fully appreciate the significance of marks fundamental belief in the need for revolution “ liberation theology uses mark and purely as an instrument”
