Liberation Theology

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Legal_Eagle said:
I don’t agree with my mother about everything either, yet she’s still my mother, I still love her, and I don’t want different one. My own children don’t always agree with me, but I hope they still love me, respect me, and don’t want a different dad. I’m sure the Quakers have a lot to offer, and I’m sure they are good and fine people. But, the Church is still my Mother, and I am still Her child. The Church and I won’t, despite our differences on this question, be parting ways.
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Fair enough
 
Franciscan said:
Because liberation theology is only partially compatible with Catholic social teaching as expressed in official statements, it has been rejected by the Vatican because of the Marxist concepts that tend towards materialism; this aspect of liberation theology is the most objectionable to orthodox Catholic critics who regard it as “incitement to hate and violence (and) the exaltation of class struggle”.
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Soooo right…i live in an African country where we now find previously disadvantaged people holding political power. The trouble is that at the height of their ‘struggle’ the marxist leaders declared that the following would hold true for the masses : " LIBERATION BEFORE EDUCATION!" What we now have is endless corruption ; savage acts of indiscriminate violence and an uneducated populace. Liberation theology is a fantasy…that always results in people moving away from Jesus. I cannot foresee Jesus supporting this theology…not under any circumstances. Just look at Zimbabwe…!!!:mad: :mad: :mad:
 
“The evidence for that, being…?”

How about the Bible, for one?:rolleyes:
 
Christians are called to action. They are called to fight Evil, directly, with their eyes open and abilities honed to a fine edge. They are called to fight Satan, to drive him back, to curb his influence, to protect Christ’s flock. They can’t accomplish this mission through passivity, submission to Evil, or a refusal to do anything but pray. The example Liberation Theology sets is one of full commitment to the building of a utopian, Christian society on Earth, in our lifetime. Yes, we must reject any Marxist strain of consciousness that might seep into our cause, but the cause itself – that of combatting Evil actively and courageously – can never be abandoned.:knight1:
 
There is a time for everything Christian, including just war. At some point in the global struggle for Christian Civilization, our soldiers must engage Evil on the fields of strife. Such encounters are a type of LT. Our new campaign must be one that borrows heavily from the activism of LT, while eliminating its Marxism. There is definitely a time for action.
:knight1:
 
They are called to fight Satan, to drive him back, to curb his influence, to protect Christ’s flock. They can’t accomplish this mission through passivity, submission to Evil, or a refusal to do anything but pray.
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True, not all Christians are called to be Contemplatives but one should strive to make everything they do in their day to day life a prayer. Ora et labora. We also should remember what many august Saints and Doctors of the Church say about prayer. The builder labors in vain if he is not helped by God. We can’t get into a mindset of “do, do, do”. The whole world is held together by the Mass and by prayers of Contemplatives.
The example Liberation Theology sets is one of full commitment to the building of a utopian, Christian society on Earth, in our lifetime.
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That is another area that Liberation Theology gets wrong. The Church is not in the business of building “utopias”, She’s in the business of saving souls.
 
“The Church is not in the business of building “utopias”, She’s in the business of saving souls.”

Wherever and whenever we stop trying to save the world, as Christ did Himself, we fail both God and our fellow Man. Jesus did not sit upon a throne, decreeing mass salvation. No…He walked the trails of the poor. He walked the Earth, ministering to the lower classes, healing them, teaching them, preaching the reign of God to them. He was a poor man, a man of the common people, and a theological rebel. He died a martyr of The Truth. When He spoke of the Kingdom of God, He spoke of Utopia.:knight1:
 
“He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed.”
(Luke 4:18)

**Long live the Liberationists! **:knight1:
 
And Mary said … “He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts, he has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted those of low degree; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty”. (Luke 1:51-53)
 
And if your brother becomes poor, and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall maintain him; as a stranger and a sojourner he shall live with you. Take no interest from him or increase, but fear your God; that your brother may live beside you. You shall not lend him your money at interest, nor give him your food for profit. I am the Lord your God, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God. (Leviticus 25:35-38)
 
I’m not well read on liberation theology, but in my understanding its connection to Marxist ideaology and class struggle (which was a cause of many terrible violent wars in the Americas in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s) was what made Pope Benedict, when he was Cardinal Ratzinger, wary of it.

Clearly as with all philosophical systems, Marxism contains elements of goodness and truth. Marx was right in many of his analyses of the roots of social and economic injustice, as well as his desire to see them remedied. But the flaw with Marx is he believed violent revolution was acceptable to bring about social change and justice. This was awfully and tragically evident in the horrible Marxist regimes like those of Lenin and Stalin and Mao and Pohl Pot, which murdered tens of millions of people and annihalated the middle and upper classes as well as ‘borgouis’ intellectuals and also destroyed religious life in these countries (Christianity in Russia and Buddhism in China). In Mao’s regime alone, up to 70 million people were murdered in his insane schemes to build a socialist utopia while he and his officials lived in luxury.

The violence at the heart of Marxist philosophy, along with its atheism, presents a massive and real danger to the Christian faith and its values, particularly on the dignity of the person, compassion, and non-violence. Marxist governments rejected all these, especially on so called ‘class enemies.’

Christians must work for compassion and social justice, but in a non-violent way, and not by means of violent revolution.
 
The beautiful thing about LT is that it doesn’t require a relationship with Marxism. I’ve been practicing it for years, and I not a Communist. Thanks for writing. I want to keep this discussion alive, somehow.

“The community of believers were of one heart and one mind. None of them ever claimed anything as his own; rather, everything was held in common. With power the apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great respect was paid to them all; nor was there anyone needy among them, for all who owned property or houses sold them and lay them at the feet of the apostles to be distributed to everyone according to his need.” (Acts 4:32-35; see also 2:42-47)
 
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spangler1982:
Msgr. William Smith has a very good talk on Liberation Theology that you can download and listen to for only a dollar, if you have a credit card
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I have to admit that made me snicker, right there. 😛

While I have never been a Catholic, or a Christian, or any religion, I did attend an excellent Catholic highschool, and really enjoyed learning abut Liberation Theology and its practice, and it does seem to me very true to the spirit of Christianity as the OP and others have demonstrated. I also studied a great deal about Latin American culture and literature later on, and found many inspiring examples of the same. With corporations having taken over all aspects of life in the USA so much more than ever, I very much understand why more US Catholics are reviving it in their hearts.
 
PauloFreire2 said:
How are we to be Christian in a world of destitution?

a. Through compassion (suffering with others)

b. By meeting the poor Christ in the poor

c. Through liberating action

d. By translating faith into action

"If they kill me, I shall rise again in the people."
– Archbishop Romero, El Salvador
🙂
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Any large-scale attempt by Christians to help others has to be done in the right spirit – with humility and patience,exalting God rather than exalting one’s own will and pride of accomplishment,or the pride of the community one is trying to help. When social activists and revolutionaries try to do the work of God without being within the spirit of God their efforts lead to sin and evil:
violent revolution,arrogance,class-envy,vindictivness,tyranny,cynicism,a materialistic mentality (the exaltation of Mammon),a crass utilitarian mentality.
 
“The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God (Isaiah 61:1-2).”

He has done these things in my life so that I can change the world. He has not done them so that I can sit and do nothing. He wants action, now.
 
PauloFreire2 said:
“The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God (Isaiah 61:1-2).”

He has done these things in my life so that I can change the world. He has not done them so that I can sit and do nothing. He wants action, now.
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He does not want us to do it in the spirit of a reckless political messiah,a revolutionary,like Barabbas. He wants us to do it in the spirit of a humble servant.
 
“Now listen, you who are rich, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived in luxury upon the earth and have gone in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered innocents, who were not opposing you.” (James 5:1-6)

His criticism is harsh. His words, compelling. The mission seems clear enough.
 
PauloFreire2 said:
“Now listen, you who are rich, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived in luxury upon the earth and have gone in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered innocents, who were not opposing you.” (James 5:1-6)

His criticism is harsh. His words, compelling. The mission seems clear enough.
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As harsh and compelling as it is, James is not calling for revolution or aggression against the wealthy. Read the verses which follow – James 5,7-10. Patience is not a characteristic of Liberation Theology.
Be patient,therefore,beloved,until the coming of the Lord.
 
"And raising his eyes toward his disciples he said:
“Blessed are you who are poor now, for the kingdom of God is yours.
Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who are weeping now, for you will laugh.
Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your reward will be great in heaven. For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way.
But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
But woe to you who are filled now, for you will be hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now, for you will grieve and weep.
Woe to you when all men shall speak well of you, for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this way.”

– Luke 6:20-26
 
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