LIBERATION
THEOLOGY REBUTTED
Liberation
Theology is one of those exciting teachings that are quite modern which does
not only have a belonging to Latin America, but its roots have reached many
quarters of the globe and like wine, it’s time for sincere dialogue to be held
without anyone keeping the cards under the tables, so that the challenge and controversial
issues are clearly dealt with.
This has been
provoked both negatively and positively raised mixed reactions, some though
exaggerated and emotionally drained. This has been twinkled with sometimes political
and ecclesial frontlines. This has keenly raised interests, and the suspicion,
of the Sacred Congregation for Doctrine of the Faith[1]. Pope
Paul VI, gave qualified approval to the major theme of Liberation Theology: The
Liberation of men and women from all forms of oppression and exploitation, both
in their individual and social lives[2].
The General Assemblies of the Society of African Mission, in revising and
clarifying our missionary goals and methods, made a study of the tenets of
Liberation Theology, and in their final documents, incorporated some of its distinctive
emphases. “Some of our missionaries in
the field, not too well acquainted with the works Liberation Theologians, may
perhaps find the new language and the new emphases in our documents somewhat
disconcerting.” This has to give a glimpse and background, against which to
situate the Liberation thrust of the reality.
The true
content of Liberation Theology, is a label depicting a theological movement
which erupted in Latin America in the mid-sixties, and became a coherent
movement with its own identity at the second General Conference of Latin
America Episcopate (CELAM) in Medellín, Colombia, in 1968.
Gustavo
Gutierrez says, “Liberation theology should be regarded as a movement only in
the very broad sense”. Liberation
theology is born in the context of social injustice in which the people live
in. Gutierrez describes how his book, A Theology of Liberation, came into
being: It is a theological reflection born of the experience
of shared efforts to abolish the current unjust situation and build a different
society, freer and more human[3].
Liberation
theology is, then a reflection on the meaning of faith more so Christian faith
as it is lived in the context of a committed struggle to overcome an unjust and
powerful economic and political system, a system which creates massive
oppression and economic dependence. This is to further the liberation process
already begun, and support the commitment of Christians to the struggle for a
more just and humane economic and political order.
Gutierrez insists “It’s to let ourselves be judged by the Word of the Lord, to think
through our faith, to strength our love, and to give reason for our hope from
within a commitment which seeks to be more radical, total, and efficacious both
individual and societal. “Hermeneutic” means “having to do with interpretation.
And the circular nature of this interpretation stems from the fact that each
new reality obliges us to interpret the Word of God afresh, to change reality
accordingly, and then go back and interpret the Word of God again, and so on.”[4]
Man’s life
never stands still. It is a dynamic, developing reality, and is subject to
constant change. These changes come with constantly new perspectives on God’s
Word, and calls for fresh interpretation of the Word. This Word enters the
flesh of our lives, becomes an agent of change and transforms. Liberation
theologians focus attention on man in his social relationships. Human beings have
the capacity to subjugate and shape their environment, thus becoming subjects
in a humanized world. Paulo Freire speaks of these people as living in the
culture of silence where they are prohibited from creatively taking part in the
transformation of their society and therefore prohibited from being[5].
The hopes of
those suffering have to instil thrust towards the future in the context of a
Liberation struggle to undo the chains of the present oppressive social order
and build a new society, different from and qualitatively superior to, the one
which exists at present. We now have to seriously embark on the SWOT ANALYSIS
on Liberation Theology.
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