Liberation theology founder praises new ‘atmosphere’ under Pope Francis

[gilliam]

By Inés San Martín
Vatican correspondent May 12, 2015

ROME — A founding father of Latin America’s controversial liberation theology movement, which seeks to place the Catholic Church on the side of the poor, said there has been no “rehabilitation” under Pope Francis because the movement was never formally rejected in the first place.

That said, Peruvian theologian Gustavo Gutiérrez nevertheless acknowledged a clear “change in atmosphere” under the Latin American pontiff, who has voiced his dream of a “poor church for the poor.”

“To speak of rehabilitation would be inaccurate,” Gutiérrez said. “It would imply that there was a de-habilitation first.”

Gutiérrez’s remarks came in a Vatican press conference on Tuesday about a general assembly of Caritas Internationalis, a Rome-based federation of Catholic charitable organizations around the world. He will participate in the May 12-17 meeting as guest theologian.

cruxnow.com/church/2015/05/12/liberation-theology-founder-praises-new-atmosphere-under-pope-francis/

 

[Johann_du_Toit]

As far as I know, Guiterrez’s book on Liberation Theology was condemned by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and he was ordered to rewrite it and remove all references to Marxism and class warfare (which, to his credit, he did). So it’s not true that his ideas were never formally condemned.

 

[Michael_Mayo]

Liberation theology’s founder basks in a belated rehabilitation under Pope Francis

"Indeed, Gutierrez last year spoke at a Vatican book launch for a volume by Mueller, “Poor for the Poor: The Mission of the Church.”

“That’s a long way from the days when the Vatican office Mueller heads was investigating and censuring liberation theologians (Gutierrez himself was never disciplined).”

religionnews.com/2015/05/07/liberation-theologys-founder-basks-belated-rehabilitation-pope-francis/

 

[Bubba_Switzler]

In understanding the pope’s politics — and that’s what counts here — John Allen is right to point to Peronism, but wrong to look, as I think he does, at this question in terms of contemporary Peronism, moderate or otherwise, which is as intellectually incoherent as Mr. Allen suggests. The pope’s Peronism is far closer to the original, clearer version he would have known in his youth, minus the thuggery and (I assume!) the anti-clericalism if not, occasionally, the demagoguery.

nationalreview.com/corner/419394/peronist-pope-andrew-stuttaford