Liberation Theology

Liberation??

The Simple explanation

Liberation theology is not very complicated! It is the simple belief that in the struggles of poor and oppressed people against their powerful and rich oppressors, God sides with the oppressed against the oppressors.

Those who adhere to Liberation Theology point out that all through the Bible we find that God always champions the cause of those who are poor and beaten down as they struggle for dignity, freedom and economic justice. When the children of Israel cry out for help as they suffer the agonies of their enslavement under Pharaoh, God hears their cry and joins them in their fight for freedom. God sides with the Jews as they seek deliverance from Egyptian domination.

Later on, when the Israelites are settled in the Holy Land, there emerge rich and powerful Jews who live lives of affluence without regard for the sufferings of the poor. In response to their indifference, God raises up prophets to decry the plight of the poor and call the rich to repent. The prophets of ancient Israel challenged, in the name of God, what was happening to those who were victimized in an unjustly stratified society.

When we come to the New Testament, we find that Jesus also comes as a liberator. Mary, the mother of Jesus, responds to the annunciation that she will give birth to the Messiah by claiming that it will one day be said of her soon-to-be-born son:
…He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich He hath sent away empty.—Luke 1:51-53
Jesus himself, in his initial sermon, declares that He has come to bring “good news for the poor” and to “preach deliverance to the captives” (Luke 4:18-19).

The social implications of this biblical theme of liberation have been taken up by a variety of oppressed groups over the past fifty years. Christian feminists have claimed that Jesus came to liberate women from oppression—especially as oppression of women manifests itself in certain Islamic countries, as well as in the male domination encouraged by some forms of Christianity.
Gays who are Christians also have made Jesus their liberator as they have fought for dignity and acceptance in what they believe to be a homophobic society.

There will be those who will claim that Liberation Theology is nothing more than a baptized version of a Marxist revolutionary ideology. There is good reason for this because some prominent Latin American theologians have integrated Marxism with a theology of liberation and offered it up as justification for the violent overthrow of what they considered to be evil dictatorships. But it must be noted that most forms of Liberation Theology have nothing to do with Marxism and violent revolutions.

The more complex explanation

Liberation Theology posits fighting poverty by suppressing its source: sin. In so doing, it explores the relationship between Christian theology — especially Roman Catholic theology — and political activism, especially about social justice, poverty, and human rights. Sin is endemic to the poor ie: unjust social and economic situations perpetuate the cycle of sin, by leaving no no viable alternative available in which to change ones situation. Lack of education is also a contributing factor.

The Theology’s principal methodological innovation is seeing theology from the perspective of the poor and the oppressed (socially, politically, etc.); per Jon Sobrino, S.J., the poor are a privileged channel of God’s grace. According to Phillip Berryman, liberation theology is “an interpretation of Christian faith through the poor’s suffering, their struggle and hope, and a critique of society and the Catholic faith and Christianity through the eyes of the poor”.

Liberation theologians base their social action upon the Bible scriptures describing the mission of Jesus Christ, as but bringing a sword (social unrest), e.g. Isaiah 61:1

, Matthew 10:34

, Luke 22:35-38
Luke 22:35-38
English: World English Bible – WEB
35 He said to them, “When I sent you out without purse, and wallet, and shoes, did you lack anything?” They said, “Nothing.” 36 Then he said to them, “But now, whoever has a purse, let him take it, and likewise a wallet. Whoever has none, let him sell his cloak, and buy a sword. 37 For I tell you that this which is written must still be fulfilled in me: ‘He was counted with the lawless.’ For that which concerns me has an end.” 38 They said, “Lord, behold, here are two swords.” He said to them, “That is enough.”
WP-Bible plugin Matthew 26:51-52

— and not as bringing peace (social order). This
Biblical interpretation is a call to action against poverty, and the sin engendering it, and as a call to arms, to effect Jesus Christ’s mission of justice in this world. In practice, the Theology includes the Marxist concept of perpetual class struggle, thus emphasizing the person’s individual self-actualization as part of God’s divine purpose for mankind.

Besides teaching at (some) Roman Catholic universities and seminaries, liberation theologians often may be found working in Protestant schools, often working directly with the poor. In this context, sacred text interpretation is Christian theological praxis.

What was most radical about liberation theology was not the writing of highly educated priests and scholars, but the social organization, or re-organization, of church practice through the model of Christian base communities. Liberation theology, despite the doctrinal codification by Gutiérrez, Boff, and others, strove to be a bottom-up movement in practice[7], with Biblical interpretation and liturgical practice designed by lay practitioners themselves, rather than by the orthodox Church hierarchy.

Among others, journalist and writer Penny Lernoux described this aspect of liberation theology in her numerous and committed writings and helped create in North America a more widespread understanding of the movement.

Furthermore, with its emphasis on the “preferential option for the poor,” the practice (or, more technically, “praxis” to use a term from Gramsci and Paulo Freire) was as important as the belief, if not more so; the movement was said to emphasize “orthopraxis” over “orthodoxy.” Base communities were small gatherings, usually outside of churches, in which the Bible could be discussed, and mass could be said. They were especially active in rural parts of Latin America where parish priests were not always available, as they placed a high value on lay participation. As of May 2007, it was estimated that 80,000 base communities were operating in Brazil alone.[4]

An example of Liberation Theology applied to Catholic Schools might be the following: A “preferential option for the poor” should be maintained in our Catholic Schools. If we find that we cannot afford to keep our schools open to the poor, the schools should be closed and the resources used for something else which can be kept open to the poor. We cannot allow our Church to become a church primarily for the middle-class and rich while throwing a bone to the poor. The priority should be given to the poor even if we have to let the middle-class and rich fend for themselves. Practically speaking, the Catholic Schools must close and the resources used for “Confraternity of Christian Doctrine” and other programs which can be kept open to the poor. Remember, the Church managed without Catholic Schools for centuries. We can get along without them today. The essential factor is to cultivate enough Faith to act in the Gospel Tradition, namely, THE POOR GET PRIORITY. The rich and middle-class are welcome too. But the poor come first.

Liberation theology is often thought to only apply to third world situations, unfortunately as the gulf between the rich and poor widens liberation praxis is becoming a first world priority.

Praxis

Christian praxis is something that goes beyond practices, actions, or behaviors. Praxis is described as a combination of reflection and action that realizes the historicity of human persons. In this sense our actions are realized in light of the way they affect our history. History has to be seen as a whole, combining in an incarnational way, our salvation history and our “human” history.

Most liberation theologians see Christian theological praxis mainly as lived and expressed in the life of community. “Any discourse of faith starts from, and takes its bearings from, the Christian life of Community”[2]. This is where a community is said to become an expression of the presence of the Kingdom of God, so long as we are being true to our calling to Christian praxis. This has been the vision shared by the basic ecclesial communities[3], which follow a pattern of Christian praxis based on what Gustavo Gutierrez said: “To be followers of Jesus requires that [we] walk with and be committed to the poor; when [we] do, [we] experience an encounter with the Lord who is simultaneously revealed and hidden in the faces of the poor”[4].

  1. ^ Jon Sobrino, “Communion, Conflict and Ecclesial Solidarity,” Mysterium Liberationis (1993): 616.
  2. ^ Gustavo Gutierrez, We drink from our own wells (Maryknoll/ Melbourne: Orbis Books/ Dove Communications, 1984), 37-8.
  3. ^ Marcelo Azevedo, “Basic Ecclesial Communities, “Mysterium Liberationis (1993): 650.
  4. ^ Gustavo Gutierrez, We drink from our own wells (Maryknoll/ Melbourne: Orbis Books/ Dove Communications, 1984), 37-8.

Orthopraxy is a term derived from Greek meaning “correct action/activity”, and is a religion that places emphasis on conduct, both ethical and liturgical, as opposed to faith or grace etc.[1][2][3] This contrasts with orthodoxy, emphasizing a correct belief, and ritualism, the use of rituals.[4]

While orthodoxies make use of codified beliefs, in the form of canonized scripture, and ritualism more narrowly centers on the strict adherence to prescribed rites or rituals, orthopraxic religions are focused on issues of family, cultural integrity, the transmission of tradition, sacrificial offerings, concerns of purity, ethical systems, and the enforcement thereof. [5][6] Typically, traditional or ethnic religions (paganism, animism) are more concerned with orthopraxis than orthodoxy, and some argue that equating the term “faith” with “religion” presents a Christian-biased notion of what the primary characteristic of religion is.

Some Christian religions and leaders today, from Roman Catholic to Evangelical Christians, have started to become vocal describing their religions as both orthodoxical and orthopraxic. The premise is “correct belief” compels “correct action”, and incorrect action is caused by incorrect beliefs.[7][8] Taking this combination of “correct belief” and “correct action” a step farther, Prosperity theology, found in charismatic and pentecostal traditions, teaches correct religious belief and behavior receives material reward and physical healing, in addition to being a necessary component for accepting God’s Grace. Prosperity theology is a concept known as reciprocity when discussing traditional or ethnic religions such as that in Ancient Greece, but is limited to correct behavior over any one theological idea.[9]

The purpose of Divine law is disputed among Christian denominations. A minority are Torah-observant, see also Jewish Christians, and at the other extreme are antinomistic views. In between, most Christians believe that the Ten Commandments are binding.

  1. ^ Jackson, Elizabeth (2007). The Illustrated Dictionary of Culture. Lotus Press. pp. 147. ISBN 978-8-1890-9326-6.
  2. ^ Westley, Miles (2005). The Bibliophile’s Dictionary. Writer’s Digest Books. pp. 91. ISBN 978-1-5829-7356-2.
  3. ^ McKim, Donald K. (1996). Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms. Westminster John Knox Press. pp. 197. ISBN 978-0-6642-5511-4.
  4. ^ McKim, Donald K. (1996). Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms. Westminster John Knox Press. pp. 197, 242. ISBN 978-0-6642-5511-4.
  5. ^ Antes, Peter; Armin W. Geertz, Randi R. Warne (2004). New Approaches to the Study of Religion: Regional, Critical, and Historical Approaches. 2. Walter de Gruyter. pp. 86. ISBN 978-3-1101-8175-3.
  6. ^ “Ritualism”. Princeton University. http://wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=ritualism. Retrieved on September 10 2008. “(1) the study of religious or magical rites and ceremonies; (2) exaggerated emphasis on the importance of rites or ritualistic forms in worship“
  7. ^ Murphy, Francesca Aran (1995). Christ the Form of Beauty: A Study in Theology and Literature. Continuum International Publishing Group. pp. 150–151. ISBN 978-0-5670-9708-8.
  8. ^ See also: John 5:1-18; 8:13-19; 10:24-33; 11:45-54; 18-19:16 (Demonstrates how correct/incorrect belief causes correct/incorrect action from a biblical perspective.)
  9. ^ Gill, Christopher; Norman Postlethwaite and Richard Seaford (1998). Reciprocity in Ancient Greece. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-1981-4997-2.

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